LATEST SCORES  ·  PAYLOAD 9.0  ·  SANITY 9.0  ·  SHOPIFY 8.5  ·  WEBFLOW 8.5  ·  MEDUSA 8.0  ·  FRAMER 8.0  ·  STORYBLOK 8.0  ·  STRAPI 8.0  ·  CONTENTFUL 8.0  ·  SQUARESPACE 7.5  ·  HYGRAPH 7.5  ·  PRISMIC 7.5  ·  VERIFIED 2026-07-15  ·  
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Last verified 2026-07-15/Independently scored/No paid placementHow we score →
Headless CMS

Payload

9.0/10
Our verdict

The developer darling of 2026, runs inside your Next.js app, config-as-code, no separate infra. If you write code, this is the one to beat.

At a glance

CategoryHeadless CMS
HostingSelf-hosted (Next.js-native)
Free tierYes (open source, free)
Pricing fromInfra only; Payload Cloud paid
APIREST, GraphQL
FrameworksNext.js-native
Open sourceYes (MIT)
Self-hostYes
Best forCode-first developers, Next.js apps wanting CMS in-app

The honest split

+ What's good
Runs inside your Next.js app
Config-as-code, fully typed
MIT licensed, no vendor lock-in
− Who it's not for
Developer-first, not for non-technical editors
Younger ecosystem than Strapi
You handle hosting

The full review

Payload: our verdict

The developer darling of 2026, runs inside your Next.js app, config-as-code, no separate infra. If you write code, this is the one to beat.

Our score: 9/10

At a glance

  • Category: headless CMS
  • Hosting: Self-hosted (Next.js-native)
  • Free tier: Yes (open source, free)
  • Paid from: Infra only; Payload Cloud paid
  • API: REST, GraphQL
  • Self-host: Yes
  • Best for: Code-first developers, Next.js apps wanting CMS in-app

What's good

  • Runs inside your Next.js app
  • Config-as-code, fully typed
  • MIT licensed, no vendor lock-in

What's not

  • Developer-first, not for non-technical editors
  • Younger ecosystem than Strapi
  • You handle hosting

Who it's for

Payload is best for: Code-first developers, Next.js apps wanting CMS in-app.

Data last verified 2026-07-15. Prices and plans change, so always confirm on the vendor's site.

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