Directus

Directus sits on top of any SQL database and turns it into a REST and GraphQL API with a no-code admin app, so developers get a headless CMS without giving up their schema. Its free tier is the Core plan, which you can self-host at no software cost.

What the free plan gives you

The Core plan is listed at $0 a month and includes 3 user seats, 25 collections and 5 flows (Directus's automation builder). You also get the AI Assistant, advanced role-based access control and community support. Self-hosting is available on every tier, so Core runs on your own server with no licence fee. If you would rather not run it yourself, cloud hosting is a $99 a month add-on.

There is also an Open Innovation Grant: organisations under $5M in annual revenue and fewer than 50 employees get full access with no feature limits, free when self-hosted or $99 a month on Directus Cloud.

Where the free plan stops

The three numbers that bite are 3 seats, 25 collections and 5 flows. A content team of four editors, or a data model with more than 25 tables exposed through Directus, pushes you past Core. The next step is the Team plan at $599 a month (or $499 a month billed annually), which lifts you to 10 SSO seats, 50 collections and 20 flows. SSO via SAML or OIDC, offline mode and AI translations are Enterprise-only.

Who it suits

Solo developers and small teams who already have a database and want an admin panel and API on top of it will get a lot out of Core, especially if they qualify for the grant. Larger organisations with dozens of collections and editors should budget for Team or Enterprise from the start, because the jump from $0 to $599 is steep.