# Directus vs Sanity

| Attribute | Directus | Sanity |
|---|---|---|
| **vioscaleAI score** | 59.9 (60% (medium)) | 59.4 (72% (medium)) |
| content.faq | `[{"answer":"Directus connects to existing or new SQL databases and automatically generates production-ready APIs, along with a visual management studio for team collaboration and content governance. It supports both self-hosting and cloud deployment, with built-in AI integration and MCP server support. It is indexed under CMS Software.","source":"https://directus.com/resources/a-change-in-our-pricing-july-2024","question":"What is Directus?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Directus offers a free tier, so you can start without paying. Paid plans start at $15 per month. Prices are published openly on the vendor's own pricing page. Pricing changes often, so verify at source before relying on it.","source":"https://directus.com/resources/a-change-in-our-pricing-july-2024","question":"Is Directus free?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Directus supports the web and a command-line interface. Platforms we have not confirmed are simply not listed here rather than ruled out.","source":"https://directus.com/resources/a-change-in-our-pricing-july-2024","question":"What platforms does Directus support?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. Directus can be deployed cloud / SaaS, hybrid, on-premise and self-hosted, so it does not have to run on the vendor's infrastructure.","source":"https://directus.com/resources/a-change-in-our-pricing-july-2024","question":"Can Directus be self-hosted?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have independently confirmed SOC 2 and GDPR for Directus. Certifications we do not list are ones we have not been able to verify from public sources, which is not the same as Directus not holding them. Always confirm compliance directly before you rely on it.","source":"https://directus.com/features/security","question":"What security certifications does Directus have?","confidence":0.7},{"answer":"Directus is available worldwide. Its primary market is the United States.","source":"https://directus.com/resources/a-change-in-our-pricing-july-2024","question":"Where is Directus available?","confidence":0.5}]` | `[{"answer":"A headless content operating system with code-first schema design and real-time APIs for managing and delivering structured content across applications. Includes content automation, visual editing capabilities, AI-powered workflows, and a free tier. It is indexed under CMS Software.","source":"https://www.sanity.io/answers/request-for-demo-and-pricing-for-headless-cms--response-received-after-initial-contact-failure","question":"What is Sanity?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Sanity offers a free tier, so you can start without paying. Paid plans are also available: Free, Growth and Enterprise. Pricing changes often, so verify at source before relying on it.","source":"https://www.sanity.io/answers/request-for-demo-and-pricing-for-headless-cms--response-received-after-initial-contact-failure","question":"Is Sanity free?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Sanity supports the web and a command-line interface. Platforms we have not confirmed are simply not listed here rather than ruled out.","source":"https://www.sanity.io/answers/request-for-demo-and-pricing-for-headless-cms--response-received-after-initial-contact-failure","question":"What platforms does Sanity support?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have only confirmed a cloud / SaaS deployment for Sanity, so it appears to be vendor-hosted. If a self-hosted option exists we have not found it documented publicly.","source":"https://www.sanity.io/answers/request-for-demo-and-pricing-for-headless-cms--response-received-after-initial-contact-failure","question":"Can Sanity be self-hosted?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have confirmed 8 integrations for Sanity, including Vercel, Next.js, Astro, Slack, GitHub, PostHog, Claude and Replicate. This is what we could verify from public sources, so the vendor may support others we have not indexed.","source":"https://www.sanity.io/answers/request-for-demo-and-pricing-for-headless-cms--response-received-after-initial-contact-failure","question":"What does Sanity integrate with?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have independently confirmed SOC 2 and GDPR for Sanity. Certifications we do not list are ones we have not been able to verify from public sources, which is not the same as Sanity not holding them. Always confirm compliance directly before you rely on it.","source":"https://www.sanity.io/answers/request-for-demo-and-pricing-for-headless-cms--response-received-after-initial-contact-failure","question":"What security certifications does Sanity have?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Sanity is available worldwide. Its primary market is the United States.","source":"https://www.sanity.io/answers/request-for-demo-and-pricing-for-headless-cms--response-received-after-initial-contact-failure","question":"Where is Sanity available?","confidence":0.75}]` |
| deployment.options | `{"cloud":true,"hybrid":true,"self_hosted":true}` | `{"cloud":true}` |
| description.long | A system that connects to any SQL database and provides a collaborative web interface for content and data management, while automatically generating REST and GraphQL APIs for developers. | Sanity is a headless CMS that provides complete control over content through schema-as-code and GROQ queries. It enables developers to build custom content applications with real-time APIs and content workflows, with options for free starting tier or paid enterprise plans. |
| features.capabilities | `{"cms_type":"headless","free_tier":true,"multisite":true,"open_source":true,"git_workflow":true,"headless_api":true,"localization":true,"pricing_model":"freemium","self_hostable":true,"visual_builder":true,"managed_hosting":true,"content_workflow":true,"deployment_model":"self_hosted_open_source","plugin_ecosystem":"Directus Marketplace with Sandbox SDK for safe third-party extensions","rest_api_delivery":true,"structured_content":true,"graphql_api_native_delivery":true,"real_time_visual_preview_editor":true,"multi_language_localization_i18n":true,"visual_content_modeling_schema_builder":true,"granular_role_based_access_control_rbac":true}` | `{"cms_type":"headless","free_tier":true,"multisite":true,"open_source":false,"git_workflow":true,"headless_api":true,"localization":true,"soc2_type_ii":true,"pricing_model":"freemium","self_hostable":false,"visual_builder":true,"managed_hosting":true,"content_workflow":true,"deployment_model":"cloud_managed_saas","plugin_ecosystem":"Integrations directory with official framework toolkits and community plugins","rest_api_delivery":true,"structured_content":true,"webhooks_event_triggers":true,"graphql_api_native_delivery":true,"real_time_visual_preview_editor":true,"multi_language_localization_i18n":true,"nextjs_gatsby_native_framework_support":true,"visual_content_modeling_schema_builder":true,"granular_role_based_access_control_rbac":true}` |
