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What is Directus?
Open-source backend and headless CMS that turns any SQL database into instant REST and GraphQL APIs, with a no-code studio and a native MCP server. Directus is a backend platform that sits on top of a SQL database you already have, or one you create through its studio, and exposes the data through instant REST and GraphQL APIs.
Our verdict
Directus is a strong pick when you want a real data backend your whole team can work in, without locking the data into a proprietary store. Because it wraps your own SQL database, you keep the schema and can leave. The new AI and MCP layer is the reason it is trending: agents get governed access to live business data instead of a copy of it.
Full review
Directus is a backend platform that sits on top of a SQL database you already have, or one you create through its studio, and exposes the data through instant REST and GraphQL APIs. Editors and operations staff get a no-code admin interface on the same data, so a developer does not have to build a custom back office for every project. It can be self-hosted on your own infrastructure or run on Directus Cloud.
The recent focus is AI. Directus ships a built-in AI Assistant inside the studio and a native MCP server, so tools such as Claude Desktop, Cursor and ChatGPT can read and write records under the same role-based access rules that apply to people. The product pages describe use cases such as translating a post into several locales, scaffolding a data model from an IDE, and tagging images in bulk.
Feature areas listed on the official site
Directus is a backend platform that sits on top of a SQL database you already have, or one you create through its studio, and exposes the data through instant REST and GraphQL APIs. Editors and operations staff get a no-code admin interface on the same data, so a developer does not have to build a custom back office for every project. It can be self-hosted on your own infrastructure or run on Directus Cloud.
The recent focus is AI. Directus ships a built-in AI Assistant inside the studio and a native MCP server, so tools such as Claude Desktop, Cursor and ChatGPT can read and write records under the same role-based access rules that apply to people. The product pages describe use cases such as translating a post into several locales, scaffolding a data model from an IDE, and tagging images in bulk.
Feature areas listed on the official site include a digital asset manager with on-the-fly image transforms, dashboards built on live data, realtime subscriptions over WebSockets, visual editing with live preview, and Flows for automation. The company states that the project has passed 45 million downloads and lists SOC 2 Type II and GDPR compliance on its site.
Pricing is unusual for a developer tool. Self-hosting is available on every tier, and the paid tiers are priced per project with seat and collection limits, with an Open Innovation Grant that gives qualifying small organizations full access free of charge. Our editorial review below is based on desk research of the public site and pricing page, not on a hands-on deployment.
Who it's for
Best for
- Developers and agencies building headless sites and apps
- product teams that need a no-code admin on top of a SQL database
- and teams that want governed AI or MCP access to business data.
Not ideal for
- Solo builders who want a hosted backend with no limits on the free tier
- or teams that need SSO below the $499/mo Team plan (Core has no SSO and it cannot be added).
How we tested
Desk research on 5 Oct 2026 using Directus's public homepage and pricing page. We have not deployed or load-tested the platform. Founding year, headquarters and team size are left blank because we could not confirm them on the official site.
At a glance
| Pricing | Free+Paid |
|---|---|
| Starting price | $0 |
| Free plan | Yes |
| Free trial | No |
| Pricing page | View pricing |
| Platforms | Web app, Self-hosted / On-premise, API / SDK, CLI / Terminal |
| API | Yes |
| Company | Directus |
| Apps Insight Score | 47/100 |
| Implementation | Medium |
| Learning curve | Intermediate |
Why this app scored 47/100
Editorial Review 26/30
- Product quality 8/10 8/10
- Ease of use 3.5/5 4/5
- Feature depth 4.5/5 5/5
- Innovation 4.5/5 5/5
- Value for money 2/3 2/3
- Recommendation confidence 1.5/2 2/2
Trust & Verification 7/25
- AppsInsight badge installed Badge not installed 0/15
- HTTPS website HTTPS 1/1
- Business support email Missing 0/1
- Privacy policy published Provided 2/2
- Terms of service published Provided 1/1
- Security certifications None listed 0/2
- Knowledge base / help center Provided 2/2
- Social profiles linked 3 profiles linked 1/1
Community 0/20
- Verified reviews & rating 0 reviews (5 needed) 0/15
- Recent reviews No reviews yet 0/5
Product Profile 11/20
- Detailed description 260 words 2/3
- Screenshots 3 screenshots 1/3
- Demo video No demo video 0/2
- FAQ 5 items 1/2
- Feature list 7 items 1/2
- Pricing published Plan tiers published 3/3
- Pros & cons Pros & cons listed 1/1
- Integrations 3 integrations 1/2
- API available Yes 1/1
- Company details 1 of 3 details filled 0/1
Freshness 3/5
- Listing recently updated Updated 0 days ago 3/3
- Recent changelog entry No changelog entries 0/2
Editorial points are assigned by AppsInsight editors and cannot be purchased or influenced.
