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CMS comparison Directus vs Statamic

Directus vs Statamic

Directus is a closed-source headless CMS that you can host yourself or run on the vendor's cloud. Statamic is a closed-source traditional CMS that you host yourself. The table below sets them side by side on 28 features. They get a different status on 18.

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  • Directus Headless · Closed source · 18 of 28 built in
  • Statamic Traditional · Closed source · 8 of 28 built in

Sources checked: Directus on 29 Sept 2026, Statamic 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 Statamic feature comparison. Columns are the two platforms. Rows are features, grouped by area.
Platform
Directus Headless
Statamic Traditional
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.Laravel-based PHP CMS that stores content in flat files by default. Free Core edition. Pro adds users, APIs and multi-site. You host it.
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 Statamic 6, Core and Pro Version 6.34.1, released 23 Sept 2026
Vendor Monospace Inc. directus.com Statamic, LLC statamic.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, source available. Core is free to use.
Hosting Self-hosting Vendor cloud Directus Cloud is a $99 per month add-on for Core and Team. Enterprise cloud on request. Self-hosting No vendor cloud
Built with TypeScript, Node.js, VuePHP, Laravel, Vue
Database PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite, MS SQL Server, Oracle, CockroachDBFlat files by default, SQL databases via the Eloquent Driver
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. Free to start Core free for one admin user. Pro $349 per site, then $99 per year for updates. Enterprise from $10k per year.
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 Blueprints and fieldsets are YAML files in the project. 4
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 Blueprint builder in the Control Panel. 4
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 Replicator and Bard sets. 5
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. Paid tier Multi-site and multilingual content need Pro. 61
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 Glide resizes and crops on request. 7
APIs and delivery
REST API A documented REST or JSON HTTP API returns content. Built in Paid tier Read-only REST API on Pro. 8
GraphQL API The vendor or an official module provides a GraphQL API for content. Built in Paid tier Read-only GraphQL API on Pro. 9
Webhooks The CMS can call an external URL when content is created, changed or published. Built in Through Flows. Core allows 5 Flows. 219 Not available Laravel events only. No webhook settings in core.
Renders the website The CMS itself renders and serves the public pages through themes or templates. Headless-only products answer no. Not available Built in Antlers or Blade templates.
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 Paid tier Working copies of live entries need Revisions on Pro. Core has unpublished entries. 101
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 Future-dated entries stay private until their date. Set per collection. 11
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 Paid tier Revisions on Pro. 10
Preview Editors can see unpublished content rendered as it will appear on the site before publishing. Built in Built in 121
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 Limited Live Preview shows the edit form beside the page. No click-to-edit. 12
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 Not available Approval workflows are on the roadmap as planned. 19
Content releases Editors group changes across several entries and publish them together as one release. Not available Not available
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 Plugin or add-on Free first-party Collaboration addon. Requires Pro. 18
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 Paid tier Roles and permissions need Pro. 131
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 Not available Field conditions depend on field values. User roles can't drive them. 4
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 Paid tier Pro via Laravel Socialite providers such as SAML2. Enterprise tier lists SSO. 1521
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 Paid tier Enterprise tier, from $10k per year, lists audit logging. 121
Platform and extensibility
Multiple sites One installation or account can manage several separate websites or brands with shared users. Not available Paid tier Pro. 61
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 Custom fieldtypes, widgets and Control Panel pages. 17
Plugin marketplace The vendor runs an official directory or marketplace of installable extensions. Built in Marketplace inside the Studio. 18 Built in Statamic Marketplace for addons. 18
Form builder Editors can build and publish forms and collect submissions without code. Not available Limited Core allows one form. Pro removes the limit. 116
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 Paid tier Member accounts, registration and login tags need Pro. 1416
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 Not available
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 Not available Third-party addons only, such as MCP Server for Statamic by Cbox. 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)

Statamic sources

Checked 29 Sept 2026. Statamic 6, Core and Pro.

  1. Statamic pricing
  2. statamic/cms release metadata on Packagist
  3. Statamic 6 release announcement
  4. Statamic docs: Blueprints
  5. Statamic docs: Replicator fieldtype
  6. Statamic docs: Multi-site
  7. Statamic docs: Image manipulation (Glide)
  8. Statamic docs: REST API
  9. Statamic docs: GraphQL API
  10. Statamic docs: Revisions
  11. Statamic docs: Collections and date behavior
  12. Statamic docs: Live Preview
  13. Statamic docs: Permissions
  14. Statamic docs: Users
  15. Statamic docs: OAuth
  16. Statamic docs: Forms
  17. Statamic docs: Extending the Control Panel
  18. Collaboration addon by Statamic
  19. Statamic roadmap
  20. MCP Server for Statamic addon by Cbox
  21. Statamic Enterprise

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

Where they differ

Directus and Statamic get a different status on 18 of the 28 features and the same status on 10. Directus has 18 built in on its baseline edition, Statamic has 8. Two matching statuses can still name different paid tiers or limits, so read the notes in the table before treating a row as equal.

Vendor cloud
Directus has a vendor-run cloud. Statamic has no vendor-run cloud.

Built in on Directus, a different answer on Statamic 11

  • Localization Directus: Built in. Statamic: Paid tier.
  • REST API Directus: Built in. Statamic: Paid tier.
  • GraphQL API Directus: Built in. Statamic: Paid tier.
  • Webhooks Directus: Built in. Statamic: Not available.
  • Drafts Directus: Built in. Statamic: Paid tier.
  • Visual editing Directus: Built in. Statamic: Limited.
  • Real-time co-editing Directus: Built in. Statamic: Plugin or add-on.
  • Custom roles Directus: Built in. Statamic: Paid tier.
  • Site member accounts Directus: Built in. Statamic: Paid tier.
  • AI writing assistant Directus: Built in. Statamic: Not available.
  • Official MCP server Directus: Built in. Statamic: Not available.

Built in on Statamic, a different answer on Directus 1

  • Renders the website Directus: Not available. Statamic: Built in.

Built in on neither, with different answers 6

  • Version history Directus: Limited. Statamic: Paid tier.
  • Approval workflows Directus: Limited. Statamic: Not available.
  • Field-level permissions Directus: Paid tier. Statamic: Not available.
  • Audit log Directus: Limited. Statamic: Paid tier.
  • Multiple sites Directus: Not available. Statamic: Paid tier.
  • Form builder Directus: Not available. Statamic: Limited.

More comparisons

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

Directus against other platforms

Statamic against other platforms

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

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