Two open-source headless CMSes you can self-host — pick based on language, admin UX, and how opinionated you want the data layer to be.
Pick Payload CMS when you want a TypeScript-first, code-defined schema, a modern React admin, and tight integration with a Node or Next.js stack. Pick Strapi when you want a more mature plugin ecosystem and a UI-first content modeling experience that non-developers can extend without writing code.
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| Attribute | Payload CMS | Strapi |
|---|---|---|
| Category | CMS | CMS |
| Pricing Model | open-source | open-source |
| Starting Price | Free | Free / $29/mo |
| Free Tier | Yes | Yes |
| Open Source | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | — | — |
