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APIs · head to head

Backbase vs Strapi

Backbase logo

Backbase

APIs

Digital and AI-native engagement banking platform for customer-facing banking experiences

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Strapi logo

Strapi

APIs

Headless CMS with REST and GraphQL APIs

From
$35/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Backbase pricing scales with assets under management and AI API calls, meaning cost grows as the bank itself grows and adopts more AI features, which is a less predictable cost curve than a flat per-seat model.; Strapi cloud pricing is per project, not per account, so a second project doubles the bill
  • They diverge on capability: Backbase covers Digital banking front end, Strapi covers REST API.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Backbase and Strapi actually diverge.

Attributes where Backbase and Strapi differ
AttributeBackbaseStrapi
Starting priceOn request$35/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidNode.js, Cloud, Self-hosted, Docker
FoundedUnknown2015

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (APIs).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Backbase

  • Digital banking front end
  • Digital onboarding
  • Customer engagement workflows
  • AI-native banking OS positioning
  • Core-agnostic integration
  • Small business banking modules

Only in Strapi

  • REST API
  • GraphQL API
  • Content management
  • PostgreSQL
  • MySQL
  • MongoDB
  • AWS
  • Webhooks

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Backbase

  • An established bank wanting to modernise its digital customer experience without replacing its core banking systemnot Strapi
  • A credit union wanting purpose-built digital onboarding and servicing workflowsnot Strapi
  • A newer bank wanting an engagement layer built for AI-driven interaction from the outsetnot Strapi
  • A bank consolidating several separate digital banking front ends into one platform across retail and business bankingnot Strapi

Strapi

  • Running a self hosted headless CMS with a REST or GraphQL APInot Backbase
  • Giving editors a content admin panel over a custom content modelnot Backbase

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Backbase

  • Pricing scales with assets under management and AI API calls, meaning cost grows as the bank itself grows and adopts more AI features, which is a less predictable cost curve than a flat per-seat model.
  • It sits above, not instead of, a core banking system, so adopting it does not reduce a bank's overall vendor count or technology complexity; it adds a specialised layer.
  • As with any customer-facing banking platform, an outage or performance issue directly affects the bank's customers, so the operational stakes of vendor reliability are high.
  • Implementation for a large bank spans multiple modules and integration points, and realistic timelines run well beyond a simple software rollout.
  • Pricing opacity means a bank cannot benchmark Backbase against competing engagement banking platforms without engaging each vendor's own sales process separately.

Strapi

  • Cloud pricing is per project, not per account, so a second project doubles the bill
  • Starter at $35 a month allows 100,000 API requests, and overage is $1.50 per 25,000
  • Extra bandwidth is $30 per 100 GB and extra asset storage $0.60 per GB
  • Backups start at the Pro plan, weekly, and only become daily at Business
  • An uptime SLA is Business only, at $450 a month per project
  • Additional environments cost $60 a month on Pro and $300 a month on Business

Pricing, plan by plan

Backbase

On request
  • Backbase$undefined/year
    • Pricing scales with users, modules, assets under management and AI API calls
    • Custom quote required, not published

Strapi

$35/month
  • Starter$35/month
    • 100k API requests
    • 50 GB asset storage
    • 50 GB asset bandwidth
  • Pro$90/month
    • 1M API requests
    • 250 GB asset storage
    • 500 GB asset bandwidth
  • Business$450/month
    • 10M API requests
    • 1000 GB asset storage
    • 1000 GB asset bandwidth

Which should you pick?

Choose Backbase if

  • You need digital banking front end.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want digital onboarding.
Backbase review

Choose Strapi if

  • You need rest api.
  • You work on Node.js, Cloud, Self-hosted, Docker.
  • You also want graphql api.
Strapi review

Questions people ask

Is Backbase or Strapi better?
Neither clearly leads. Backbase starts at On request and Strapi at $35/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Backbase or Strapi?
Backbase starts at On request and Strapi at $35/month.
Does Backbase or Strapi run on more platforms?
Backbase runs on Web, iOS, Android. Strapi runs on Node.js, Cloud, Self-hosted, Docker.
What is Backbase best used for?
Backbase is most often used for an established bank wanting to modernise its digital customer experience without replacing its core banking system, a credit union wanting purpose-built digital onboarding and servicing workflows, a newer bank wanting an engagement layer built for ai-driven interaction from the outset, a bank consolidating several separate digital banking front ends into one platform across retail and business banking. Of those, an established bank wanting to modernise its digital customer experience without replacing its core banking system and a credit union wanting purpose-built digital onboarding and servicing workflows are not what Strapi is typically brought in for.
What can Backbase do that Strapi cannot?
Backbase covers Digital banking front end, Digital onboarding, Customer engagement workflows, AI-native banking OS positioning. Strapi covers REST API, GraphQL API, Content management, PostgreSQL.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Backbase: Does Backbase replace our core banking system?

No, it is a customer engagement layer that sits above and integrates with an existing core banking system.

Strapi: How much do API request overages cost?

Additional API requests beyond the plan limit cost $1.50 per 25000 requests. Extra asset storage costs $0.60 per GB, and additional bandwidth costs $30 per 100 GB.

Source
Backbase: How does pricing work?

It scales with factors including number of users, modules implemented, assets under management and AI API calls; exact numbers require a quote.

Strapi: Is yearly billing available?

Yes, yearly billing saves up to 17% compared to monthly billing on Strapi Cloud plans.

Source
Backbase: Is it suited to business as well as retail banking?

Yes, it includes modules specifically for small business banking engagement alongside retail.

Strapi: What is included with the Pro plan?

The Pro plan costs $90 per month per project and includes 1M API requests, 250 GB asset storage, 500 GB bandwidth, multi-environment support, weekly backups, and manual backups.

Source
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