Infrastructure Analysis

AI-Native Rigid Backbone

Deep analysis of 32 platforms across 4 layers. No conclusions -- options only.

32
Platforms
4
Layers
8
Per Layer
2026-03-28

CRM / Contact Management

Layer 1

8 platforms evaluated for contact management, relationship tracking, and API-first CRM capabilities.

Twenty CRM
Open Source CRM AGPL-3.0 Self-Host
CloudFree → $9 → $19/user
Self-Host$100-200/mo infra
APIGraphQL + REST, unlimited
StackTypeScript / React / NestJS / PostgreSQL / Redis
AIMCP servers + runtime custom objects
Stars40K+ GitHub
StrengthFull code control
RiskAGPL sharing requirement
Attio
AI-Native CRM Proprietary No Self-Host
CloudFree → $29 → $59 → $119/user
APIREST, 1K/hr limit
StackRust engine, petabyte-scale, <50ms
AIOfficial MCP + semantic types
StrengthBest performance
RiskVendor lock-in
Close
Sales CRM Proprietary No Self-Host
Cloud$9 → $29 → $49 → $99/user
APIREST, all plans
StackPython / Flask
StrengthCheapest API CRM
RiskSales-only focus
HubSpot
Enterprise CRM Proprietary No Self-Host
CloudFree → $20 → $100 → $150/seat
APIREST + GraphQL
AIBreeze AI
StrengthMassive ecosystem
RiskCustom objects $150+/seat
Folk
Lightweight CRM Proprietary No Self-Host
CloudFree → $20 → $48/user
APINo API below $48
StrengthSimple
RiskNo API on base plan
Clay
Enrichment Platform Proprietary No Self-Host
CloudFree → $149 → $349 → $800/mo
APINo API
ModelSpreadsheet-based
StrengthBest enrichment
RiskNot a CRM
Affinity
Relationship CRM Proprietary No Self-Host
Cloud$167+/user
APIREST, 3 webhooks
FocusVC / PE niche
StrengthRelationship mapping
RiskNiche VC/PE, expensive
Salesforce
Enterprise CRM Proprietary No Self-Host
Cloud$25 → $100 → $175 → $330/user
APIRequires $175+ plan
AIAgentforce $550/seat
StrengthMost powerful
RiskExpensive, lock-in

Content Management

Layer 2

8 CMS platforms evaluated for API-first content delivery, AI readiness, and developer experience.

Payload CMS 3.0
Headless CMS MIT Self-Host
CloudFree → $35 → $199/mo
Self-HostLives in Next.js app
APIREST + GraphQL + Local API
StackTypeScript / Next.js
AIRAG-ready auto-embedding
StrengthLives in codebase, Local API
RiskYoung, smaller plugins
Strapi
Headless CMS MIT Self-Host
CloudFree (500 entries) → $45/mo
Self-HostFree
APIREST + GraphQL
StackTypeScript v5
Stars65K+ GitHub
StrengthLargest community
RiskLimited cloud free tier
Directus
Data Platform BSL 1.1 Self-Host
LicenseFree under $5M revenue
CloudFree → $99 → $349/mo
Self-HostDocker
APIREST + GraphQL + WebSocket
AIOfficial MCP, wraps any SQL DB
StrengthDatabase-first, real-time
RiskLicense above $5M revenue
Sanity
Structured Content Proprietary Studio Only
CloudFree (20 users) → $15/user/mo
APIGROQ + GraphQL
AIAgent Actions + MCP
NoteContent Lake is proprietary
StrengthBest AI features
RiskProprietary data, vendor lock-in
Contentful
Enterprise CMS Proprietary No Self-Host
CloudFree → EUR 300/mo min
APIREST + GraphQL, 7-10 req/sec
StrengthEnterprise proven
RiskEUR 300 minimum, rate limits
Ghost
Publishing CMS MIT Self-Host
Cloud$15 → $29 → $199/mo
Self-HostDocker
StrengthBest blogging
RiskNo custom content types
Tina CMS
Git-Based CMS Apache 2.0 Self-Host
CloudFree (2 users) → $29 → $99/mo
StorageGit-based
StrengthVisual editing
RiskGit storage doesn't scale
Keystatic
Git-Based CMS MIT Self-Host
CloudFree (3 users) → $49/mo
StorageGit-based
StrengthSimple
RiskNo API, no localization, doesn't scale

Workflow Orchestration

Layer 3

8 orchestration engines evaluated for durable execution, TypeScript support, and AI agent capabilities.

