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CMS comparison Directus vs Sitecore

Directus vs Sitecore

Directus is a closed-source headless CMS that you can host yourself or run on the vendor's cloud. Sitecore is a closed-source enterprise DXP that runs on the vendor's cloud. The table below sets them side by side on 28 features. They get a different status on 8.

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  • Directus Headless · Closed source · 18 of 28 built in
  • Sitecore Enterprise DXP · Closed source · 22 of 28 built in

Sources checked: Directus on 29 Sept 2026, Sitecore on 29 Sept 2026. Plans and releases can change after those dates.

WAYF is an official Payload partner and top contributor. Every platform in the table is classified by the same published definitions, and each answer lists the vendor page it came from.

Feature comparison

Built inPaid tierPlugin or add-onLimitedNot available
Directus vs Sitecore feature comparison. Columns are the two platforms. Rows are features, grouped by area.
Platform
Directus Headless
Sitecore Enterprise DXP
Overview
What it is Source-available data platform and headless CMS that puts a Studio admin app and REST and GraphQL APIs over your own SQL database.Sitecore's SaaS digital experience platform, formerly XM Cloud. Sitecore hosts the CMS. Sites render in a separate front-end app.
Edition compared The product and release each column describes. Directus 12, self-hosted core tier or licensed plans, with optional Directus Cloud Version 12.4.1, released 23 Sept 2026 SitecoreAI, formerly XM Cloud, Sitecore's current flagship SaaS platform SaaS, continuously updated
Vendor Monospace Inc. directus.com Sitecore sitecore.com
Licence Closed source MSCL-1.0-GPL, source-available, GPL-3.0 after four years. Free under $5M revenue and 50 staff via the Open Innovation Grant Closed source Proprietary
Hosting Self-hosting Vendor cloud Directus Cloud is a $99 per month add-on for Core and Team. Enterprise cloud on request. No self-hosting Vendor cloud SitecoreAI is SaaS only. Self-hosting needs Sitecore XP 10.5, a separate product.
Built with TypeScript, Node.js, Vue.NET, Next.js Content SDK
Database PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite, MS SQL Server, Oracle, CockroachDBManaged by Sitecore
Pricing Public list prices only. Hosting and implementation are extra everywhere. Free to start Core free for 3 seats and 25 collections. Team $499 per month billed yearly or $599 monthly. Enterprise on request. No free option Pricing on request.
Content modelling
Content model in code You define content types in files in your repository, review them like any other code and apply them from there. Imperative migration scripts alone count as limited. Built in Schema snapshots are files in the repo, applied to an instance with the CLI. 16 Built in Templates serialize to files in the repo with Sitecore Content Serialization. 2
Content model in the UI Admins can create and change content types and fields in the admin interface without writing code. Built in Built in Templates are items edited in the Content Editor.
Reusable blocks Editors compose pages from reusable, typed components or blocks, and can reorder them. Built in Page builders use many-to-any relations. 17 Built in Page builder with reusable components.
Localization Editors translate content per locale inside the CMS, by field or by entry, without a separate site for each language. Built in Translations field with related translation records. Built in Language versions per item.
Image transformations The CMS resizes, crops or converts images on request, through URL parameters or generated sizes, with no external service. Built in URL parameters and saved presets. 13 Built in Experience Edge media CDN resizes images with query string parameters. 3
APIs and delivery
REST API A documented REST or JSON HTTP API returns content. Built in Built in Content Items REST API since September 2026. Delivery through Experience Edge is GraphQL. 4
GraphQL API The vendor or an official module provides a GraphQL API for content. Built in Built in Experience Edge delivery API. 5
Webhooks The CMS can call an external URL when content is created, changed or published. Built in Through Flows. Core allows 5 Flows. 219 Built in Authoring webhooks and Experience Edge publish webhooks. 65
Renders the website The CMS itself renders and serves the public pages through themes or templates. Headless-only products answer no. Not available Not available Headless. Sites render in a separate app, with built-in Vercel and Netlify integrations. 7
Editorial workflow
Drafts Editors save changes as a draft and publish them later. The live version stays untouched until then. Built in Content versioning with a draft per item. 6 Built in Saved changes stay unpublished until pushed to Experience Edge. 11
Scheduled publishing An editor can set a future date and time for content to publish or unpublish. Limited No schedule field. An official guide publishes future items with a scheduled Flow. 14 Limited Publishing restrictions set availability dates. A publish must still run on the date. 89
Version history The CMS keeps earlier versions of an entry, and editors can compare or restore them. Limited Revisions kept 30 days on Core, 90 on Team, configurable on Enterprise. 2 Built in Numbered item versions.
Preview Editors can see unpublished content rendered as it will appear on the site before publishing. Built in Built in
Visual editing Editors can click on the rendered page and edit content in place or in a side panel next to it. Built in Visual Editor module. The site adds the Directus frontend library. 7 Built in Page builder.
Approval workflows Content moves through review stages you configure, such as draft, review and approved, with permissions per stage. Limited Built from a status field and custom permissions, which need Team, Enterprise or the grant. 152 Built in Item workflows with states and commands. 6
Content releases Editors group changes across several entries and publish them together as one release. Not available Not available No release bundles. Publishing jobs cover items, subitems and related items. 11
Real-time co-editing Two or more editors can work on the same entry at once and see each other's changes live. Built in Collaborative Editing with field locking. 8 Limited Page builder saves concurrent edits per field. Others get a reload prompt. No live updates. 10
Access and governance
Custom roles Admins define their own roles with granular permissions instead of picking from a fixed set. Built in Unlimited roles on Core. Custom access policies need Team, Enterprise or the grant. 220 Built in Roles with item access rights. 12
Field-level permissions Admins can restrict access to single fields, on top of content types and entries. Paid tier Custom permissions for fields and item rules need Team, Enterprise or the grant. 25 Built in Field read and field write access rights. 12
Single sign-on Editors can sign in through SAML or OpenID Connect against a company identity provider. Paid tier Team plan and up, or the grant. SAML, OpenID, OAuth 2.0 and LDAP. 211 Built in SAML or OIDC through the Sitecore Cloud Portal. 13
Audit log The CMS logs who changed what and when across the whole installation, and admins can review the log. Limited Activity log kept 30 days on Core, 90 on Team, configurable on Enterprise. 212 Limited Common Audit Log covers only the Cloud Portal and leaves out SitecoreAI content. Item actions show in CM logs. 1415
Platform and extensibility
Multiple sites One installation or account can manage several separate websites or brands with shared users. Not available Built in Site collections with shared content.
Extensible admin UI Developers can add their own components, views or fields to the editing interface. Built in Extensions add interfaces, layouts, panels and modules. Built in Marketplace apps add custom fields, panels and dashboard widgets. 17
Plugin marketplace The vendor runs an official directory or marketplace of installable extensions. Built in Marketplace inside the Studio. 18 Built in Sitecore Marketplace. 16
Form builder Editors can build and publish forms and collect submissions without code. Not available Built in Built-in Forms with webhook submission handling. 18
Site member accounts The platform handles sign-up and login for public site users or members, separate from editors. Built in API-only application users do not use Studio seats. 3 Not available Developers have to build visitor login in the front-end app.
AI writing assistant A first-party AI feature in the editing interface generates, rewrites or translates content. Built in AI Assistant on every plan with your own OpenAI, Anthropic or Gemini key. 29 Built in Content, variant and translation assistants. Brand kits need Stream Premium. 19
Official MCP server The vendor publishes a Model Context Protocol server so AI agents can read or write content. Built in Built in since 11.12. 10 Built in Sitecore Marketer MCP server. 20

