Keystone
Keystone (KeystoneJS) is an open-source Node.js headless CMS that auto-generates a GraphQL API and Admin UI from schema definitions, serving developers and organizations building apps, websites, and eCommerce experiences. The framework is maintained by Thinkmill Labs Pty Ltd in Sydney, Australia, with monetization via Thinkmill's enterprise support services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersSydney, Australia
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Keystone does
Keystone (KeystoneJS) is an open-source Node.js headless CMS framework that auto-generates a GraphQL API and a customizable Admin UI from developer-defined schemas. The platform is built on Node.js, TypeScript (100%), Prisma ORM, GraphQL (via Apollo Server), and Next.js for the Admin UI, supporting PostgreSQL, MySQL, and SQLite databases with automatic migrations. Modular companion packages include @keystone-6/auth, @keystone-6/fields-document (a Slate-based rich text editor), @keystone-6/document-renderer, and a create-keystone-app CLI. Keystone has reached 1m+ npm installs, 9.9k GitHub stars, 250+ contributors, and a 2,500+ member community Slack since its first commit in 2013.
The project is created and maintained by Thinkmill Labs Pty Ltd, an Australian design and development consultancy headquartered in Sydney. Keystone is licensed under MIT and offered free forever with no lock-in; the only disclosed revenue stream is enterprise-level support, custom integrations, and consulting services sold directly by Thinkmill at unstated pricing. The company has no external institutional funding, no disclosed headcount, and no published financials. Recent engineering activity (April 2024 v6.0.0 major release through March 2026 v6.5.2 security patch) demonstrates active maintenance, including CVE remediations for access-control bypass vulnerabilities. The target audience spans individual developers, SMBs adopting the framework via self-serve npm installation, and organizations seeking tailored enterprise support from the creators.
Keystone firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Keystone
- Legal name
- Thinkmill Labs Pty Ltd
- Website
- https://keystonejs.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Keystone (KeystoneJS) is an open-source Node.js headless CMS that auto-generates a GraphQL API and Admin UI from schema definitions, serving developers and organizations building apps, websites, and eCommerce experiences. The framework is maintained by Thinkmill Labs Pty Ltd in Sydney, Australia, with monetization via Thinkmill's enterprise support services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Keystone industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Headless Content Management System (CMS)
- NAICS
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (5182)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Enterprise PaaS (App Runtime & Managed Application Platforms) (HDAEAKAB)
Keywords
Where Keystone is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sydney
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
Keystone business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Open Source Software: Keystone core software is free and open source under MIT license. No revenue directly from software licensing.
- Enterprise Support Services: Tailored enterprise support provided by Thinkmill (the creators) for organizations requiring dedicated assistance, training, and consulting.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Annual | Open Source - Free tier |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Keystone product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Keystone is an open-source Node.js headless CMS framework that auto-generates a GraphQL API and a customizable Admin UI from user-defined schema definitions. Built on TypeScript with Prisma ORM for automatic database migrations and Next.js for the Admin UI, it is distributed under the MIT license via npm and GitHub, with enterprise support and custom development services offered by Thinkmill.
Product overview
Keystone 6 is a Node.js headless CMS framework designed for developers. The core offering consists of the @keystone-6/core package that generates a GraphQL API and Admin UI from schema definitions. Supporting modules include @keystone-6/auth for authentication, @keystone-6/fields-document for rich text editing, and @keystone-6/document-renderer for frontend rendering. The platform supports PostgreSQL, MySQL, and SQLite databases via Prisma. A CLI tool (create-keystone-app) scaffolds new projects. Enterprise support is offered directly by Thinkmill. Keystone is 100% TypeScript, open source with over 1 million npm installs, and includes features like access control, session management, database migrations, event hooks, and custom schema definitions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Keystone 6 Open-source Node.js headless CMS framework that auto-generates a GraphQL API and a customizable Admin UI from schema definitions. Supports TypeScript and JavaScript, includes built-in authentication, session management, access control, and database migrations via Prisma, with support for PostgreSQL, MySQL, and SQLite. Distributed free under the MIT license via npm and GitHub.
- create-keystone-app Command-line interface tool for scaffolding new Keystone 6 projects. Generates project files, installs dependencies, creates an initial SQLite database, and sets up the Admin UI for rapid project initialization.
- Keystone Enterprise Enterprise support, training, and custom development services for Keystone delivered by Thinkmill, the Australian consultancy that created and maintains the open-source framework. Includes tailored assistance, custom integrations, and professional services for organizations deploying Keystone in production at scale.
