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APIs · head to head

KeystoneJS vs Prisma

KeystoneJS logo

KeystoneJS

APIs

Powerful Node.js headless CMS framework and API platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Prisma logo

Prisma

APIs

Modern ORM and API client for Node.js and TypeScript

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: KeystoneJS database support is limited to PostgreSQL, MySQL and SQLite; Prisma prisma Postgres is billed per operation, with the free tier at 100,000 operations and 500 MB of storage
  • They diverge on capability: KeystoneJS covers REST API, Prisma covers ORM.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which KeystoneJS and Prisma actually diverge.

Attributes where KeystoneJS and Prisma differ
AttributeKeystoneJSPrisma
Pricing modelopen-sourceusage-based
PlatformsNode.js, Self-hostedNode.js, TypeScript

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (APIs), founded (2016).

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
  • Next.js
  • React
  • Databases
  • Self-hosted support

Only in Prisma

  • ORM
  • Query builder
  • Auto-migrations
  • TypeScript
  • GraphQL
  • REST APIs
  • TypeScript support

Both cover

  • Node.js
  • Node.js support

What people use each for

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

KeystoneJS

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

Prisma

  • Using a type safe ORM and query layer against a Postgres databasenot KeystoneJS
  • Adding a managed connection pool and edge cache in front of an existing databasenot 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

Prisma

  • Prisma Postgres is billed per operation, with the free tier at 100,000 operations and 500 MB of storage
  • Starter at $10 a month includes 1M operations then charges $0.0080 per 1,000
  • Storage overage runs from $2.00 per GB on Starter down to $1.00 per GB on Business, so the unit cost depends on the plan
  • Accelerate charges separately per operation and per GiB of query egress beyond the first 1 KiB
  • Cache tag invalidations are not included below the Pro plan and are billed per thousand above it

Pricing, plan by plan

KeystoneJS

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Full KeystoneJS
    • Community support

Prisma

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1M requests/month
    • 360 GB-hours memory
    • 4 vCPU-hours
  • Starter$10/month
    • 5M requests/month
    • 1M database operations ($8 per million overage)
    • 10 GB storage ($2/GB overage)
  • Pro$49/month
    • 20M requests/month
    • 10M operations ($2 per million overage)
    • 50 GB storage ($1.50/GB overage)
  • Business$129/month
    • 100M requests/month
    • 50M operations ($1 per million overage)
    • 100 GB storage

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 Prisma if

  • You need orm.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Node.js, TypeScript.
  • You also want query builder.
Prisma review

Questions people ask

Is KeystoneJS or Prisma better?
Neither clearly leads. KeystoneJS starts at Free and Prisma at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, KeystoneJS or Prisma?
KeystoneJS starts at Free and Prisma at Free.
Does KeystoneJS or Prisma run on more platforms?
KeystoneJS runs on Node.js, Self-hosted. Prisma runs on Node.js, TypeScript.
Can I use KeystoneJS for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Prisma is typically brought in for.
What can KeystoneJS do that Prisma cannot?
KeystoneJS covers REST API, GraphQL API, Admin interface, Next.js. Prisma covers ORM, Query builder, Auto-migrations, TypeScript. Both handle Node.js, Node.js support.

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
Prisma: How much does Prisma cost?

Prisma is free to start with 1M requests/month. The Starter plan costs $10/month with 5M requests, the Pro plan $49/month with 20M requests, and the Business plan $129/month with 100M requests. All plans have usage-based overages.

Source
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
Prisma: What is Prisma's overage pricing?

Prisma charges $1 per million requests over the included amount (Starter), $2 per million database operations overage (Pro and Starter), and $1.50-$2 per GB for storage overages depending on the plan. All plans include a hard spend limit on by default.

Source
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
Prisma: Does Prisma include data transfer costs?

No, Prisma includes unlimited data transfer with no egress fees on all plans. Prisma ORM remains free across all tiers.

Source
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