Compare / Payload vs Strapi
Payload vs Strapi
Pick Payload if you want TypeScript collections next to Next.js (preferred on the Contentful stack). Pick Strapi Community if the team already knows Strapi. Skip Strapi ee/ and Strapi Cloud.
Facts checked 17 Oct 2026. License, language, and GitHub activity come from the catalog or the project's own repo. "Not in the catalog row" means the public catalog dump does not store that number.
Payload in the catalog Strapi in the catalogStart on Railway
How they compare
| Payload | Strapi | |
|---|---|---|
| License | MIT License (catalog) source | MIT Community Edition; skip ee/ if you want OSS-only source |
| Language | TypeScript (catalog) | TypeScript (catalog) |
| GitHub activity | 45,291 stars in the catalog | 73,323 stars in the catalog |
| Self-host | Headless CMS and admin. Next.js-native. | Headless API the team may already know. Cloud is a different product. |
| Best for | Collections next to a Next.js app. | A headless API the team already knows. |
Self-hosting and resource needs
Both are MIT TypeScript headless CMSs in the catalog. Strapi Cloud is the meter /replace/strapi-cloud leaves. Directus stays the source-available data studio, not this pair.
FAQ
- Which is the c17 default?
- Payload is preferred on the Contentful/headless stack. Strapi Community is the other MIT option.
- Is Strapi Cloud the same thing?
- No. Cloud is the hosted meter. This page is Community Edition you run.
- Directus?
- On /stacks/directus-cms. License is MSCL-1.0-GPL, not OSI, so it is not this pair.
- Are these free?
- MIT as listed. You pay hosting.
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