head to head · open source
AppSmith vs Directus
AppSmith has 40,894 GitHub stars, 4,761 forks, 4,467 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Directus has 37,947 stars, 4,944 forks, 402 open issues and last shipped yesterday. AppSmith leads on adoption by 8% (40,894 vs 37,947 stars). AppSmith is written in TypeScript under Apache-2.0; Directus is written in TypeScript under a custom or non-standard licence. AppSmith has attracted 12% as many forks as stars, Directus 13%. Directus was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| AppSmith | Directus | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 41K | ★ 38K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Custom / other |
| Written in | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-09-17 | 2026-09-17 |
| Forks | ⑂ 4.8K | ⑂ 4.9K |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick AppSmith if
- You weight community size — 41K stars and counting
- You want the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick Directus if
- You want the Directus feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Custom / other license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You evaluated both and Directus fits your workflow better
About AppSmith
Appsmith is an open source, Apache 2.0 low code platform written primarily in TypeScript that lets teams build custom internal tools such as admin panels, dashboards, and CRUD applications on top of their own databases and APIs.
read the full AppSmith overview →
About Directus
Directus is an open source data platform that wraps any SQL database with a REST and GraphQL API layer and a visual management interface. It lives in the developer tools and frameworks ecosystem, specifically targeting teams needing a flexible backend for content management, admin panels, or custom applications without writing boilerplate code.
read the full Directus overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is AppSmith or Directus more popular?
AppSmith has 40,894 GitHub stars and Directus has 37,947. AppSmith has the larger community by that measure.
Are AppSmith and Directus free?
Both are open source. AppSmith is licensed under Apache-2.0, and Directus has no licence declared in this registry. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between AppSmith and Directus?
AppSmith is written in TypeScript and Directus in TypeScript. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, AppSmith or Directus?
Choose AppSmith if you want the larger community (40,894 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose Directus if its feature set, stack or Custom / other licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.