Directus vs Payload

Comparing two open source alternatives to Contentful. Use the comparison below to decide which one fits your needs.

Directus

The flexible backend for all your projects 🐰 Turn your DB into a headless CMS, admin panels, or apps with a custom UI, instant APIs, auth & more.

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Payload

MIT

Payload is an open-source, TypeScript-first headless CMS and application framework built on Next.js, Express, and React.

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Side-by-side comparison

	Directus	Payload
License	—	MIT
Self-hostable	No	Yes
GitHub Stars	38,386	45,180
Forks	4,965	4,288
Open Issues	355	1,287
Last Commit	Oct 9, 2026	Oct 10, 2026
First Released	Dec 12, 2012	Jan 5, 2021
Categories	Headless CMS	Headless CMS
Tags	—	#headless cms #self hosted

GitHub stars over time

Directus

Payload45,180

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