Directus
✓ Verified by EU AltsOpen-source data platform and headless CMS that wraps any SQL database — a Dutch alternative to Strapi.
Overview
Directus is a Amsterdam, Netherlands-based European company building cms, developer tools, and open source software since 2012. Despite its EU base, EU Alts has verified that Directus owned by Monospace Inc. (Delaware-incorporated US company; Brooklyn, NY / Stamford, CT) (United States), and hosts customer data with Google Cloud Platform (per third-party source; Directus's own docs list only region names, not the vendor) in Multi-region incl. EU (e.g. europe-west/Frankfurt) but underlying cloud vendor is US-owned, so it may still fall under the reach of the US CLOUD Act — worth weighing against WordPress.com and WP Engine on this specific point.
Why European teams pick Directus
Teams in Europe still consider Directus for its cms product and Netherlands presence, operating since 2012, but unlike a fully EU-owned provider, Directus owned by Monospace Inc. (Delaware-incorporated US company; Brooklyn, NY / Stamford, CT) (United States), and hosts customer data with Google Cloud Platform (per third-party source; Directus's own docs list only region names, not the vendor) in Multi-region incl. EU (e.g. europe-west/Frankfurt) but underlying cloud vendor is US-owned — so it does not fully avoid US CLOUD Act exposure the way some other alternatives to WordPress.com and WP Engine do.
See more EU cms tools or browse other startups from Netherlands.
About
Directus is a Netherlands-based open-source data platform and headless CMS that wraps any SQL database — PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, MariaDB, SQL Server — with a real-time API and a no-code data management interface. Unlike traditional CMSs, Directus does not impose a content schema — it works with your existing database structure. It is fully self-hostable under the BSL 1.1 licence and can be deployed on any EU server. Directus Cloud is also available. Because it connects directly to your existing database, all content data stays wherever your database is hosted. It is popular among EU development teams and enterprises that need an admin panel and API layer for their existing PostgreSQL or MySQL databases without migrating to a proprietary CMS data model.
Details
- Founded
- 2012
- Headquarters
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Ownership
- Owned by Monospace Inc. (Delaware-incorporated US company; Brooklyn, NY / Stamford, CT) (United States)
- Hosting
- Google Cloud Platform (per third-party source; Directus's own docs list only region names, not the vendor), Multi-region incl. EU (e.g. europe-west/Frankfurt) but underlying cloud vendor is US-owned
- CLOUD Act
- Exposed
- Company size
- 51–200 employees
Categories
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- Codebahn Sweden — Codebahn is managed Git and CI for European teams.
- Curity Sweden — Swedish identity and API access platform. OAuth and OpenID Connect infrastructure for organisations where security and control are non-negotiable.
- Hanko Germany — Open-source passkey and passwordless authentication from Kiel, Germany. Made and hosted in Europe, with self-hosting available.
- cidaas Germany — German cloud identity and access management (CIAM) platform — made and hosted in Germany, with dedicated German server locations for regulated sectors.
- Ploq The Netherlands — Ploq is EU-built webhook infrastructure: retries, event filtering, and health monitoring, GDPR-compliant end to end. SDKs for Node.js and Java, a WordPress plugin, and a forkable Mac/Windows app for sending and receiving events.
Frequently asked questions
What is Directus?
Directus is a Netherlands-based open-source data platform and headless CMS that wraps any SQL database — PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, MariaDB, SQL Server — with a real-time API and a no-code data management interface. Unlike traditional CMSs, Directus does not impose a content schema — it works with your existing database structure. It is fully self-hostable under the BSL 1.1 licence and can be deployed on any EU server. Directus Cloud is also available. Because it connects directly to your existing database, all content data stays wherever your database is hosted. It is popular among EU development teams and enterprises that need an admin panel and API layer for their existing PostgreSQL or MySQL databases without migrating to a proprietary CMS data model.
What does Directus do?
Directus is open-source data platform and headless cms that wraps any sql database — a dutch alternative to strapi. It is listed under cms, developer tools, and open source on EU Alts because its core functionality serves teams looking for a European cms tool with EU data residency, typically as a switch away from WordPress.com and WP Engine.
Is Directus a good European cms alternative?
Directus is a fit for European businesses evaluating cms options where data residency and GDPR alignment matter — typical buyers include EU-based SaaS teams, public-sector projects, regulated industries (healthcare, finance, legal), and any organisation that needs to demonstrate that customer data does not leave the EU. It also overlaps with developer tools and open source use cases.
Is Directus GDPR compliant?
Directus is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands and processes user data under the GDPR by default. Customer data processing is supervised by Netherlands's data protection authority, the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens (AP). However, EU Alts has verified that Directus owned by Monospace Inc. (Delaware-incorporated US company; Brooklyn, NY / Stamford, CT) (United States), and hosts customer data with Google Cloud Platform (per third-party source; Directus's own docs list only region names, not the vendor) in Multi-region incl. EU (e.g. europe-west/Frankfurt) but underlying cloud vendor is US-owned, which means — unlike a fully EU-owned provider — it may still be reachable under the US CLOUD Act, similar to WordPress.com and WP Engine in that respect.
How do teams switch from WordPress.com to Directus?
Teams evaluating a move from WordPress.com and WP Engine to Directus should note: Directus owned by Monospace Inc. (Delaware-incorporated US company; Brooklyn, NY / Stamford, CT) (United States), and hosts customer data with Google Cloud Platform (per third-party source; Directus's own docs list only region names, not the vendor) in Multi-region incl. EU (e.g. europe-west/Frankfurt) but underlying cloud vendor is US-owned, so this switch narrows but may not fully close the US CLOUD Act gap. Weigh that against the cms workflow fit before treating it as a complete Schrems II fix.
Where is Directus based?
Directus is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The company was founded in 2012. Its main website is https://directus.io.