DonkeyCMS VS Directus

Compare DonkeyCMS VS Directus and see what are their differences

Rating: 0 reviews
Pricing: Freemium €6 / Monthly (Pro tier, 1 website, 5 seats)
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Alternatives Is it good?

Rating: 0 reviews
Pricing: Open source
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Alternatives Is it good?

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Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Directus seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 126 times since March 2021.

social mentions: 0 vs 126
CMS popularity: 2% vs 98%
alternatives listed: 17 vs 240+

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

	DonkeyCMS	Directus
Website	donkeycms.com	directus.com
Pricing	Freemium €6 / Monthly (Pro tier, 1 website, 5 seats) Official pricing	Open source Official pricing
Platforms	Self Hosted PHP Web	—
Company	Startup from Romania · 1 - 9 employees · 2026	Startup from the United States
Listed in	Web Content Management Blogging Blogging Platform CMS +1	CMS Blogging Blogging Platform Website Builder +1

About DonkeyCMS and Directus

In their own words, as submitted to SaaSHub.

DonkeyCMS

Directus

DonkeyCMS is a lightweight, self-hosted blog system for websites that are not built on WordPress. It installs into a subfolder of your site and takes on your own header, footer and design, so the blog looks like part of your website instead of a separate product. It works with a website you...

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

DonkeyCMS 8 features

Directus 6 features

Fits your existing site
Installs into a subfolder of a custom-coded website and uses your own header, footer and design
SEO and AI ready
Structured data, sitemap, RSS feed and social share tags on every plan, plus a check that search engines and AI tools can read your blog
Editor
Rich text or Markdown, scheduled publishing, categories, tags and per-post SEO and FAQ fields
WordPress import
Bring posts, images, categories and tags over from a WordPress export file
Backups and updates
Full backups with cloud destinations, and one-click updates from the admin
Team and roles
Team accounts with custom roles and permissions, and review before publishing
Privacy-friendly analytics
Built-in visit statistics without cookies or third-party scripts
Requirements
PHP 8.1 or newer and MySQL, on standard shared hosting

Headless CMS
Directus offers a headless CMS, which decouples the content management back-end from the front-end. This allows for greater flexibility in how content is displayed across different platforms and devices.
Open-source
Being open-source, Directus allows developers to contribute to its development, inspect the code, and build custom features according to their needs. This fosters a large, active community and encourages rapid iteration and innovation.
Database Agnostic
Directus can be used with any SQL database, including MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQLite. This gives developers the flexibility to work within their preferred database environments.
User-friendly Interface
The Directus app provides an intuitive and user-friendly interface for non-developers. This makes it easier for content creators and managers to handle their content without needing to understand the technical aspects.
API-first
Directus provides a powerful API out of the box, enabling easy integration with other services and applications. This ensures that developers can build seamless, robust, and scalable services.
Customizable
Directus offers extensive customization options, including custom roles, permissions, and interfaces. This makes it adaptable to a wide range of use cases and specific requirements.

Possible disadvantages

Learning Curve
While powerful, Directus can have a steep learning curve for those unfamiliar with headless CMSs or API-first architectures. This might require additional training or time to become fully efficient in its use.
Resource Intensive
Operating Directus can be resource-intensive, especially in larger, more complex implementations. This might necessitate more robust server hardware or cloud infrastructure, increasing operational costs.
Complex Setup
Setting up Directus, particularly in production environments, can be complex and may require significant technical know-how. This can be a barrier for smaller teams or those without in-depth technical expertise.
Limited Built-in Features
Directus, being a headless CMS, does not come with built-in themes or front-end templates, unlike traditional CMSs. This can necessitate additional development to create a presentable front-end.
Dependency Management
Managing dependencies and keeping Directus up-to-date with the latest versions of its underlying components can be challenging and time-consuming for administrators.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

DonkeyCMS

Directus

No analysis of DonkeyCMS yet.

Overall verdict

Directus is a highly regarded solution for those seeking a flexible and powerful headless CMS. Its open-source license and ease of integration make it a strong choice for projects that require custom content management solutions.

Why this product is good

Directus is known for its flexibility and ease of use. It offers a headless CMS solution that connects seamlessly with various types of databases, providing a robust platform for managing digital content. Its open-source nature allows for extensive customization, and its user-friendly interface makes it accessible to both developers and non-technical users. Additionally, Directus provides real-time APIs and support for a range of content types, which can significantly streamline content management processes.

