Chromatic vs Directus Pricing (2026)

Which one is cheaper?

Chromatic starts lower at $179/mo, compared to $599/mo for Directus.

Can I use either one for free?

Both offer free plans, so you can try each without paying. Start with whichever fits your workflow better and upgrade when you hit the limits.

How do they charge?

Different approach here. Chromatic uses usage-based pricing, while Directus goes with hybrid. That changes the math depending on your team size and usage.

Which one is a better deal?

Depends on what you need. Chromatic: At $179-399/mo before Enterprise, Chromatic sits mid-to-premium for a specialized visual testing tool — it's not competing on price against generic QA platforms, it's justifying the spend to teams already sold on Storybook-driven workflows. They're chasing teams that have outgrown manual visual QA and need automated snapshot testing wired into their CI, not budget-conscious shoppers comparing every testing tool on cost. Directus: A flat $599/mo (or $499 annual) puts them in an odd spot — way pricier than typical per-seat headless CMS tools for small teams, but potentially cheaper than competitors once you have more than a handful of users since there's no seat tax. They're clearly courting mid-size and larger teams who'd otherwise blow past per-seat pricing elsewhere, while still keeping hobbyists and OSS purists happy with a genuinely free self-hosted tier.

Still deciding? See the best Chromatic alternatives or the best Directus alternatives, ranked with verified pricing.