Directus vs Manifest
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted apps from related categories — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Directus
Instant REST and GraphQL API for any SQL database
VS
Manifest
Open-source backend defined from a single YAML file
| Feature | Directus | Manifest |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Self-Hosting Platforms (PaaS) | Developer Tools & Git |
| License | BSL-1.1 | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes, binary | docker, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 37,238 | ★ 7,413 |
| First released | 2015 | 2024 |
| Replaces | Contentful, Firebase | Firebase, Supabase |
Why pick each one
Choose Directus if…
- Released under the BSL-1.1 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Mature project with 37.2k GitHub stars
Choose Manifest if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 7.4k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is Directus or Manifest better?
Neither is universally better. Directus has the larger community, while Manifest is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Directus and Manifest free and open-source?
Yes. Directus is licensed under BSL-1.1 and Manifest under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Directus and Manifest with Docker?
Directus: yes. Manifest: yes.