Inngest
Workflow Engine SSPL → Apache 2.0 Self-Host
CloudFree (50K exec) → $75/mo (1M)
Self-HostSingle binary + PostgreSQL
Pricing~$0.00005/exec
StackTypeScript primary
DurabilityStep-level checkpointing
AIAgentKit multi-agent framework
StrengthBest TS DX, AgentKit
RiskSSPL, cost prediction hard
Trigger.dev
Background Jobs Apache 2.0 Self-Host
CloudFree ($5 credit) → $10 → $50/mo
Self-HostNeeds CRIU (Linux)
Pricing$0.000025/invocation + compute
StackTypeScript only
DurabilityCRIU checkpoint
AIAI agent support
StrengthManaged compute + orchestration, no timeouts
RiskCRIU Linux required, vendor lock-in compute
Temporal
Durable Execution MIT Self-Host
Cloud$100 → $500/mo
Self-Host$18K-33K/mo (expensive)
PricingPer-action billing
StackTS SDK (sandbox constraints)
DurabilityEvent-sourced, best-in-class
Startup$6K startup credits
StrengthMost battle-tested
RiskLearning curve, opaque billing, expensive self-host
Hatchet
Task Orchestrator MIT 100% Self-Host
CloudFree (100K runs) → $500 → $1K/mo
Self-HostPostgreSQL
Pricing$10/1M runs
StackTS SDK v1
StatePostgreSQL, <20ms latency
FeatureExcellent concurrency controls
StrengthBest concurrency/rate limiting, MIT, <20ms
RiskYoung (YC W24), $500 Team minimum
Windmill
Developer Platform AGPLv3 Self-Host
Cloud$10/seat → $120/mo
Self-HostDocker, free unlimited
StackTS supported, not primary
DurabilityPartial durable
BackendRust
StrengthFree unlimited self-host
RiskAGPLv3, not TypeScript-first
n8n
Visual Workflow SUL Self-Host
Cloud~$24 → $60/mo
Self-HostDocker, free
DurabilityNo durable execution
AI70+ AI nodes
LicenseNot OSS (SUL)
StrengthBest visual builder
RiskNo durability, SUL license
Prefect
Data Orchestrator Apache 2.0 Self-Host
CloudFree (500 min) → $100/mo
Self-HostDocker
StackPython only
StrengthPython data pipelines
RiskNo TypeScript
Pipedream
Integration Platform Source Available No Self-Host
CloudFree (100 credits) → $45 → $150/mo
DurabilityLimited
Integrations2800+
NoteAcquired by Workday
StrengthAPI integrations
RiskNo self-host, Workday acquisition, not durable

Database

Layer 4

8 database platforms evaluated for schema enforcement, real-time capabilities, vector search, and migration from Firestore.

Neon
Serverless Postgres Apache 2.0
Free0.5GB, 100 compute-hrs
Paid$19 → $69/mo
SchemaFull Postgres enforcement
ORMPrisma / Drizzle / all
Vectorpgvector built-in
FeatureBest-in-class branching, scale-to-zero
StrengthBest branching, pgvector, scale-to-zero
RiskNo built-in live queries
Supabase
BaaS + Postgres Apache 2.0
Free500MB, pauses after 1 week
Paid$25 → $599/mo
SchemaFull Postgres
Built-inReal-time + Auth + Storage
Vectorpgvector, RLS
MigrationOfficial Firestore migration
StrengthMost complete Firestore replacement
RiskFree pauses, PITR $100/mo extra
Turso
Edge SQLite MIT
Free9GB, 500 DBs
Paid$29 → $99/mo
SchemaSQLite-level
LatencyEdge replicas <1ms
FeaturePer-tenant DBs
StrengthFastest edge reads, generous free
RiskSQLite limits, no real-time
PlanetScale
Serverless MySQL Proprietary
FreeNo free tier
Paid$39 → $99/mo
SchemaMySQL (Vitess), no FK encouraged
Real-timeNone
StrengthProven at YouTube scale
RiskNo free tier, no FK
CockroachDB
Distributed SQL BSL 1.1 → Apache
Free10GB, 50M RUs
PaidPay-as-you-go → $499/mo dedicated
SchemaPostgres-compatible
FeatureMulti-region consistency
StrengthMulti-region consistency
RiskOverkill, unpredictable RU pricing
MongoDB Atlas
Document DB SSPL
Free512MB
Paid~$9 → $57/mo
SchemaOptional
VectorAtlas Vector Search
StrengthFlexible documents, Atlas Search
RiskNo relational integrity (same as Firestore)
Xata
Serverless DB Proprietary
Free15GB, 250 AI queries
Paid$24 → $999/mo
SchemaPostgreSQL-based
Built-inSearch + AI
StrengthMost generous free tier
RiskSearch removed from free, $999 enterprise jump
Firestore Current
NoSQL Document Proprietary
Free1GB
Paid$0.18/100K reads
SchemaNo enforcement
RelationsNone
Real-timeExcellent
StrengthReal-time, Firebase integration
RiskNo schema, no integrity, unpredictable costs

Cost Comparison

Estimated monthly costs at two scale points, across three tiers: budget, mid-range, and premium.

10K Users

Tier Stack Monthly Cost
Budget Twenty + Payload + Inngest Free + Neon $170/mo
Mid Mid-range stack $1,015/mo
Premium Premium stack $6,269/mo

100K Users

Tier Stack Monthly Cost
Budget Budget stack at scale $745/mo
Mid Mid-range stack at scale $5,625/mo
Premium Premium stack at scale $21,600/mo

License Summary

License types for all evaluated platforms. Green = permissive, amber = copyleft/conditional, red = proprietary.

Platform License Category
TwentyAGPL-3.0Copyleft
Payload CMSMITPermissive
StrapiMITPermissive
DirectusBSL 1.1Conditional
InngestSSPL → Apache 2.0Transitioning
Trigger.devApache 2.0Permissive
TemporalMITPermissive
HatchetMITPermissive
WindmillAGPLv3Copyleft
n8nSULSource-Available
NeonApache 2.0Permissive
SupabaseApache 2.0Permissive
TursoMITPermissive

Migration Complexity

Estimated complexity of migrating from the current Firebase/Firestore stack to new layers.

Migration Path Technical Complexity Business Risk
Firestore users → CRM High Medium
Entity collections → CMS Medium Low
Cloud Function chains → Workflow Medium Medium
Firestore (all data) → Postgres Very High High
Firebase Auth → Keep Low Low
AaaS Infrastructure Analysis — Generated 2026-03-28