APIs · head to head
Basis Theory vs KeystoneJS
Basis Theory
APIs
Developer tokenisation platform that holds card and sensitive data inside a PCI Level 1 environment you do not operate
- From
- $995/month
- Rated
- -
KeystoneJS
APIs
Powerful Node.js headless CMS framework and API platform
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only KeystoneJS has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Basis Theory the Starter plan is 995 US dollars a month before any volume, which is a real floor for an early stage company and puts the product out of reach of teams tokenising a few thousand records.; KeystoneJS database support is limited to PostgreSQL, MySQL and SQLite
- They diverge on capability: Basis Theory covers Tokenisation API, KeystoneJS covers REST API.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Basis Theory and KeystoneJS actually diverge.
| Attribute | Basis Theory | KeystoneJS |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $995/month | Free |
| Pricing model | Per month by token volume | open-source |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android, Linux | Node.js, Self-hosted |
| Founded | Unknown | 2016 |
Identical on both: 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 Basis Theory
- Tokenisation API
- Hosted elements
- Outbound proxy
- PCI attestation of compliance
- Processor portability
- Reactors
- Access controls and audit
- PII and PHI options
Only in KeystoneJS
- REST API
- GraphQL API
- Admin interface
- Node.js
- Next.js
- React
- Databases
- Node.js support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Basis Theory
- A payments company that wants card on file without bringing its own infrastructure into PCI scope and paying for the assessment that followsnot KeystoneJS
- A merchant locked into a processor by that processor vault that wants to hold its own tokens and route to more than one acquirernot KeystoneJS
- A fintech collecting bank account and identity data that needs it isolated from its application database before an enterprise security reviewnot KeystoneJS
- A team that needs to send stored card data to a third party for a one-off integration without that data traversing its own serversnot KeystoneJS
KeystoneJS
- Headless CMS implementationnot Basis Theory
- Content management systemsnot Basis Theory
- Customizable API-driven applicationsnot Basis Theory
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Basis Theory
- The Starter plan is 995 US dollars a month before any volume, which is a real floor for an early stage company and puts the product out of reach of teams tokenising a few thousand records.
- Starter is limited to the US region, so a company with European data residency requirements is pushed into a quoted Scale or Enterprise agreement immediately.
- Log retention on Starter is 24 hours, which is well below what most security teams expect for a system holding cardholder data and forces an upgrade for reasons unrelated to volume.
- Migrating away means moving card data out of the vault, which requires processor and assessor involvement and is slow, so the portability argument that attracts buyers cuts against them at exit.
- An attestation of compliance covers the vendor environment, not your assessment; your assessor still decides what is in scope, and buyers occasionally discover their integration pattern pulled systems back into scope anyway.
KeystoneJS
- Database support is limited to PostgreSQL, MySQL and SQLite
- Keystone 5 is a separate legacy product documented on a different site and is not covered by the Keystone 6 docs
- Upgrading requires following a dedicated Migrate to 8.0.0 guide, so major versions are not drop-in
- Free support is a community Slack; enterprise-grade consulting and support is a separate paid engagement with Thinkmill and no published price
Pricing, plan by plan
Basis Theory
$995/month- Starter$995/month
- 20,000 tokens included
- Production PCI Level 1 environment
- US region only
- Scale$undefined/month
- Quoted
- Higher token volumes
- Additional regions
- Enterprise$undefined/month
- Quoted
- Additional compliance options for PII and PHI
- Responses for 95 percent of PCI SAQ D
KeystoneJS
Free- Open SourceFree
- Full KeystoneJS
- Community support
Which should you pick?
Choose Basis Theory if
- You need tokenisation api.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android, Linux.
- You also want hosted elements.
Choose KeystoneJS if
- You need rest api.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Node.js, Self-hosted.
- You also want graphql api.
Questions people ask
- Is Basis Theory or KeystoneJS better?
- Neither clearly leads. Basis Theory starts at $995/month and KeystoneJS at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Basis Theory or KeystoneJS?
- KeystoneJS has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $995/month for Basis Theory and Free for KeystoneJS.
- Does Basis Theory or KeystoneJS run on more platforms?
- Basis Theory runs on Web, iOS, Android, Linux. KeystoneJS runs on Node.js, Self-hosted.
- Can I use KeystoneJS for free?
- Yes. KeystoneJS has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Basis Theory starts at $995/month.
- What is Basis Theory best used for?
- Basis Theory is most often used for a payments company that wants card on file without bringing its own infrastructure into pci scope and paying for the assessment that follows, a merchant locked into a processor by that processor vault that wants to hold its own tokens and route to more than one acquirer, a fintech collecting bank account and identity data that needs it isolated from its application database before an enterprise security review, a team that needs to send stored card data to a third party for a one-off integration without that data traversing its own servers. Of those, a payments company that wants card on file without bringing its own infrastructure into pci scope and paying for the assessment that follows and a merchant locked into a processor by that processor vault that wants to hold its own tokens and route to more than one acquirer are not what KeystoneJS is typically brought in for.
- What can Basis Theory do that KeystoneJS cannot?
- Basis Theory covers Tokenisation API, Hosted elements, Outbound proxy, PCI attestation of compliance. KeystoneJS covers REST API, GraphQL API, Admin interface, Node.js.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Basis Theory: Does this make us PCI compliant?
It removes cardholder data from your systems and gives you an AOC plus documented responses for most of a SAQ D. Your assessor still determines your scope, and a careless integration can pull systems back in.
KeystoneJS: Is KeystoneJS free?
Yes, KeystoneJS is free and open source with no licensing fees. Core platform has no lock-in and is contributed to by 250+ developers.
SourceBasis Theory: What does it cost to start?
995 US dollars a month on Starter, including 20,000 tokens, a production PCI Level 1 environment and US hosting. Higher tiers are quoted.
KeystoneJS: What are hosting costs for KeystoneJS?
KeystoneJS is self-hosted and deployment-agnostic. Hosting costs depend on your chosen deployment platform (Vercel, AWS, Heroku, etc.) and infrastructure, not KeystoneJS itself.
SourceBasis Theory: Can we switch payment processors without re-collecting cards?
Yes, that is the main non-compliance reason to buy it. You hold the tokens and detokenise into whichever processor you route to.
KeystoneJS: Does KeystoneJS offer paid support?
Enterprise support with tailored options is available from Thinkmill, the company behind KeystoneJS. Pricing details available upon request.
SourceBasis Theory: Is data stored outside the United States?
Not on Starter, which is US only. Other regions require a Scale or Enterprise agreement.
Related pages
More on Basis Theory
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- KeystoneJS vs Gravitee
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