Is KeystoneJS or Tuum better?

Neither clearly leads. KeystoneJS starts at Free and Tuum at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.

Which is cheaper, KeystoneJS or Tuum?

KeystoneJS has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for KeystoneJS and On request for Tuum.

Does KeystoneJS or Tuum run on more platforms?

KeystoneJS runs on Node.js, Self-hosted. Tuum runs on Web, API.

Can I use KeystoneJS for free?

Yes. KeystoneJS has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Tuum 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 Tuum is typically brought in for.

What can KeystoneJS do that Tuum cannot?

KeystoneJS covers REST API, GraphQL API, Admin interface, Node.js. Tuum covers Modular product structure, Low-code integration middleware, Cloud-agnostic deployment, Multi-currency real-time accounts.

APIs · head to head

KeystoneJS vs Tuum

KeystoneJS

APIs

Powerful Node.js headless CMS framework and API platform

From: Free
Rated: -

Full review Website

Tuum

APIs

Modular core banking platform from Estonia, formerly branded Modularbank

From: On request
Rated: -

Full review Website

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; Tuum it is a smaller, younger company than Mambu, so it has fewer live reference deployments and a shorter track record to evaluate risk against.
They diverge on capability: KeystoneJS covers REST API, Tuum covers Modular product structure.
Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which KeystoneJS and Tuum actually diverge.

Attributes where KeystoneJS and Tuum differ
Attribute	KeystoneJS	Tuum
Starting price	Free	On request
Pricing model	open-source	quote
Free tier	Yes	No
Platforms	Node.js, Self-hosted	Web, API
Founded	2016	Unknown

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 Tuum

Modular product structure
Low-code integration middleware
Cloud-agnostic deployment
Multi-currency real-time accounts
Cards and lending modules
Faster migration timeline

What people use each for

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

KeystoneJS

Headless CMS implementationnot Tuum
Content management systemsnot Tuum
Customizable API-driven applicationsnot Tuum

Tuum

A bank wanting to migrate specific banking products to the cloud within months rather than replacing its entire core at oncenot KeystoneJS
A fintech in the DACH region or Middle East wanting a European core banking vendor with regional expansion focusnot KeystoneJS
An institution wanting low-code middleware to connect new modules to an existing legacy core rather than a full rebuildnot KeystoneJS
A company researching "Modularbank" that needs to confirm it is the same company now branded Tuumnot 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

Tuum

It is a smaller, younger company than Mambu, so it has fewer live reference deployments and a shorter track record to evaluate risk against.
The 2022-era rebrand from Modularbank to Tuum means older funding records, case studies and press coverage appear under a different name, complicating due diligence for anyone unaware of the change.
Pricing is entirely unpublished, requiring a sales conversation to budget against competing composable core vendors.
Its geographic expansion into DACH and the Middle East is comparatively recent, so support depth and local regulatory expertise in those markets are less proven than in its home Baltic and Nordic base.
As with any core banking platform, choosing Tuum is a multi-year infrastructure commitment; switching cores after implementation is a major undertaking regardless of how modular the initial adoption was.

Pricing, plan by plan

KeystoneJS

Free

Open SourceFree
- Full KeystoneJS
- Community support

Tuum

On request

Tuum$undefined/year
- Subscription and module-based pricing, not published
- Custom quote required via sales

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 Tuum if

You need modular product structure.
You work on Web, API.
You also want low-code integration middleware.

Tuum review

Questions people ask

Is KeystoneJS or Tuum better?: Neither clearly leads. KeystoneJS starts at Free and Tuum at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, KeystoneJS or Tuum?: KeystoneJS has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for KeystoneJS and On request for Tuum.
Does KeystoneJS or Tuum run on more platforms?: KeystoneJS runs on Node.js, Self-hosted. Tuum runs on Web, API.
Can I use KeystoneJS for free?: Yes. KeystoneJS has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Tuum 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 Tuum is typically brought in for.
What can KeystoneJS do that Tuum cannot?: KeystoneJS covers REST API, GraphQL API, Admin interface, Node.js. Tuum covers Modular product structure, Low-code integration middleware, Cloud-agnostic deployment, Multi-currency real-time accounts.

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

Tuum: Is Tuum the same company as Modularbank?

Yes, Modularbank rebranded to Tuum; it is the same company and platform.

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

Tuum: Where is it strongest geographically?

Its base is Estonia and the Nordic and Baltic region, with newer expansion into DACH and the Middle East.

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

Tuum: Is pricing published?

No, subscription and module pricing require a sales conversation.

KeystoneJS vs Tuum

KeystoneJS

Tuum

The short version

Where they differ

What each one covers

Only in KeystoneJS

Only in Tuum

What people use each for

KeystoneJS

Tuum

Where each one falls short

KeystoneJS

Tuum

Pricing, plan by plan

KeystoneJS

Tuum

Which should you pick?

Choose KeystoneJS if

Choose Tuum if

Questions people ask

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Related pages

More on KeystoneJS

More on Tuum

Keep looking

Other head to heads