Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

WordPress.com VS Directus

Compare WordPress.com VS Directus and see what are their differences

WordPress.com logo WordPress.com

Create a free website or build a blog with ease on WordPress.com. Dozens of free, customizable, mobile-ready designs and themes. Free hosting and support.

Directus logo Directus

Free and Open-Source Headless CMS
  • WordPress.com Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-03
  • Directus Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-16

WordPress.com features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    WordPress.com provides a user-friendly interface that is easy for beginners to navigate. It offers pre-installed themes and plugins, making it simple to get started with a minimal learning curve.
  • Maintenance-Free
    The platform handles all the technicalities such as updates, backups, and security, allowing users to focus solely on creating content.
  • Cost-Effective
    There are free plans available, and even the paid plans are relatively affordable. It eliminates the need for a separate hosting service, reducing overall costs.
  • Built-In Community
    WordPress.com hosts a large community of users, providing opportunities for networking and increased visibility through its social features.
  • Scalability
    Various premium plans allow you to scale up as your website grows. You can start with a free plan and upgrade to more advanced features as needed.

Possible disadvantages of WordPress.com

  • Limited Customization
    You have less control over your website's design and functionality compared to self-hosted WordPress. Custom themes and plugins are often restricted or not allowed.
  • Monetization Restrictions
    Free and lower-tier plans have limitations on monetization options. For instance, you can't use third-party ad networks unless you upgrade to a higher-tier plan.
  • Less Flexibility
    The platform is less flexible compared to self-hosted solutions. Certain advanced features and customizations are not available or are limited.
  • Data Portability
    Migrating your site from WordPress.com to another platform can be complicated and may require technical assistance, posing a challenge if you decide to move.
  • Price for Advanced Features
    While the basic plans are affordable, the cost can add up if you choose to add advanced features and services. Some premium options can be relatively expensive.

Directus features and specs

  • 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 of Directus

  • 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.

WordPress.com videos

WordPress.COM Review: Is it really easier than WordPress.ORG?

More videos:

  • Review - Wordpress.com Review: Good For Users Familiar with Wordpress
  • Review - WORDPRESS.COM REVIEW 2020: THE BEST WEBSITE BUILDER?! | PROS AND CONS | TECH TIME #110
  • Review - WordPress.org VS WordPress.com: The Confusing Differences Explained!
  • Review - Should You Use WordPress.com? | WordPress.com Honest Review

Directus videos

Using Directus

More videos:

  • Review - Directus Review
  • Review - Directus - What's a Headless CMS?

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to WordPress.com and Directus)
CMS
84 84%
16% 16
Website Builder
100 100%
0% 0
Blogging
50 50%
50% 50
Website Design
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare WordPress.com and Directus

WordPress.com Reviews

WordPress vs. Proprietary Site Builders: What to Know Before Starting a Website Development Project
WordPress: WordPress.org (not to be confused with WordPress.com) is an open-source content management system (CMS). When you build a website on WordPress, you own the code, the design, and the data. This means you can fully customize your site, transfer it to any hosting provider, and have complete control over all aspects of the website. The site can be hosted on any...
Comparing 9 WordPress alternatives & competitors in 2024
WordPress.com claims affordability as one of their best benefits. Their pricing plans are similar to other website platforms like Wix, but many of the plugins and assets that add crucial features like product listings and SEO tools come at a steep cost. Even if you only add one or two plugins, like WooCommerce or Yoast, you’ll spend more on add-ons than on the website...
Source: webflow.com
19 Best WordPress Alternatives in 2025
While WordPress is undeniably popular, it might not be the perfect fit for everyone. Here are the key differences between WordPress.com (hosted platform) and WordPress.org (self-hosted software) to help you understand more about WordPress and why you should look for an alternative website builder:
Source: www.pixpa.com
The 17 Best Wix Alternatives (2024) Who Else Can You Build Your Website With?
WordPress is the undisputed king of CMS or Content Management Systems. From blogs to online stores, there isn’t much you can’t do with this powerful website building solution. Keep in mind that WordPress comes in two versions: WordPress.org and WordPress.com.
8+ Best Cheap Domain Name Providers in 2024 [Compared]
WordPress.com has grown to become one of the leading domain registration companies in the industry in the past few years. While they strive to keep their prices competitive, they also maintain a high level of service quality and customer support.
Source: themehunk.com

Directus Reviews

21 Headless CMS Platforms That You Should Check Out
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.
Source: popupsmart.com
Best Headless CMS in 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 limitations. The product suite includes an admin app for editors, a content API for developers, and can be self-hosted for free.
Source: flatlogic.com
Best Node.js CMS platforms for 2022
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.
11 Headless CMS to Consider for Modern Application
Writing comments or a note at certain times is useful. Directus comment features prove to be very functional.
Source: geekflare.com
34 Headless CMS That Should Be On Your Radar
The idea is that developers can create custom databases based on specific project needs without learning a proprietary framework or being forced to build using specific technologies. When the database is ready, Directus’ API or SDKs can be connected, resulting in a customizable interface that business users can use to manage database content for their websites and...
Source: www.cmswire.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, WordPress.com should be more popular than Directus. It has been mentiond 1019 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

WordPress.com mentions (1019)

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Directus mentions (123)

  • I Found Perfect CMS after Years of Trial and Error
    Sanity, Contentful, and Hygraph are a few examples. Very often a CMS has a pricing page, but is also open-source, and has docs on how to self-host it for free. A great example of that is Directus, and there is no need to avoid those CMS. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • Directus – real-time REST and GraphQL API of any SQL database
    > From indie devs to enterprise teams, our growing community is building faster with an open source backend built from the ground-up for developers. From https://directus.io. - Source: Hacker News / 2 months ago
  • Ask HN: Anybody used Retool for production, user-facing app?
    I would also recommend looking at Directus (https://directus.io). We evaluated PayloadCMS to drive the backend of a mobile app and eventually settled on Directus because it supported heterogeneous collections which was something we had to have. Directus also has a template for a multi-tenant app which sounds like something you might need. - Source: Hacker News / 6 months ago
  • Twenty, a modern CRM alternative to Salesforce
    Nice! It's great to have more open source platforms in the CRM space. This feels a lot like Directus [0] except that the latter is a more general data platform you build upon. They have a 100 Apps in 100 hours playlist where they build sample apps on top on Directus, even a simple CRM [1]. [0] https://directus.io/ [1] https://youtu.be/tTrBn9Wvko0?si=IoqQ7o7Y8czfxB31. - Source: Hacker News / 11 months ago
  • How I shipped an event registration site in just 1 week with Nuxt, Directus, OpenAI, and TailwindCSS
    The backend is powered by Directus - a data platform that is a hybrid of BaaS and CMS. It pairs up with most SQL databases. - Source: dev.to / 11 months ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing WordPress.com 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.

WiX - Create a free website with Wix.com. Customize with Wix' website builder, no coding skills needed. Choose a design, begin customizing and be online today

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.

SquareSpace - Squarespace is the easiest way for anyone to create an exceptional website. Pages, galleries, blogs, e-commerce, domains, hosting, analytics, 24/7 support - all included.

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

Hostinger - Everything You Need to Create a Website