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APIs · head to head

Directus vs Soketi

Directus logo

Directus

APIs

Open-source data platform providing REST and GraphQL APIs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Soketi logo

Soketi

Developer Tools

Self-hosted, Pusher-compatible WebSockets server with a stalled maintenance record

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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; Soketi maintenance has effectively stalled: the maintainer has said time is severely limited, releases are infrequent, and the community has been discussing whether the project is abandoned, which means security fixes may not arrive.
  • They diverge on capability: Directus covers REST API, Soketi covers Pusher protocol compatibility.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Directus and Soketi actually diverge.

Attributes where Directus and Soketi differ
AttributeDirectusSoketi
Pricing modelopen-sourceOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsNode.js, Cloud, Self-hosted, DockerLinux, macOS, Windows
CategoryAPIsDeveloper Tools
Founded2014Unknown

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 Directus

  • REST API
  • GraphQL API
  • Database management
  • PostgreSQL
  • MySQL
  • SQLite
  • Node.js support
  • Cloud support

Only in Soketi

  • Pusher protocol compatibility
  • Presence and private channels
  • Horizontal scaling
  • App management backends
  • Prometheus metrics

Both cover

  • Webhooks

What people use each for

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

Directus

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

Soketi

  • A Laravel application that already uses Echo and wants to stop paying a hosted realtime providernot Directus
  • Realtime notifications or presence indicators where data must not leave your own infrastructure for compliance reasonsnot Directus
  • A local or CI environment that needs a Pusher-compatible server without hitting a paid accountnot Directus
  • A high-connection-count application where hosted per-connection pricing has become the largest line in the infrastructure billnot Directus

Where each one falls short

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

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

Soketi

  • Maintenance has effectively stalled: the maintainer has said time is severely limited, releases are infrequent, and the community has been discussing whether the project is abandoned, which means security fixes may not arrive.
  • Dependency drift on Node and uWebSockets.js will eventually force you to fork or migrate, and that cost is unbudgeted at the point you adopt it.
  • There is no commercial support to buy, so a production incident at three in the morning is entirely your problem with no escalation path.
  • Scaling beyond a single node needs Redis and careful configuration, and getting presence channels correct across nodes is a genuine source of subtle bugs.
  • It implements the Pusher protocol rather than tracking it, so any protocol feature Pusher adds later will not appear, and the compatibility guarantee slowly decays.

Pricing, plan by plan

Directus

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

Soketi

Free
  • SoketiFree
    • MIT licensed
    • Unlimited connections subject to your own hardware
    • No vendor billing

Which should you pick?

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 graphql api.
Directus review

Choose Soketi if

  • You need pusher protocol compatibility.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want presence and private channels.
Soketi review

Questions people ask

Is Directus or Soketi better?
Neither clearly leads. Directus starts at Free and Soketi at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Directus or Soketi?
Directus starts at Free and Soketi at Free.
Does Directus or Soketi run on more platforms?
Directus runs on Node.js, Cloud, Self-hosted, Docker. Soketi runs on Linux, macOS, Windows.
Can I use Directus for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Directus best used for?
Directus is most often used for wrapping an existing sql database in a rest and graphql api with an admin interface, running a self hosted headless cms over a schema you already own. Of those, wrapping an existing sql database in a rest and graphql api with an admin interface and running a self hosted headless cms over a schema you already own are not what Soketi is typically brought in for.
What can Directus do that Soketi cannot?
Directus covers REST API, GraphQL API, Database management, PostgreSQL. Soketi covers Pusher protocol compatibility, Presence and private channels, Horizontal scaling, App management backends. Both handle Webhooks.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Soketi: Is Soketi still maintained?

Barely. The maintainer has stated that available time is very limited and releases have been sparse; treat it as community-maintained.

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
Soketi: Do I need to change my client code?

No. Pusher client SDKs and Laravel Echo work by changing the host, port and credentials.

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
Soketi: What does it cost?

Nothing in licence fees. It is MIT licensed; you pay for the server it runs on.

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
Soketi: What are people moving to?

Laravel Reverb for Laravel applications, and Sockudo, a Rust reimplementation, for others.

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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