Integrations
Built for
Use case
Development & DevOps
Use case
Team collaboration
Use case
AI & automation
Industry
SaaS & technology
Industry
E-commerce & retail
Industry
Media & entertainment
How Directus compares
| Feature | Directus | ElevenLabs | Mintlify | Arcjet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.2 / 5 | 4.6 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
| Pricing | Free+Paid | Free+Paid | Free+Paid | Free+Paid |
| Starting price | $0 | $0 | $0 | $25 |
| Free plan | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Free trial | No | No | No | Yes (15 days) |
| Platforms | Web app, Self-hosted / On-premise, API / SDK, CLI / Terminal | Web app, iOS (iPhone & iPad), Android, API / SDK | Web app, API / SDK, CLI / Terminal | API / SDK, CLI / Terminal |
| Best for | Developers and agencies building headless sites and apps, product teams that need a no-code admin on top of a SQL database, and teams that want governed AI or MCP access to business data. | Creators, video and podcast producers, developers building voice features, and companies that want voice agents or dubbing at scale. | Developer-tool and API companies, startups that want polished docs with little setup, and teams that want their documentation readable by AI agents. | Developer teams shipping AI agents or AI-powered features who need guardrails against prompt injection, data leaks and runaway token spend, and who are happy to integrate an SDK. |
Directus vs ElevenLabs Directus vs Mintlify Directus vs Arcjet
Key features
Instant REST and GraphQL APIs
Connect a SQL database and Directus generates a production-ready API for it, keeping your schema as you built it.
No-code studio
A browser-based admin interface where editors manage content, files and records without filing a ticket to engineering.
Native MCP server
Connect Claude Desktop, Cursor, ChatGPT or any MCP-compatible tool to your backend under the same access rules as human users.
Built-in AI Assistant
A conversational assistant inside the studio that can write, translate, create records and route content for review.
Granular access control
Role-based access with custom policies on higher tiers, and SSO (SAML and OIDC) on Team and Enterprise.
Digital asset manager
Upload, organize and transform files on demand, with any image size requested through the API and CDN-ready delivery.
Flows and realtime
Automation flows plus WebSocket subscriptions to any collection for live dashboards and collaborative apps.
Key benefits
- Keep your own SQL database and schema, so you are not locked into a proprietary content store.
- Self-host on any plan, or run on Directus Cloud as an optional add-on.
- Developers and non-technical editors work on one backend instead of separate tools.
Pricing
Free planPaid from $0
Solo
Core
$0/mo /mo
- 3 user seats
- 25 collections
- 5 Flows
- AI Assistant
- advanced RBAC
- community support. Cloud hosting is an optional $99/mo add-on.
Team
Team
$599/mo /mo
$499/mo billed annually
- 10 SSO seats (extra seats $50/seat/mo)
- 50 collections (expandable to 100)
- 20 Flows
- granular RBAC
- basic support. Annual commitment of $5
- 988/year.
Enterprise
Enterprise
Custom /mo
- Custom SSO seats and collections
- unlimited Flows
- SAML/OIDC SSO
- custom LLM
- offline mode
- AI translations
- telemetry opt-out
- premium support.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Works over any SQL database and generates REST and GraphQL APIs automatically.
- Self-hosting is available on every tier, and the Open Innovation Grant is free for organizations under $5M revenue and 50 employees.
- Native MCP server and AI Assistant are governed by the same role-based access as human users.
- Visual editing, live preview, dashboards and realtime are included, not bolt-ons.
Cons
- Large price jump: Core is $0 but capped at 3 seats and 25 collections, and the next step is Team at $499/mo billed annually ($599 monthly).
- SSO is not available on Core and cannot be added as an add-on.
- Directus Cloud hosting is an extra $99/mo on Core and Team, on top of the license tier.
- Setup and data modelling suit developers more than non-technical teams.
Screenshots & media
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Frequently asked questions
Can I self-host Directus on any plan?
Yes. Self-hosting is available on every tier. Directus Cloud is an optional add-on at $99/mo for Core and Team, and Enterprise cloud pricing is custom.
What is the Open Innovation Grant?
Organizations under $5M in annual revenue and with fewer than 50 employees qualify for full access at no software cost. Self-hosted is free, and cloud hosting is $99/mo.
Is SSO available on the Core plan?
No. SSO is not available on Core and cannot be added as an add-on. It is included on Team, Enterprise and the Grant.
Does Directus work with AI tools like Claude and ChatGPT?
Yes. Directus has a native MCP server that connects Claude Desktop, Cursor, ChatGPT and other MCP-compatible tools, plus a built-in AI Assistant in the studio.
What counts as a collection or a seat?
A collection maps to a database table. A seat is any team member who logs into Directus Studio. Core includes 25 collections and 3 seats, and Team includes 50 collections and 10 seats.