# Directus vs Squarespace

| Attribute | Directus | Squarespace |
|---|---|---|
| **vioscaleAI score** | 59.9 (60% (medium)) | 58.1 (62% (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 visual website builder platform that enables individuals and businesses to design and launch websites using drag-and-drop tools, commerce features, and appointment scheduling, without requiring technical knowledge. It is indexed under CMS Software.","source":"https://www.squarespace.com","question":"What is Squarespace?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Squarespace offers a free tier, so you can start without paying. Paid plans are also available: Squarespace Premium and Squarespace for Pros. Pricing changes often, so verify at source before relying on it.","source":"https://www.squarespace.com","question":"Is Squarespace free?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have confirmed browser-based access to Squarespace. That is the extent of what we could verify from public sources, so it may well offer desktop or mobile clients we have not indexed.","source":"https://www.squarespace.com","question":"What platforms does Squarespace support?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have only confirmed a cloud / SaaS deployment for Squarespace, so it appears to be vendor-hosted. If a self-hosted option exists we have not found it documented publicly.","source":"https://www.squarespace.com","question":"Can Squarespace be self-hosted?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have independently confirmed GDPR for Squarespace. Certifications we do not list are ones we have not been able to verify from public sources, which is not the same as Squarespace not holding them. Always confirm compliance directly before you rely on it.","source":"https://www.squarespace.com/security","question":"What security certifications does Squarespace have?","confidence":0.7}]` |
| 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. | A visual website builder platform that enables individuals and businesses to design and launch websites using drag-and-drop tools, commerce features, and appointment scheduling, without requiring technical knowledge. |
| 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":"builder","free_tier":true,"open_source":false,"git_workflow":false,"self_hostable":false,"visual_builder":true,"managed_hosting":true}` |
| integrations.count | 4 | - |
| 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"}]` | - |
| market.availability | `{"primaryMarkets":["US"],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` | `{"primaryMarkets":[],"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":"subscription","plans":[{"free":false,"name":"Squarespace Premium","description":"Advanced features, lowest processing rates, and priority support","contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Squarespace for Pros","description":"Powerful enough for pros, easy enough for clients","contactSales":false}],"summary":"Free trial available. Subscription-based pricing with Squarespace Premium and Squarespace for Pros tiers; specific pricing not provided in sourced text.","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://www.squarespace.com","retrievedAt":"2026-08-03T14:28:28.308Z"}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | yes |
| pricing.model | freemium | freemium |
| pricing.price_level | high | low |
| pricing.starting_price | `{"amount":499,"currency":"USD"}` | - |
| pricing.transparent | yes | yes |
| reliability.status_page | yes | yes |
| security.disclosure_policy | yes | yes |
| security.gdpr | yes | yes |
| security.pci | - | yes |
| security.soc2 | yes | - |

## Capabilities (CMS Software)

| Capability | Directus | Squarespace |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Core** |  |  |
| CMS type | Headless / API-first | Hosted website builder |
| **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 | - |
| **Scale** |  |  |
| Multi-site / multi-tenant | ✓ | - |
| **Workflow** |  |  |
| Git-based / code-first workflow | ✓ | ✗ |
| **Pricing** |  |  |
| Free / open tier | ✓ | ✓ |

*Source: vioscaleAI. Generated 2026-10-16T19:21:57.896Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*