Softwr

APIs · head to head

KeystoneJS vs Ozone API

KeystoneJS logo

KeystoneJS

APIs

Powerful Node.js headless CMS framework and API platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Ozone API logo

Ozone API

APIs

Standards-compliant open banking API layer for banks and regulators

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only KeystoneJS has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: KeystoneJS database support is limited to PostgreSQL, MySQL and SQLite; Ozone API it provides the API layer, not the core connectivity, so the bulk of the project is still integrating your own core banking systems and that cost is not in the licence.
  • They diverge on capability: KeystoneJS covers REST API, Ozone API covers Multi-standard support.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which KeystoneJS and Ozone API actually diverge.

Attributes where KeystoneJS and Ozone API differ
AttributeKeystoneJSOzone API
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelopen-sourcequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsNode.js, Self-hostedWeb, REST API, Linux
Founded2016Unknown

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 KeystoneJS

  • REST API
  • GraphQL API
  • Admin interface
  • Node.js
  • Next.js
  • React
  • Databases
  • Node.js support

Only in Ozone API

  • Multi-standard support
  • Consent management
  • Developer portal
  • Regulatory reporting
  • Premium API monetisation
  • Deployment flexibility

What people use each for

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

KeystoneJS

  • Headless CMS implementationnot Ozone API
  • Content management systemsnot Ozone API
  • Customizable API-driven applicationsnot Ozone API

Ozone API

  • A building society facing an open banking compliance deadline with no API team of its ownnot KeystoneJS
  • A bank operating in several jurisdictions that must satisfy different open banking standards at oncenot KeystoneJS
  • A regulator or standards body building national open finance infrastructurenot KeystoneJS
  • A bank wanting to sell premium APIs beyond the regulatory minimum without building entitlement plumbingnot KeystoneJS

Where each one falls short

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

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

Ozone API

  • It provides the API layer, not the core connectivity, so the bulk of the project is still integrating your own core banking systems and that cost is not in the licence.
  • Value is driven by regulatory obligation, so an institution not under a mandate struggles to build a business case for the spend.
  • It is a small UK vendor selling to large regulated institutions, which raises procurement and vendor viability questions during bank due diligence.
  • Premium API monetisation is a genuine capability but few banks have found real demand, so revenue projections used to justify the purchase often do not materialise.
  • Standards evolve continuously and each revision means a change programme in your own systems, even where Ozone absorbs the specification work at the API edge.

Pricing, plan by plan

KeystoneJS

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Full KeystoneJS
    • Community support

Ozone API

On request
  • Ozone API$undefined/year
    • Annual licence or managed service subscription, quoted
    • Scaling by institution size, standards in scope and API call volume
    • Implementation and core integration charged separately

Which should you pick?

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.
KeystoneJS review

Choose Ozone API if

  • You need multi-standard support.
  • You work on Web, REST API, Linux.
  • You also want consent management.
Ozone API review

Questions people ask

Is KeystoneJS or Ozone API better?
Neither clearly leads. KeystoneJS starts at Free and Ozone API at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, KeystoneJS or Ozone API?
KeystoneJS has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for KeystoneJS and On request for Ozone API.
Does KeystoneJS or Ozone API run on more platforms?
KeystoneJS runs on Node.js, Self-hosted. Ozone API runs on Web, REST API, Linux.
Can I use KeystoneJS for free?
Yes. KeystoneJS has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Ozone API starts at On request.
What is KeystoneJS best used for?
KeystoneJS is most often used for headless cms implementation, content management systems, customizable api-driven applications. Of those, headless cms implementation and content management systems are not what Ozone API is typically brought in for.
What can KeystoneJS do that Ozone API cannot?
KeystoneJS covers REST API, GraphQL API, Admin interface, Node.js. Ozone API covers Multi-standard support, Consent management, Developer portal, Regulatory reporting.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Source
Ozone API: Is this a competitor to Plaid or TrueLayer?

No, the opposite side. Ozone is bought by the bank exposing data; Plaid and TrueLayer consume it on behalf of third parties.

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.

Source
Ozone API: Does it connect to my core banking system?

It provides the standards-compliant API surface and adapters, but connecting your core is an integration project you scope separately.

KeystoneJS: Does KeystoneJS offer paid support?

Enterprise support with tailored options is available from Thinkmill, the company behind KeystoneJS. Pricing details available upon request.

Source
Ozone API: Which standards does it support?

UK Open Banking, Berlin Group, FDX, Consumer Data Right and Gulf regional standards, among others, from one platform.

Share

Related pages

More on KeystoneJS

More on Ozone API

Keep looking

Other head to heads