Comparisons that start from Directus, the database-first headless backend under the Monospace Sustainable Core License, against code-first open-source headless CMSs other than Strapi.
Database-first against code-first headless CMS: Directus wrapping an existing SQL database with generated APIs and a no-code Studio, under a source-available license that converts to GPL after four years, against MIT Payload defined in TypeScript inside a Next.js app on MongoDB, PostgreSQL or SQLite. Covers licensing risk, database support, editing tools and hosting.
Directus Cloud as a hosting add-on against self-hosting Directus with Docker on your own SQL database: published prices, who qualifies to self-host free, seat and collection limits, and the database, storage and upgrades you run yourself.
Whether your organization can run Directus without paying: the Open Innovation Grant thresholds, the free Core plan limits, the Team plan's SSO seats, collections, flows and RBAC, and Enterprise, set against the Monospace Sustainable Core License.
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