Softwr

E-Commerce · head to head

Contentful vs Directus

Contentful logo

Contentful

E-Commerce

The content platform for the digital-first era

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Directus logo

Directus

APIs

Open-source data platform providing REST and GraphQL APIs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Contentful pricing model with content type limits (48) forces full tier upgrades; Directus free permissive use of the self hosted product is limited to organisations under $5M annual revenue with fewer than 50 employees, so crossing either threshold turns a free dependency into a paid licence
  • They diverge on capability: Contentful covers Content modeling, Directus covers REST API.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Contentful and Directus actually diverge.

Attributes where Contentful and Directus differ
AttributeContentfulDirectus
Pricing modelUnknownopen-source
PlatformsWeb, APINode.js, Cloud, Self-hosted, Docker
CategoryE-CommerceAPIs
Founded20132014

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Contentful

  • Content modeling
  • RESTful APIs
  • Rich text editor
  • Asset management
  • Multi-language support
  • Version control
  • Gatsby
  • Next.js

Only in Directus

  • REST API
  • Database management
  • PostgreSQL
  • MySQL
  • SQLite
  • Node.js support
  • Cloud support
  • Self-hosted support

Both cover

  • GraphQL API
  • Webhooks

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Contentful

  • Website content managementnot Directus
  • Mobile app contentnot Directus
  • E-commerce catalogsnot Directus
  • Multi-channel publishingnot Directus
  • Digital experiencesnot Directus

Directus

  • Wrapping an existing SQL database in a REST and GraphQL API with an admin interfacenot Contentful
  • Running a self hosted headless CMS over a schema you already ownnot Contentful

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Contentful

  • Pricing model with content type limits (48) forces full tier upgrades
  • Limited GraphQL mutations for content management complexity
  • Requires significant technical expertise and developer dependency
  • Uncertainty following Salesforce acquisition announcement in June 2026

Directus

  • Free permissive use of the self hosted product is limited to organisations under $5M annual revenue with fewer than 50 employees, so crossing either threshold turns a free dependency into a paid licence
  • The free Core tier is a hard limit of 3 seats, 25 collections and 5 flows
  • The Team plan is $499 a month billed annually, or $599 monthly, with extra seats at $50 each
  • Team caps collections at 50, expandable to 100, and flows at 20

Pricing, plan by plan

Contentful

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 10 users
    • 100K API calls per month
    • 1 Space
  • Team$489/month
    • Higher usage limits
    • Additional collaboration features
    • Professional support

Directus

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • Self-hosted Directus
    • Community support
  • Cloud$25/monthly
    • Managed cloud
    • Automatic updates
    • Backups

Which should you pick?

Choose Contentful if

  • You need content modeling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want restful apis.
Contentful review

Choose Directus if

  • You need rest api.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Node.js, Cloud, Self-hosted, Docker.
  • You also want database management.
Directus review

Questions people ask

Is Contentful or Directus better?
Neither clearly leads. Contentful starts at Free and Directus at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Contentful or Directus?
Contentful starts at Free and Directus at Free.
Does Contentful or Directus run on more platforms?
Contentful runs on Web, API. Directus runs on Node.js, Cloud, Self-hosted, Docker.
Can I use Contentful for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Contentful best used for?
Contentful is most often used for website content management, mobile app content, e-commerce catalogs, multi-channel publishing. Of those, website content management and mobile app content are not what Directus is typically brought in for.
What can Contentful do that Directus cannot?
Contentful covers Content modeling, RESTful APIs, Rich text editor, Asset management. Directus covers REST API, Database management, PostgreSQL, MySQL. Both handle GraphQL API, Webhooks.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Contentful: Does Contentful offer a free tier?

Yes, Contentful has a Free tier with 10 users, 100K API calls per month, and support for 1 Space. This is suitable for small projects and proof-of-concept work.

Source
Directus: What is Directus's pricing?

Directus Core is free and self-hosted. The Team tier costs $499/month (annual) or $599/month (rolling), including 10 user seats and cloud hosting at $99/month additional. Enterprise plans have custom pricing. Additional seats cost $50/month each.

Source
Contentful: What is the difference between Contentful and traditional CMS platforms?

Contentful is a headless CMS that decouples content from presentation, allowing you to deliver the same content across websites, mobile apps, IoT devices, and voice assistants without duplication.

Source
Directus: Can I use Directus for free?

Yes, Directus Core is completely free with 3 user seats, 25 Collections, 5 Flows, AI Assistant, and Advanced RBAC. Self-hosting is available at no cost.

Source
Contentful: How does Contentful handle multi-locale content?

Contentful supports multi-locale content, though multi-locale costs must be negotiated upfront depending on your pricing tier and requirements.

Source
Directus: How many user seats does each Directus tier include?

Core includes 3 user seats, Team includes 10 SSO seats, and Enterprise includes custom SSO seat counts. Additional Team seats cost $50/seat per month.

Source
Contentful: Does Contentful integrate with e-commerce platforms?

Yes, Contentful partners with Commerce Layer, an API-first commerce platform, to enable enterprise-grade e-commerce experiences alongside headless CMS capabilities.

Source
Directus: What happens to my monthly Directus plan if I switch?

Monthly plans are grandfathered for six months after switching, and annual plans are honored until renewal. Self-hosted licenses are handled case-by-case at renewal.

Source
Directus: Is there a free trial for Directus?

No trial period is mentioned. Users can start with the free Core tier immediately without a credit card.

Source
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