Self-hosting Directus cost
Data Platform
Directus is an open-source data platform that wraps any SQL database with an instant REST/GraphQL API and a no-code admin app. Because it sits on top of your existing database, cost scales with API traffic, asset delivery, and database size.
The tables below show the recommended minimum specification for Directus at each user scale, and the cheapest matching plan on each of our tracked providers. Prices are approximate monthly list prices in USD.
Up to 100 users
Recommended minimum: 1 vCPU · 2 GB RAM
For up to 100 users, a single Directus Node instance over PostgreSQL or MySQL handles light loads. Optimization tip: enable the built-in cache (memory or Redis), compress responses, and serve the asset/file endpoints through a CDN. Bandwidth analysis: REST and GraphQL payloads are small, so egress is dominated by asset downloads, which a CDN offloads cheaply.
Up to 500 users
Recommended minimum: 2 vCPU · 4 GB RAM
At 500 users, switch the Directus cache to Redis and put the database on a managed instance. Optimization: tune the database connection pool, index frequently filtered fields, and cache permission checks. Bandwidth analysis: route file assets through object storage plus CDN so origin transfer stays inside provider allowances.
Up to 1,000 users
Recommended minimum: 4 vCPU · 8 GB RAM
For 1000 users, run multiple stateless Directus instances behind a load balancer sharing a Redis cache. Scaling guide: store files on object storage, enable response caching with sane TTLs, and add a read replica for heavy reporting. Bandwidth analysis: edge-cache public read endpoints to keep API egress low under high request volume.
Up to 5,000 users (Enterprise)
Recommended minimum: 8 vCPU · 32 GB RAM
Enterprise: a horizontal cluster of stateless Directus nodes behind a load balancer, a managed PostgreSQL primary with read replicas, PgBouncer, a shared Redis cache, and files on object storage fronted by a CDN. Bandwidth analysis: asset egress is the largest transfer source at this scale, so size the CDN aggressively and compare Hetzner's ~€1/TB, DigitalOcean's $0.01/GB, and Linode's $0.005/GB overages when budgeting.
Prices are approximate list prices and may change at any time; verify on the provider's official site before purchasing. Specs are conservative single-node starting points. Deploy links may contain referral codes. Try the interactive calculator.