Both Directus and Strapi are open-source headless CMSs that auto-generate REST/GraphQL APIs and support MCP for AI agents, but they start from different…
Best for Directus: Teams with an existing database who want instant REST/GraphQL APIs without migrating data, plus a built-in AI Assistant included free on the self-hosted Core plan.
Best for Strapi: Teams starting a new project who want a large open-source community, a low-cost managed cloud entry point ($35/month Starter), and content types built from scratch through a no-code Content Type Builder.
Directus: Connects to an existing database and auto-generates REST and GraphQL APIs on top of it — no migration required.
Strapi: Auto-generates REST and GraphQL APIs from content types built inside Strapi's own Content Type Builder.
Directus fits projects that already have data living in a database; Strapi fits projects designing content structures from scratch.
Managed cloud entry price
Directus: Free self-hosted Core plan, but cloud hosting for it costs an additional $99/month; the Team plan (with SSO) starts at $499/month annual or $599/month monthly.
Strapi: Strapi Cloud's Starter plan starts at $35/month per project, with Pro at $90/month and Business at $450/month.
Strapi's managed-hosting entry point is far cheaper than Directus's Team tier, though Directus's self-hosted Core plan itself is free with no artificial caps.
Built-in AI Assistant availability
Directus: Includes a Built-in AI Assistant even on the free Core plan, plus a native MCP Server for Claude Desktop, Cursor, and ChatGPT.
Strapi: Offers Strapi MCP so AI agents can manage content, but no built-in AI content assistant is documented.
Directus gives every user, including free self-hosters, an AI assistant for content and translation tasks out of the box.
Discounted access for small orgs and nonprofits
Directus: Offers an Open Innovation Grant with free (self-hosted) or $99/month (cloud) full-feature access for organizations under $5M revenue and fewer than 50 employees.
Strapi: No equivalent discount program is documented.
Small organizations and nonprofits have a documented path to full-featured access with Directus that isn't available with Strapi.
Feature-by-Feature
Core Architecture
Feature
Directus
Strapi
Auto-generated REST/GraphQL APIs
Available
Available
No-code content modeling interface
Available
Available
Real-time updates (WebSocket)
Available
Not documented
MCP support for AI agents
Available
Available
Built-in AI content assistant
Available
Not documented
Pricing & Hosting
Feature
Directus
Strapi
Free self-hosted core
Available
Available
Managed cloud starting price
Limited
Available
SSO
Available
Limited
Discount program for small orgs/nonprofits
Available
Not documented
Compliance & Community
Feature
Directus
Strapi
SOC 2 / GDPR compliance stated
Available
Not documented
Open-source community size stated
Not documented
Available
Free/discounted access for small orgs & nonprofits
Available
Not documented
Pricing Compared
Starting price reflects the lowest paid tier, not the full cost for every team size or usage level.
Strapi Cloud Starter — $35/month per project monthly or annual
Strapi Cloud Pro — $90/month per project monthly or annual
Strapi Cloud Business — $450/month per project monthly or annual
Pros & Cons
Directus
Pros
Free self-hosting with no proprietary data lock-in
Works over an existing SQL database rather than requiring a migration
Generates both REST and GraphQL APIs automatically
No-code admin panel usable by non-developers alongside a full API for developers
Cons
Licensed under a source-available license (MSCL) rather than a fully permissive open-source license
Cloud and Team pricing ($499+/month) is significant for smaller teams needing hosted support
Collection and flow limits on lower tiers can require an upgrade as projects grow
Learning curve for teams unfamiliar with database-first (versus schema-first) CMS concepts
Strapi
Pros
Free, open-source Community edition with unlimited entries and API calls
Full self-hosting control avoids vendor lock-in on core content infrastructure
Both REST and GraphQL APIs supported natively
Strong enterprise adoption with 450-plus enterprise customers and significant funding
Optional Strapi Cloud removes the need to manage infrastructure directly
Cons
Self-hosting requires ongoing server management, security patching, and scaling effort
Strapi AI credits are limited on paid plans, with overage charged per additional credit
SSO is an additional paid add-on rather than included in the Growth plan
Strapi Cloud project-based pricing can add up for organizations running many separate projects
Advanced compliance features like SOC 2 reporting require the custom Enterprise tier
Use Cases
Choose Directus: Teams with an existing database who want instant REST/GraphQL APIs without migrating data, plus a built-in AI Assistant included free on the self-hosted Core plan.
Choose Strapi: Teams starting a new project who want a large open-source community, a low-cost managed cloud entry point ($35/month Starter), and content types built from scratch through a no-code Content Type Builder.
Need both: Agencies managing a mixed portfolio may run both: legacy projects with an existing database fit Directus's connect-and-generate model, while new greenfield projects fit Strapi's from-scratch content modeling and lower-cost Strapi Cloud entry tier.
Directus
Custom backend for web and mobile apps — Developers use Directus to add instant APIs and an admin panel on top of a production database.
Enterprise data platform and internal tools — Organizations use Directus to build internal admin panels and data management tools without vendor lock-in.
Agency client CMS projects — Agencies deploy Directus as a flexible, white-label headless CMS for client websites and apps.
Strapi
Self-hosted content backend — Development teams deploy Strapi on their own infrastructure to power websites and apps with full data ownership.
Omnichannel content delivery — Organizations use Strapi's REST and GraphQL APIs to deliver the same content to web, mobile, and IoT applications.
Managed CMS via Strapi Cloud — Teams that want Strapi's flexibility without managing servers use Strapi Cloud for hosting, backups, and scaling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Directus free?
Yes, the Core plan is free to self-host with no credit card required; Directus Cloud hosting is a $99/month add-on.
Do I need to migrate my database to use Directus?
No, Directus connects to your existing database and generates APIs on top of it.
Does Directus support AI agents?
Yes, via a native MCP server plus a built-in AI Assistant for content and translation tasks.
Is Strapi free?
Yes, the core Strapi CMS is MIT-licensed and free to self-host; Strapi Cloud managed hosting starts at $35/month per project.
Does Strapi support GraphQL?
Yes, Strapi automatically generates both REST and GraphQL APIs from your content models.