# Easy CMS vs Directus

> Directus puts a data studio and APIs on top of any SQL database, with the model built in its interface. Its license is source-available, not OSI open source, and the free Core is capped. Easy CMS is MIT with no caps, and its model lives in your repo.

Page: https://easycms.dev/why/compare/directus

| Feature | Easy CMS | Directus |
|---|---|---|
| License | MIT. Every feature is free, roles and SSO included | Source-available (Monospace Sustainable Core License); free Core capped at 3 seats, 25 collections and 5 flows; each release becomes GPL after four years |
| Where it runs | Inside your Next.js or Nuxt app, or as a standalone server | A separate Node server and data studio on your SQL database |
| Content model | TypeScript config in your repo | Built in the data studio as real tables; can introspect an existing database; YAML snapshots |
| Databases | SQLite (file or Turso), Postgres (or PGlite) | Postgres, MySQL, MariaDB, MS SQL, SQLite, OracleDB, CockroachDB |
| Language and runtime | Node.js 22.12+, TypeScript | Node.js |
| Hosted cloud | None. Self-host anywhere; one-click deploy to your own Vercel or Netlify | Team plan $499/month (annual); cloud hosting +$99/month |
| APIs | Typed Local API, REST; GraphQL and MCP as experimental plugins | REST, GraphQL |
| Admin in Thai | Complete: every admin string, and every docs page | Partial (community translation) |
| Roles, SSO, audit | Roles, field permissions, SSO (Google, Microsoft, GitHub, OIDC), audit log: all MIT | No SSO in the free Core |
| Ecosystem | Small: official plugins (SEO, forms, redirects, nested pages, multi-tenant, shop, GraphQL, MCP), a new community | About 39k GitHub stars |
| Maturity | Version 1.23; 1.0 in October 2026, first released September 2026 | Version 12 since June 2026 |

## Choose Easy CMS when

- You want an OSI open-source license with no seat or collection caps.
- Your schema should be code, reviewed and versioned with the app.
- Content belongs to a Next.js or Nuxt site rather than a shared data platform.

## Choose Directus when

- You already have a SQL database and want an admin and APIs on top of it.
- You need MySQL, MS SQL, Oracle or CockroachDB.
- Non-developers should change the data model themselves.

Easy CMS is young: its first release was in September 2026 and its community is small. Every other product here has been in production longer, with more people answering questions.

## Sources

Checked against each product’s own site on 2026-10-17. Prices and versions change; follow the links for today’s.

- [Directus: license](https://github.com/directus/directus/blob/main/license)
- [Directus: pricing](https://directus.com/pricing)
- [Directus: collections](https://directus.com/docs/guides/data-model/collections)
- [Directus: schema snapshots](https://docs.directus.io/self-hosted/cli)
- [Directus on GitHub](https://github.com/directus/directus)