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Testing · head to head

Selenium vs Strapi

Selenium logo

Selenium

Testing

Browser automation framework and the W3C WebDriver standard

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Strapi logo

Strapi

APIs

Headless CMS with REST and GraphQL APIs

From
$35/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Selenium has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Selenium flaky tests are the standing complaint: explicit waits and synchronisation are the tester’s job, where newer tools handle it automatically; Strapi cloud pricing is per project, not per account, so a second project doubles the bill
  • They diverge on capability: Selenium covers W3C WebDriver, Strapi covers REST API.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Selenium and Strapi actually diverge.

Attributes where Selenium and Strapi differ
AttributeSeleniumStrapi
Starting priceFree$35/month
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, macOS, Windows, WebNode.js, Cloud, Self-hosted, Docker
CategoryTestingAPIs
FoundedUnknown2015

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Selenium

  • W3C WebDriver
  • Many language bindings
  • Selenium Grid
  • Broad browser support

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.

Selenium

  • Cross-browser testing where Safari and legacy browsers must be coverednot Strapi
  • Teams whose test suites are written in Java or C# rather than JavaScriptnot Strapi
  • Distributing a large suite across a grid of machinesnot Strapi

Strapi

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

Where each one falls short

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

Selenium

  • Flaky tests are the standing complaint: explicit waits and synchronisation are the tester’s job, where newer tools handle it automatically
  • Setup involves drivers, versions and grid infrastructure that Playwright and Cypress bundle away
  • Slower to run than tools that talk to browsers over a debugging protocol rather than WebDriver

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

Selenium

Free
  • SeleniumFree
    • Full functionality
    • Unlimited tests
    • Community support

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 Selenium if

  • You need w3c webdriver.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, Web.
  • You also want many language bindings.
Selenium 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 Selenium or Strapi better?
Neither clearly leads. Selenium starts at Free and Strapi at $35/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Selenium or Strapi?
Selenium has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Selenium and $35/month for Strapi.
Does Selenium or Strapi run on more platforms?
Selenium runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Web. Strapi runs on Node.js, Cloud, Self-hosted, Docker.
Can I use Selenium for free?
Yes. Selenium has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Strapi starts at $35/month.
What is Selenium best used for?
Selenium is most often used for cross-browser testing where safari and legacy browsers must be covered, teams whose test suites are written in java or c# rather than javascript, distributing a large suite across a grid of machines. Of those, cross-browser testing where safari and legacy browsers must be covered and teams whose test suites are written in java or c# rather than javascript are not what Strapi is typically brought in for.
What can Selenium do that Strapi cannot?
Selenium covers W3C WebDriver, Many language bindings, Selenium Grid, Broad browser support. Strapi covers REST API, GraphQL API, Content management, PostgreSQL.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Selenium: Is Selenium free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee. Paid costs come from grid infrastructure or services like BrowserStack.

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
Selenium: Selenium or Playwright?

Playwright handles waiting automatically and is faster to set up, which removes most flakiness complaints. Selenium wins on language breadth, browser coverage including Safari, and existing suites you already have.

Strapi: Is yearly billing available?

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

Source
Selenium: Is Selenium still relevant?

Yes. Its WebDriver protocol is a W3C standard implemented by every major browser, and very large existing suites are not rewritten cheaply.

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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