Quantifiable outcome
- Build faster and scale further than any other CMS or App Framework
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Keystone
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Keystone technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature10 records
Keystone partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- ThinkmillcoreThinkmill is the Australian design + development consultancy that created Keystone. They provide enterprise-level support and tailored assistance for organizations using Keystone. Thinkmill Labs Pty Ltd maintains the software and manages the open source project.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Keystone competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hygraph (formerly GraphCMS): GraphQL-native headless CMS targeting developers building content-driven applications. Competes directly with Keystone's GraphQL-first, schema-defined content modeling approach.
- Storyblok: Headless CMS with a visual editor for content teams plus API-first delivery for developers. Targets the same dual developer/editor buyer as Keystone and is a common alternative in headless CMS evaluations.
- Sanity: API-first headless CMS with strong developer tooling, structured content, and a customizable Studio. Targets the same developer-led, content-as-data use cases as Keystone but is cloud-hosted and venture-backed.
- Directus: Open-source headless CMS and data platform wrapping any SQL database. Comparable to Keystone in being self-hosted, schema-driven, and offering auto-generated REST/GraphQL APIs for developers.
- Strapi: Leading open-source headless CMS built on Node.js. Directly competes with Keystone on developer-first, schema-driven content modeling and self-hosted deployment, with a similar freemium + enterprise support monetization model.
- Payload CMS: Open-source TypeScript-first headless CMS and application framework. Closely comparable to Keystone on stack (Node.js + TypeScript), schema-driven auto-API generation, and self-hosted deployment with optional commercial support.
- Prismic: Headless CMS focused on slice-based content modeling and developer-friendly APIs. Competes with Keystone for developer-led content sites and applications, including self-serve and enterprise tiers.
Broad incumbents
- Contentful: Enterprise-focused commercial headless CMS and incumbent category leader. Competes with Keystone for the same headless content use cases but operates as a managed SaaS at significantly larger scale and pricing.
- WordPress (headless): The dominant open-source CMS, increasingly deployed in headless configurations using its REST/GraphQL API. Represents the broad incumbent Keystone must displace in CMS replacement deals, particularly for content-heavy sites.
Emerging players
- Ghost: Open-source Node.js publishing platform with a managed commercial offering. Overlaps with Keystone on the Node.js + headless ecosystem but is more focused on publishing/newsletter use cases than general app backends.
Market position
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Keystone social profiles
Digital presenceKeystone financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Keystone leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Keystone funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Keystone M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Keystone
What does Keystone do?
Keystone is an open-source Node.js headless CMS framework that auto-generates a GraphQL API and a customizable Admin UI from user-defined schema definitions. Built on TypeScript with Prisma ORM for automatic database migrations and Next.js for the Admin UI, it is distributed under the MIT license via npm and GitHub, with enterprise support and custom development services offered by Thinkmill.
Is Keystone a public or private company?
Keystone is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Keystone founded?
Keystone was founded in 2013.
Where is Keystone based?
Keystone is headquartered in Sydney, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Keystone make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Open Source Software is the primary driver. The others are enterprise Support Services.
Who are Keystone's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hygraph (formerly GraphCMS), Storyblok, Sanity, Directus, Strapi, Payload CMS and Prismic. Broad incumbents are Contentful and WordPress (headless). Ghost is listed as an emerging player.
Does Keystone have an API?
Yes. Keystone generates a CRUD GraphQL API based on the schema definition. The API includes Query operations (findOne, findMany, usersCount) and Mutation operations (create, update, delete) for each list. It includes session management, access control, pagination, sorting, and filtering out of the box. The API is powered by Apollo Server and serves at /api/graphql by default. A GraphQL playground is available in development mode. The system supports custom queries, mutations, and GraphQL schema extensions. Error codes include KS_USER_INPUT_ERROR, KS_ACCESS_DENIED, KS_FILTER_DENIED, KS_VALIDATION_FAILURE, KS_LIMITS_EXCEEDED, KS_EXTENSION_ERROR, KS_ACCESS_RETURN_ERROR, KS_RESOLVER_ERROR, KS_RELATIONSHIP_ERROR, and KS_PRISMA_ERROR. Developer documentation is at keystonejs.com/docs/graphql/overview.
What industry is Keystone in?
Keystone's product category is Headless Content Management System (CMS). Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAEAKAB, Enterprise PaaS (App Runtime & Managed Application Platforms). Its NAICS code is 54151.