Sanity vs Payload
| Tested on | SanityOur pick | PayloadRunner-up |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 9.0/10 | 9.0/10 |
| Category | Headless CMS | Headless CMS |
| Hosting | SaaS | Self-hosted (Next.js-native) |
| Pricing from | $15/seat/mo (Growth) | Infra only; Payload Cloud paid |
| Free tier | Yes, generous (3 users, dev datasets) | Yes (open source, free) |
| API | GROQ, GraphQL | REST, GraphQL |
| Self-host | No | Yes |
| Best for | Developers, structured content, multilingual, Next.js | Code-first developers, Next.js apps wanting CMS in-app |
Our pick
Sanity takes it, scoring 9 on our scale. Read the full reasoning below, then decide against your own constraints.
Sanity vs Payload
Sanity and Payload both get recommended a lot, but they suit different teams. Here's an honest, side-by-side look, no vendor spin.
How they differ
- Hosting: Sanity (SaaS); Payload (Self-hosted (Next.js-native))
- Pricing from: Sanity ($15/seat/mo (Growth)); Payload (Infra only; Payload Cloud paid)
- Free tier: Sanity (Yes, generous (3 users, dev datasets)); Payload (Yes (open source, free))
- API: Sanity (GROQ, GraphQL); Payload (REST, GraphQL)
- Self-host: Sanity (No); Payload (Yes)
- Best for: Sanity (Developers, structured content, multilingual, Next.js); Payload (Code-first developers, Next.js apps wanting CMS in-app)
- Our score: Sanity (9/10); Payload (9/10)
Our verdict
On our scoring, Sanity edges it (9/10 vs 9/10). Best-in-class structured content and developer experience. The default reach for serious Next.js teams. Overkill for simple sites. That said, Payload is the better pick if its strengths (Code-first developers, Next.js apps wanting CMS in-app) match your needs.
Data last verified 2026-07-15. Prices and plans change, so always confirm on the vendor's site.