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APIs · head to head

Directus vs TIBCO Mashery

Directus logo

Directus

APIs

Open-source data platform providing REST and GraphQL APIs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
TIBCO Mashery logo

TIBCO Mashery

APIs

Cloud-native API management for digital business

From
$2000/monthly
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Directus has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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; TIBCO Mashery lack of support for open API standards requires workarounds
  • They diverge on capability: Directus covers REST API, TIBCO Mashery covers Cloud-native Gateway.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Directus and TIBCO Mashery actually diverge.

Attributes where Directus and TIBCO Mashery differ
AttributeDirectusTIBCO Mashery
Starting priceFree$2000/monthly
Pricing modelopen-sourcesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsNode.js, Cloud, Self-hosted, DockerCloud, Hybrid, Multi-cloud
Founded20141997

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (APIs).

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
  • Webhooks
  • Node.js support

Only in TIBCO Mashery

  • Cloud-native Gateway
  • Developer Portal
  • API Analytics
  • TIBCO Cloud
  • AWS
  • Azure
  • GCP
  • Hybrid support

Both cover

  • Cloud support

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 TIBCO Mashery
  • Running a self hosted headless CMS over a schema you already ownnot TIBCO Mashery

TIBCO Mashery

  • API Developmentnot Directus
  • API Gatewaynot Directus
  • API Testingnot Directus
  • API Documentationnot Directus
  • Microservicesnot 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

TIBCO Mashery

  • Lack of support for open API standards requires workarounds
  • Policy management is difficult and sometimes requires support intervention for configuration changes
  • Monetization and customization features are inadequate for some enterprise use cases
  • Delays under heavy load conditions; stability issues reported affecting performance
  • Logging and monitoring limitations; logs are hard to follow when calls cannot be filtered by keys

Pricing, plan by plan

Directus

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

TIBCO Mashery

$2000/monthly
  • Standard$2000/monthly
    • API Gateway
    • Developer Portal
    • Standard support
  • Professional$5000/monthly
    • Advanced analytics
    • Multi-region
    • Priority support
  • Enterprise$undefined/monthly
    • Custom solutions
    • Dedicated support
    • Premium SLA

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 TIBCO Mashery if

  • You need cloud-native gateway.
  • You work on Cloud, Hybrid, Multi-cloud.
  • You also want developer portal.
TIBCO Mashery review

Questions people ask

Is Directus or TIBCO Mashery better?
Neither clearly leads. Directus starts at Free and TIBCO Mashery at $2000/monthly, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Directus or TIBCO Mashery?
Directus has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Directus and $2000/monthly for TIBCO Mashery.
Does Directus or TIBCO Mashery run on more platforms?
Directus runs on Node.js, Cloud, Self-hosted, Docker. TIBCO Mashery runs on Cloud, Hybrid, Multi-cloud.
Can I use Directus for free?
Yes. Directus has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. TIBCO Mashery starts at $2000/monthly.
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 TIBCO Mashery is typically brought in for.
What can Directus do that TIBCO Mashery cannot?
Directus covers REST API, GraphQL API, Database management, PostgreSQL. TIBCO Mashery covers Cloud-native Gateway, Developer Portal, API Analytics, TIBCO Cloud. Both handle Cloud support.

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
TIBCO Mashery: What is TIBCO Cloud API Management (Mashery)?

TIBCO Cloud API Management, formerly known as TIBCO Cloud Mashery, is an enterprise platform delivering full lifecycle API management capabilities including API creation, productization, security, analytics, and support for API development, mediation, and event-driven initiatives.

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
TIBCO Mashery: What is the pricing structure?

TIBCO Mashery pricing starts at $2000/monthly for cloud-hosted deployments based on capacity and throughput. Annual maintenance for on-premises perpetual licenses typically ranges from 18-22% of license cost. Custom plans are available based on customer 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
TIBCO Mashery: Does Mashery support OpenAPI standards?

TIBCO Mashery supports native OpenAPI specifications. The platform provides contract-first modeling with native OpenAPI Spec support and native Node.js hosting of API implementations.

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
TIBCO Mashery: What's the current status of TIBCO Mashery?

Mashery, formerly sold as TIBCO Cloud API Management, has had its capabilities integrated into Boomi's enterprise platform. Users should verify current product status and support roadmap with TIBCO's sales team, as the product landscape has undergone significant changes.

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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