Directus vs Hygraph
Directus
Open-source data platform wrapping SQL databases with headless CMS and no-code tools
Publishers using it: 1
Hygraph
A federated GraphQL-native headless CMS designed to unify complex data sources
Publishers using it: 2 · incl. Discovery
Last verified Nov 12, 2026
At a glance
- Directus scores 2.7/5 and Hygraph scores 3.3/5 in Benchmark Grid's independent headless CMS platforms benchmark, both assessed on the same 10 criteria.
- The widest gaps are seo & publishing features (Directus 1.5, Hygraph 3.0) and revenue integrations (Directus 1.0, Hygraph 2.0); they are within 0.3 on 5 of 10 criteria.
- Directus is built for small and mid-market publishers; Hygraph for mid-market and enterprise.
- On total cost of ownership Directus scores 4.1 and Hygraph 3.2 (higher means better value, not a lower price).
- In our tracking 1 publishers use Directus and 2 use Hygraph.
- Scores last verified 12 Nov 2026. Vendors cannot pay for a score or a position.
Where they differ
Directus is stronger on extensibility (4.7 vs 3.8) and editorial experience (3.3 vs 2.5).
Hygraph is stronger on SEO & publishing features (3.0 vs 1.5) and revenue integrations (2.0 vs 1.0).
Which one fits
Choose Directus if…
- You publish at small and mid-market scale.
- You weight extensibility, editorial experience and security & compliance heavily — Directus leads on those in this benchmark.
Choose Hygraph if…
- You publish at mid-market and enterprise scale.
- You weight SEO & publishing features and revenue integrations heavily — Hygraph leads on those in this benchmark.
Also weighing these
The nearest-scored tools to Directus and Hygraph in this benchmark, listed A to Z.
- 2.6dotCMSAn enterprise hybrid headless CMS combining visual content orchestration with agentic AI readiness and multi-tenant scalability.Read review
- 2.9Optimizely CMSEnterprise digital experience platform blending hybrid headless content management with native experimentationRead review
- 2.7PrismicA component-based headless CMS that balances developer freedom with a visual page-building experience for marketing teams.Read review
- 2.8StoryblokA visual headless CMS combining component-based design with real-time editing and enterprise-grade workflow automation.Read review
All 15 scored tools are in Best Headless CMS Platforms.
Who uses them
Publishers we have detected running each tool, from ads.txt, site code and published case studies. Agencies, brands and vendors are excluded.
Directus · 1
Hygraph · 2
Head to head
| Criterion | Directus | Hygraph |
|---|---|---|
| Content modelling & structured content14% of capability | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| API performance & delivery12% of capability | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Editorial experience12% of capability | 3.3 | 2.5 |
| Extensibility10% of capability | 4.7 | 3.8 |
| Scalability & reliability10% of capability | 4.5 | 4.2 |
| SEO & publishing features10% of capability | 1.5 | 3.0 |
| AI & automation8% of capability | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Localisation & multi-site8% of capability | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| Revenue integrations8% of capability | 1.0 | 2.0 |
| Security & compliance8% of capability | 4.0 | 3.5 |
| Capability45% of composite | 3.7 | 3.6 |
| Publisher fit40% of composite | 1.0 | 3.0 |
| Total cost of ownership15% of composite | 4.1 | 3.2 |
Cost of ownership
| Sub-score | Directus | Hygraph |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing transparency | 4.5 | 3.8 |
| Entry cost | 4.5 | 4.1 |
| Implementation cost | 4.0 | 2.7 |
| Hidden-fee risk | 4.0 | 2.9 |
| Ongoing cost | 3.5 | 2.5 |
Directus pricing
Core is free (up to 3 seats, self-hosted); Team is $499/mo on an annual commitment ($599/mo billed monthly); Enterprise is custom. Directus Cloud hosting is a $99/mo add-on. Organisations under $5M revenue and 50 staff can apply for a free licence.
Hygraph pricing
Free Hobby plan available; Growth tier starts at $199/mo; custom Enterprise pricing for federation and advanced security.
What users say
Directus
16 positive · 17 neutral · 11 negative
Hygraph
9 positive · 11 neutral · 3 negative
Mentions we could not tie to a real user, and those flagged as promotional, are excluded. Sentiment is opinion, and is independent of the verified publisher adoptions above.
Directus scores 2.7 and Hygraph scores 3.3 in Benchmark Grid's independent Best Headless CMS Platforms benchmark (benchmarkgrid.com/vs/directus/hygraph, verified Nov 12, 2026)
Common questions
How do Directus and Hygraph differ?
Directus is stronger on extensibility (4.7 vs 3.8) and editorial experience (3.3 vs 2.5). Hygraph is stronger on SEO & publishing features (3.0 vs 1.5) and revenue integrations (2.0 vs 1.0). Neither is better in the abstract — which one suits you depends on which of those dimensions carries the most weight in your operation.
Which is cheaper, Directus or Hygraph?
On total cost of ownership — pricing transparency, entry cost, implementation, hidden-fee risk and ongoing cost — Directus scores 4.1/5 and Hygraph scores 3.2/5. A higher score means better value, not a lower sticker price.
How are these scores calculated?
Each tool is assessed against its category's published criteria (10 in this benchmark), which make up Capability (45% of the composite), Publisher fit (40%) and Total cost of ownership (15%). Assessment is carried out by SODP's editorial team against a published methodology. Vendors cannot pay for inclusion, scores or positions.
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Both tools are scored in Best Headless CMS Platforms. See alternatives to Directus or alternatives to Hygraph.
Weighing a third option? Add a tool to this comparison.
Where to next
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