head to head · open source
ToolJet vs Directus
ToolJet has 40,936 GitHub stars, 5,448 forks, 1,204 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Directus has 37,947 stars, 4,944 forks, 402 open issues and last shipped yesterday. ToolJet leads on adoption by 8% (40,936 vs 37,947 stars). ToolJet is written in JavaScript under AGPL-3.0; Directus is written in TypeScript under a custom or non-standard licence. ToolJet has attracted 13% 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. The two share 1 topic tag (javascript), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
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
| ToolJet | Directus | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 41K | ★ 38K |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Custom / other |
| Written in | JavaScript | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-09-17 | 2026-09-17 |
| Forks | ⑂ 5.4K | ⑂ 4.9K |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick ToolJet if
- You weight community size — 41K stars and counting
- You want the AGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches JavaScript
- 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 ToolJet
ToolJet is an open source low code platform for building internal tools—admin panels, dashboards, and operational applications—by connecting to existing databases, APIs, and SaaS systems. It lives in the JavaScript ecosystem and is licensed under AGPL 3.0.
read the full ToolJet 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 ToolJet or Directus more popular?
ToolJet has 40,936 GitHub stars and Directus has 37,947. ToolJet has the larger community by that measure.
Are ToolJet and Directus free?
Both are open source. ToolJet is licensed under AGPL-3.0, and Directus has no licence declared in this registry. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between ToolJet and Directus?
ToolJet is written in JavaScript 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, ToolJet or Directus?
Choose ToolJet if you want the larger community (40,936 stars) or its AGPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose Directus if its feature set, stack or Custom / other licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.