What is the main difference between Directus and Payload?

Directus and Payload are both headless cms tools but differ in their approach, features, and target audience. Compare their GitHub stats, technology stack, and community adoption to make the best choice.

Which is better: Directus or Payload?

The choice between Directus and Payload depends on your specific needs, technical requirements, and team preferences. Both are quality open source solutions with active communities.

Can I migrate from Directus to Payload?

Migration between Directus and Payload is possible but requires careful planning. Consider data export/import capabilities, feature parity, and potential workflow changes.

Sent – Messaging Infrastructure for Developers. One API for SMS, WhatsApp, and RCS across 190+ countries.

Learn more

Directus vs Payload

Learn how Directus and Payload differ in their key features, development activity, technology stack and community adoption, so you can decide which of these headless cms tools is best for you.

Directus

A versatile headless CMS and API engine that simplifies data management, content creation, and application development.

Visit Directus Read more

38,665stars+281(+0.7%)

Last 30 days

Last commit
2 days ago
Repository age
14 years
Version
v12.6.1
Self-hosted
Yes
Repository
directus/directus

Payload

A powerful, flexible, and developer-friendly content management system that prioritizes customization and scalability.

Visit Payload Read more

45,732stars+556(+1.2%)

Last 30 days

Last commit
2 days ago
Repository age
6 years
Version
v3.93.0
License
MIT
Self-hosted
Yes
Repository
payloadcms/payload

Detailed Comparison

Both Directus and Payload have their unique strengths and serve similar purposes effectively. Consider your specific needs regarding popularity, growth, activity, technology, maturity, licensing and features when making your decision.

Comparable

Community & Popularity

Both tools have similar popularity levels, with Directus having 38,665 stars and Payload having 45,732 stars on GitHub. In terms of developer contributions, Directus has 4,997 forks, indicating strong developer engagement.

Payload wins

Growth Momentum

Payload is growing faster, adding 556 stars in the last 30 days (+1.2%) against adding 281 stars for Directus (+0.7%). Payload is both larger and pulling further ahead.

Comparable

Development Activity

Both projects show recent activity, with Directus last updated 2 days ago and Payload 2 days ago.

Comparable

Technology Stack

Both tools share common technology foundations, being built with JavaScript, CSS, Typescript, SCSS. However, they differ in their additional technology choices: Directus uses Vue while Payload leverages Bash, JSX, Next.js, Remix.

Directus wins

Project Maturity

Directus has been in development longer, starting 14 years ago, compared to Payload which began 6 years ago. This 8.2-year head start suggests Directus may have more mature features and established processes.

Payload wins

Licensing

Payload is licensed under MIT, while Directus's license terms are not publicly specified.

Comparable

Use Cases & Features

Both tools serve similar use cases in Headless CMS. However, they also have distinct specializations: Directus also focuses on Low-Code/No-Code, Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS).

Comparable