| integrations.count | 4 | 7 |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"OpenAI","native":true,"category":"ai","direction":"bidirectional"},{"name":"Anthropic","native":true,"category":"ai","direction":"bidirectional"},{"name":"Google Gemini","native":true,"category":"ai","direction":"bidirectional"},{"name":"Claude","native":true,"category":"ai","direction":"bidirectional"}]` | `[{"name":"Vercel"},{"name":"Next.js"},{"name":"Astro"},{"name":"Slack"},{"name":"GitHub"},{"name":"PostHog"},{"name":"Claude"},{"name":"Replicate"},{"name":"Vimeo","native":true,"category":"video"}]` |
| market.availability | `{"primaryMarkets":["US"],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` | `{"primaryMarkets":["US"],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` |
| platform.support | `{"cli":true,"web":true}` | `{"web":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"hybrid","plans":[{"free":true,"name":"Core","summary":"Free","features":["3 user seats","5 Flows","25 collections","AI Assistant","Advanced RBAC","Community Support"],"minSeats":3,"components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":0,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"For evaluating Directus or powering small individual builds","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"flows":"5","user_seats":"3","collections":"25"}},{"free":false,"name":"Team","summary":"$499/mo (annual) or $599/mo (monthly)","features":["10 SSO seats","50 Collections (expandable to 100)","20 Flows","Granular RBAC","Basic Support"],"minSeats":10,"commitment":"annual|monthly","components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":499,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"For teams needing a supported, production-ready deployment with SSO","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"flows":"20","sso_seats":"10","collections":"50"}},{"free":false,"name":"Enterprise","summary":"Custom pricing","features":["Custom SSO seats","Custom Collections","Unlimited Flows","SSO (SAML / OIDC)","Custom LLM","Offline Mode","AI Translations","Telemetry Opt-out","Premium Support"],"description":"For organizations with complex requirements, multiple projects, or specific compliance needs","contactSales":true,"includedLimits":{"flows":"Unlimited","sso_seats":"Custom","collections":"200+"}},{"free":true,"name":"Open Innovation Grant","summary":"Free (self-hosted) or $99/mo (cloud)","features":["All features included","Free self-hosted","Cloud hosting $99/mo optional"],"components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":0,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"Free for qualifying organizations under $5M revenue and fewer than 50 employees","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"features":"Unlimited","collections":"Unlimited"}}],"addOns":[{"name":"Extra SSO Seats","components":[{"kind":"per_unit","unit":"seat","amount":50,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}]},{"name":"Extra Collections","components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":100,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}]},{"name":"Cloud Hosting","components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":99,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}]}],"summary":"Free Core tier. Team from $499/mo annual commitment. Enterprise custom. Grant available for organizations under $5M revenue and 50 employees.","currency":"USD","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://directus.com/pricing","retrievedAt":"2026-09-18T15:59:30.413Z","freeTrialDays":14,"startingPrice":{"amount":499,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},"billingPeriods":["month","year"]}` | `{"type":"hybrid","plans":[{"free":true,"name":"Free","contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Growth","features":["50 user seats","private datasets","AI capabilities","optional add-ons"],"contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Enterprise","features":["custom roles","SAML SSO","advanced permissions","custom usage quotas","dedicated support with SLA","content resources"],"contactSales":true}],"summary":"Free tier available; Growth plan with 50 seats; Enterprise with custom pricing and SLA","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://www.sanity.io/answers/request-for-demo-and-pricing-for-headless-cms--response-received-after-initial-contact-failure","retrievedAt":"2026-09-22T14:39:45.485Z"}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | yes |
| pricing.model | freemium | freemium |
| pricing.price_level | high | low |
| pricing.starting_price | `{"amount":499,"currency":"USD"}` | - |
| pricing.transparent | yes | no |
| reliability.sla_pct | - | 99.95 |
| reliability.status_page | yes | yes |
| security.certifications | - | `[{"name":"SOC 2 Type II","level":"Type II","status":"active"}]` |
| security.disclosure_policy | yes | yes |
| security.gdpr | yes | yes |
| security.soc2 | yes | yes |

## Capabilities (CMS Software)

| Capability | Directus | Sanity |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Core** |  |  |
| CMS type | Headless / API-first | Headless / API-first |
| **Licensing** |  |  |
| Open-source | ✓ | ✗ |
| **Deployment** |  |  |
| Self-hostable | ✓ | ✗ |
| Managed / cloud hosting offered | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Delivery** |  |  |
| Headless API (REST/GraphQL) | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Content** |  |  |
| Structured content modelling | ✓ | ✓ |
| Localisation / i18n | ✓ | ✓ |
| Content workflow / approvals | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Editing** |  |  |
| Visual / no-code page builder | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Extensibility** |  |  |
| Plugin / app ecosystem size | Directus Marketplace with Sandbox SDK for safe third-party extensions | Integrations directory with official framework toolkits and community plugins |
| **Scale** |  |  |
| Multi-site / multi-tenant | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Workflow** |  |  |
| Git-based / code-first workflow | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Pricing** |  |  |
| Free / open tier | ✓ | ✓ |

*Source: vioscaleAI. Generated 2026-10-16T04:43:59.185Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*