Directus
Verified Oct 15, 2026 ActiveAn open-source backend that turns an existing SQL database into REST and GraphQL APIs with a no-code admin UI.
Listed on EffectHub ·
Pricing
- Pricing model
- Freemium
- Paid options from
- $499/mo
- Billing
- Monthly
Self-hosting the Core edition (3 seats, 25 collections, 5 flows) is free. Team is $499/month on an annual commitment ($599 month-to-month) with 10 SSO seats and extra seats at $50/seat/month; Directus Cloud hosting is a $99/month add-on for Core and Team, Enterprise is custom, and a grant gives small organizations a free license.
Use tool ↗About Directus
Directus is an open-source, self-hostable headless CMS and backend built by Monospace Inc. Point it at an existing database and it generates REST and GraphQL APIs plus a no-code admin interface for managing content, files, and user permissions, for both human editors and AI agents. It adds real-time WebSocket subscriptions, role-based access control, a built-in AI assistant, and an MCP server so tools like Claude, ChatGPT, or Cursor can read and write through the same API. It reports more than 45 million downloads and customers including Tripadvisor and Copa Airlines, and is SOC 2 Type II and GDPR compliant. It can be self-hosted for free or run as a paid hosted cloud service.
- Platforms
- Web · API
- API
- Yes
- Last verified
- Oct 15, 2026
Verified sources
- Core $0 (3 seats, 25 collections, 5 flows); Team $499/month annual or $599 monthly; Cloud hosting add-on $99/month for Core and Team; Enterprise custom; Open Innovation Grant for organizations under $5M revenue (15 October 2026)directus.com ↗
- Home page and footer present Directus as a backend for builders and AI with MCP access, SOC 2 Type II and GDPR compliance (15 October 2026)directus.com ↗
Is Directus legit?
We don’t label tools safe or unsafe. Below are the records we checked ourselves, each with the date we read it.
- Domain registered
- Feb 6, 1997 (29 years ago)Registry record (RDAP), registrar Squarespace Domains LLC, looked up Sep 6, 2026
- TLS certificate
- Issued by Google Trust Services, valid until Dec 23, 2026Seen in our own connection to the site on Oct 15, 2026
- Last checked
- Oct 15, 2026The site answered
- Operated by
- Monospace Inc., United StatesOur research, card verified Oct 15, 2026
Pros & cons of Directus
Directus generates a working REST/GraphQL API and no-code admin panel from an existing database, which makes it a fast way to turn a plain schema into something both a content team and an AI agent can use. It's genuinely open source and self-hostable, not just free-to-start, which matters if a team wants to avoid platform lock-in. The jump from free self-hosting to $499/month for the hosted Team tier is steep if a team isn't ready to run it themselves.
Pros
- Open source and self-hostable, not a locked SaaS-only product
- Generates both REST and GraphQL APIs automatically from the schema
- MCP server lets AI coding tools read and write content directly
Cons
- Hosted Team tier jumps straight to $499/month with no mid-tier paid plan shown
- Self-hosting requires the operational work of running and updating it yourself
Best for
- Teams that already have a database and want an API and admin UI without building both by hand
- Developers who want AI agents (via MCP) to read and write structured content safely
Not for
- Teams wanting a fully managed CMS with no self-hosting option below $499/month
- Non-technical teams without anyone comfortable connecting a database
Watch out: The free tier is capped at 3 user seats and 25 collections — check those limits against actual team and schema size before assuming self-hosting is free enough.
Alternatives to Directus
Directus head-to-head
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