Directus sources

Checked 29 Sept 2026. Directus 12, self-hosted core tier or licensed plans, with optional Directus Cloud.

  1. directus on the npm registry
  2. Directus pricing
  3. Directus docs: Licensing overview
  4. Monospace Sustainable Core License
  5. Directus docs: Access control
  6. Directus docs: Content versioning
  7. Directus docs: Visual Editor
  8. Directus docs: Collaborative Editing
  9. Directus docs: AI Assistant
  10. Directus docs: Directus MCP
  11. Directus docs: Single Sign-On
  12. Directus docs: Accountability
  13. Directus docs: Transform files
  14. Directus tutorial: Schedule future content with Flows
  15. Directus tutorial: Content approval workflows with custom permissions
  16. Directus tutorial: Promoting changes between environments
  17. Directus tutorial: Reusable blocks with many-to-any relationships
  18. Directus docs: Marketplace
  19. Directus docs: Send Directus webhooks to Clay with Flows
  20. Directus license, MSCL and v12 questions (Contensu)

Sitecore sources

Checked 29 Sept 2026. SitecoreAI, formerly XM Cloud, Sitecore's current flagship SaaS platform.

  1. SitecoreAI documentation for business users
  2. Sitecore Content Serialization in SitecoreAI
  3. Sitecore Experience Edge for XM (media resizing)
  4. SitecoreAI changelog: Components, Content Types and Content Items APIs
  5. Experience Edge
  6. SitecoreAI webhooks
  7. Front-end hosting applications
  8. Schedule publishing availability of a page
  9. KB1003446: Specifics of publishing in SitecoreAI
  10. Editing in the Page builder (concurrent editing)
  11. Publish content in SitecoreAI
  12. The access rights
  13. Sitecore Cloud Portal single sign-on
  14. Sitecore Common Audit Log
  15. Logging in Sitecore XM Cloud (Fishtank)
  16. SitecoreAI Marketplace
  17. Sitecore Marketplace starter (extension points)
  18. SitecoreAI Forms
  19. Sitecore Stream tiers
  20. Sitecore Marketer MCP server

Considering more platforms? Compare Directus and Sitecore with the rest of your shortlist in the CMS comparison tool.

Where they differ

Directus and Sitecore get a different status on 8 of the 28 features and the same status on 20. Directus has 18 built in on its baseline edition, Sitecore has 22. Two matching statuses can still name different paid tiers or limits, so read the notes in the table before treating a row as equal.

Self-hosting
Directus can be self-hosted. Sitecore cannot be self-hosted.
Free option
Directus has a free option. Sitecore has no free option.

Built in on Directus, a different answer on Sitecore 2

  • Real-time co-editing Directus: Built in. Sitecore: Limited.
  • Site member accounts Directus: Built in. Sitecore: Not available.

Built in on Sitecore, a different answer on Directus 6

  • Version history Directus: Limited. Sitecore: Built in.
  • Approval workflows Directus: Limited. Sitecore: Built in.
  • Field-level permissions Directus: Paid tier. Sitecore: Built in.
  • Single sign-on Directus: Paid tier. Sitecore: Built in.
  • Multiple sites Directus: Not available. Sitecore: Built in.
  • Form builder Directus: Not available. Sitecore: Built in.

More comparisons

Full write-ups with worked examples and costs: Directus vs Payload and Sitecore vs Payload.

Directus against other platforms

Sitecore against other platforms

Open the CMS comparison tool to put up to six platforms in one table.

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