What is the main difference between Payload and Strapi?

Payload and Strapi 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: Payload or Strapi?

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

Can I migrate from Payload to Strapi?

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

Openlane – Open-source, developer-first platform for automated compliance, risk management, and built-in Trust Center.

Learn more

Payload vs Strapi

Learn how Payload and Strapi 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.

Payload

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

Visit Payload Read more

45,724stars+556(+1.2%)

Last 30 days

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

Strapi

TypeScript headless CMS that generates REST and GraphQL APIs from your content model, with a no-code builder, plugin system, and full self-hosting support.

Visit Strapi Read more

73,444stars+154(+0.2%)

Last 30 days

Last commit
23 hours ago
Repository age
11 years
Version
v5.61.0
License
MIT
Self-hosted
Yes
Repository
strapi/strapi

Detailed Comparison

Both Payload and Strapi 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.

Strapi wins

Community & Popularity

Strapi leads in popularity with 73,444 stars vs 45,724 stars for Payload. The 61% higher star count indicates stronger community adoption. In terms of developer contributions, Strapi has 10,023 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 154 stars for Strapi (+0.2%). Payload is the smaller project of the two, so it is closing the gap rather than extending a lead.

Comparable

Development Activity

Both projects show recent activity, with Payload last updated 1 day ago and Strapi 23 hours ago.

Comparable

Technology Stack

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

Strapi wins

Project Maturity

Strapi has been in development longer, starting 11 years ago, compared to Payload which began 6 years ago. This 5.3-year head start suggests Strapi may have more mature features and established processes.

Comparable