microCMS review
Free to start
microCMS is a Japanese hosted headless CMS with a straightforward REST API, good SDKs and an unusually generous free tier at 10,000 content entries. It is the default choice for a large part of the Japanese web development market.
Pricing is in yen, which is worth noting for teams budgeting elsewhere, and the entry paid tier is inexpensive by international comparison.
Who microCMS is for
Teams building for Japanese audiences, and anyone wanting a simple hosted content API with a large free entry allowance.
Documentation and support are strongest in Japanese.
Strengths and limits
What it does well
- 10,000 content entries on the free tier is far more generous than most free tiers here.
- The API is simple and the SDKs are good, so integration is quick.
- Team tier at ¥4,900 a month is inexpensive relative to Western equivalents.
- Strong choice for Japanese-language content and audiences.
Where it falls short
- API count is metered rather than content types being unlimited: 5 APIs on Hobby, 10 on Team, at ¥2,000 each beyond.
- Business at ¥75,000 a month is a steep jump from Team.
- English documentation is thinner than Japanese.
- Currency and billing in yen adds friction for teams elsewhere.
microCMS pricing
Hobby is ¥0 a month with 3 members, 5 APIs and 10,000 content entries, with no card required. Team starts at ¥4,900 a month with 3 members expandable at ¥1,200 each, 10 APIs expandable at ¥2,000 each, and 20,000 entries. Business starts at ¥75,000 a month with 20 members, 30 APIs and 50,000 entries, adding access control, version restoration and multiple environments. Enterprise is quote-only with 50+ members, 50 APIs and 100,000 entries. Paid plans include a 14-day free trial.
Verdict
Genuinely good value and an obvious pick for Japanese projects. The free tier's 10,000 entries make it viable for real sites rather than only prototypes.
Outside Japan, the yen billing and thinner English documentation are the practical friction, and the API-count metering is an unusual model to plan around.
microCMS FAQ
How much does microCMS cost?
Hobby is ¥0 with 3 members, 5 APIs and 10,000 entries. Team starts at ¥4,900 a month, Business at ¥75,000, and Enterprise is quote-only. Additional members are ¥1,200 each and additional APIs ¥2,000 each.
Other platforms worth a look
This is an independent review. We have no affiliate relationship with microCMS, earn nothing if you sign up, and no vendor pays for placement in the directory. Prices were read from the vendor's own pages in August 2026 and change without notice.