Recommended for

Developers looking for a customizable and adaptable CMS
Organizations needing a headless CMS with real-time API capabilities
Teams seeking a user-friendly and straightforward interface for content management
Projects that require integration with a variety of databases

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

DonkeyCMS 0 videos + Add

Directus 3 videos + Add

No DonkeyCMS videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Using Directus

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100

DonkeyCMS

Directus

2% 2%

CMS

98% 98%

2% 2%

Blogging

98% 98%

4% 4%

Blogging Platform

96% 96%

100% 100%

Web Content Management

0% 0%

Questions & Answers

As answered by people managing DonkeyCMS and Directus.

What makes your product unique?

DonkeyCMS's answer

It adds a blog to a website you already built, instead of asking you to rebuild the site around a CMS. DonkeyCMS installs into a subfolder of a custom-coded HTML site and takes on that site's own header, footer and design, so visitors never feel they left your website. There is no theme to convert and no plugin collection to maintain.

Why should a person choose your product over its competitors?

DonkeyCMS's answer

Choose it if you have a custom-coded website and only want a good blog on it. WordPress would mean converting your design into a theme and keeping plugins updated. Static site generators and headless CMSs need a developer for every change. DonkeyCMS sits in between: it installs in minutes on ordinary PHP hosting, anyone on the team can write and publish from a clean admin, and the SEO groundwork (structured data, sitemap, RSS, share tags) is built in on every plan, including the free one.

How would you describe the primary audience of your product?

DonkeyCMS's answer

Freelance web designers, small agencies and small businesses whose websites are custom-coded rather than built on WordPress, and who want to add a blog without changing how the site is built. Agencies can run it across many client sites and white-label it.

What's the story behind your product?

DonkeyCMS's answer

I'm a designer, not a programmer. The websites I make for my own projects and for clients are custom HTML sites, not WordPress ones, and I wanted the perfect blog system to plug into them. It had to be as strong as WordPress for SEO, but without the weight: very light, fast, and good-looking out of the box. Nothing I found did all of that inside a site that was already built, so I decided to have it made, at first just to use for my own clients. Version 1.0 was released in October 2026.

Which are the primary technologies used for building your product?

DonkeyCMS's answer

PHP and MySQL, so it runs on standard shared hosting. The post editor is built on Tiptap. The admin and the blog use plain HTML, CSS and JavaScript, with no front-end framework, which keeps pages small and fast.

User comments

Share your experience with using DonkeyCMS and Directus. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

DonkeyCMS no reviews yet

Directus no reviews yet

We have no reviews of DonkeyCMS yet. Be the first one to post

21 Headless CMS Platforms That You Should Check Out
popupsmart.com · Mar 2022

Directus is an open data platform where you can turn SQL databases into an API. Furthermore, you can customize your content with this platform entirely since it is an extensible headless CMS platform.
Best Headless CMS in 2022
flatlogic.com · Feb 2022

Directus is a great headless CMS if you have a current SQL database. It is written with vue.js, REST is used for the public API and it is powered by Node.js. Directus is open-source so you can use it free without any...
Best Node.js CMS platforms for 2022
blog.logrocket.com · Dec 2021

Directus is an open-source headless CMS for managing custom SQL databases. Directus also has an intuitive admin app for non-technical users to manage content.

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

DonkeyCMS 0 mentions

Directus 126 mentions

Tracking DonkeyCMS since Oct 2026.

Ask HN: Looking for Headless CMS Recommendation
Im using directus (https://directus.io/) for my personal website with a vacation blog and some posts… So far it works pretty well and my gf is also able to use it on her own, so you could say its non-tech user approved haha. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
Directus.js (JavaScript SDK) – The official client for Directus APIs
If you're working with Directus, the open-source headless CMS and data platform, then Directus.js is your new best friend. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
Ditching Obsidian and building my own
It seems to really be an ad for Directus (https://directus.io/) (?). - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago

Alternatives to DonkeyCMS and Directus

When comparing DonkeyCMS and Directus, you can also consider the following products.

WordPress
WordPress is web software you can use to create a beautiful website or blog. We like to say that WordPress is both free and priceless at the same time.

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Ghost
Ghost is a fully open source, adaptable platform for building and running a modern online publication. We power blogs, magazines and journalists from Zappos to Sky News.

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Strapi
Manage any content. Anywhere. The leading open-source headless CMS. 100% JavaScript / TypeScript and fully customizable.

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Blogger
Publish your passions, your way. Create a unique and beautiful blog. It’s easy and free.

Compare Blogger to DonkeyCMS or Directus:

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Medium
Welcome to Medium, a place to read, write, and interact with the stories that matter most to you.

Compare Medium to DonkeyCMS or Directus:

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Drupal
Drupal - the leading open-source CMS for ambitious digital experiences that reach your audience across multiple channels. Because we all have different needs, Drupal allows you to create a unique space in a world of cookie-cutter solutions.

Compare Drupal to DonkeyCMS or Directus:

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