# Directus vs DreamFactory

Canonical: https://inetgeek.com/compare/directus-vs-dreamfactory/

Every value below is read from Directus's and DreamFactory's own documentation. See https://inetgeek.com/methodology/ for how.

## At a glance

| Criterion | Directus | DreamFactory |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| What the free plan includes | Three user seats, 25 collections and 5 flows on Core, with the AI assistant, advanced RBAC and community support. Cloud hosting is an add-on rather than included. | The open-source edition, described as being for hands-on learning, personal projects and early-stage development, with the PostgreSQL database connector. |
| Entry paid plan | $599/month billed monthly for Team, or $499/month on an annual commitment. It buys 10 SSO seats, 50 collections and 20 flows. | $1,500/month for DF Linux Lite, billed annually — no monthly-billing rate is published. It includes a single connector of your choice and unlimited roles, keys, API creation and API requests. |
| Pricing model | Flat monthly plans bounded by user seats, collections and flows rather than by requests or data volume. Cloud hosting is an add-on on every tier, including the paid ones. | Flat annual plans bounded by how many connectors you may use, not by requests: the entry paid tier states unlimited roles, keys, API creation and API requests against a single connector. |
| Self-hostable | Supported | Supported |
| Role-based access control | Advanced role-based access control on the free Core plan; granular RBAC from Team ($599/month). | Role-based access control is listed as included from DF Linux Lite ($1,500/month) upward, alongside API key management and API scripting. |

## Where they differ

### What the free plan includes

- Directus: Three user seats, 25 collections and 5 flows on Core, with the AI assistant, advanced RBAC and community support. Cloud hosting is an add-on rather than included. ([source](https://directus.com/pricing))
- DreamFactory: The open-source edition, described as being for hands-on learning, personal projects and early-stage development, with the PostgreSQL database connector. ([source](https://www.dreamfactory.com/pricing/))

### Entry paid plan

- Directus: $599/month billed monthly for Team, or $499/month on an annual commitment. It buys 10 SSO seats, 50 collections and 20 flows. ([source](https://directus.com/pricing))
- DreamFactory: $1,500/month for DF Linux Lite, billed annually — no monthly-billing rate is published. It includes a single connector of your choice and unlimited roles, keys, API creation and API requests. ([source](https://www.dreamfactory.com/pricing/))

### Pricing model

- Directus: Flat monthly plans bounded by user seats, collections and flows rather than by requests or data volume. Cloud hosting is an add-on on every tier, including the paid ones. ([source](https://directus.com/pricing))
- DreamFactory: Flat annual plans bounded by how many connectors you may use, not by requests: the entry paid tier states unlimited roles, keys, API creation and API requests against a single connector. ([source](https://www.dreamfactory.com/pricing/))

### Role-based access control

- Directus: Advanced role-based access control on the free Core plan; granular RBAC from Team ($599/month). ([source](https://directus.com/pricing))
- DreamFactory: Role-based access control is listed as included from DF Linux Lite ($1,500/month) upward, alongside API key management and API scripting. ([source](https://www.dreamfactory.com/pricing/))

## Which should you choose?

Pick Directus if An existing SQL database that needs both an API and people editing it, where advanced role-based access control on the free Core plan does the job within 3 seats and 25 collections.

Pick DreamFactory if Generating REST APIs across a mixed estate — databases, file stores, SaaS and SOAP — behind one contract, self-hosted, with role-based access control and API key management included from the entry paid tier.

Consider something else: Directus — You outgrow Core. The next tier is $599 a month billed monthly — $499 on an annual commitment — for 10 SSO seats and 50 collections, and cloud hosting is an add-on on top of that rather than included.

Consider something else: DreamFactory — The entry price is the constraint. DF Linux Lite is $1,500 a month billed annually with no monthly-billing rate published and a single connector of your choice; the open-source edition is free but ships the PostgreSQL connector only.

## Documented by only one

- Support on entry paid plan: Directus: Community support on Core, the free plan; basic support on Team ($599/month). SSO seats are what the Team tier is described as existing for.

## Questions this comparison answers

**Entry paid plan: Directus or DreamFactory?**

Directus: $599/month billed monthly for Team, or $499/month on an annual commitment. It buys 10 SSO seats, 50 collections and 20 flows.
DreamFactory: $1,500/month for DF Linux Lite, billed annually — no monthly-billing rate is published. It includes a single connector of your choice and unlimited roles, keys, API creation and API requests.

**Should I choose Directus or DreamFactory?**

Pick Directus if An existing SQL database that needs both an API and people editing it, where advanced role-based access control on the free Core plan does the job within 3 seats and 25 collections.
Pick DreamFactory if Generating REST APIs across a mixed estate — databases, file stores, SaaS and SOAP — behind one contract, self-hosted, with role-based access control and API key management included from the entry paid tier.