Payload CMS Review 2026: Pros, Cons, Pricing & Verdict

Q: Can I Use My Own Database With Payload?

Payload CMS allows you to self-host and use your own database, whether that be Postgres, MySQL, MongoDB, or others. If you go with a cloud hosting option, you will be able to connect your database with your cloud instance versus migrating your database over to them (unlike that of Directus, to which you can read more about in the Directus CMS Review).

Q: Does Payload Cloud Give You Root Database Access?

Yes, Payload Cloud gives you proper root database access because they host the database with serverless technology, whereas many competitors actually host the database on a shared server at the lower levels, not allowing for proper root database access unless you are on a dedicated server for your project, often leading you to be in their Enterprise offering. So Payload offering this flexibility even on their lowest tier is quite unique when comparing it with others in the space.

Q: How Much Is Payload Enterprise Cloud?

Payload Enterprise Cloud starts at $10,000/yr with an annual commitment. You might be able to negotiate on the price if you do not need all enterprise features like SSO. If you'd like, you can self-host Payload CMS instead of using the enterprise cloud for free, although they offer quite a few benefits to the Enterprise tier in addition to just the hosting and maintenance/support that you might want to consider.

Q: What Is Payload CMS Build In?

The Payload CMS GUI dashboard (Data Studio) is currently being rebuilt in NextJS as of v3. It was formerly built in Typescript and Express. They began rebuilding it it NextJS toward the end of 2023 with public launching of v3 in May 2024.

Review Summary

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If you're building a project in NextJS and you're looking for a modern CMS for managing the site content, Payload is innovating the game in what a CMS should be.

We're using Payload CMS on the rebuild of this site after evaluating every solution available, so that should speak for itself.

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What is Payload CMS?

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If you're looking for a modern CMS solution and the words "open source", "built in NextJS", and "Vercel" are all music to your ears, Payload CMS is the best option available on the market.

They are re-imagining what a CMS should be using the most modern tech, and shaking up the space that has otherwise been quite stagnant.

What Makes Payload CMS different from many other CMS solutions on the market is that it's fully open source and works fully serverless, so you can host it right alongside your app on Vercel, or whatever your serverless hosting provider of choice is.

They were built out of necessity as an internal CMS for a web development agency as they weren't happy with existing solutions on the market, and then decided to go through YC to raise funds and turn it into a full standalone company, now being used by behemoths like Disney and Bugatti. Not to mention, it's what we're using for our site rebuild here at Efficient App.

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Yes, Payload CMS is open-source, meaning that you can self-host it on your own server, and use it for free. They are using an MIT license which is one of the most simple and permissive open source software types available.

When comparing Payload CMS vs Directus, you'll see that Directus has gone the BSL 1.1 path (Business Source License) meaning that you must purchase a license if you are doing more than $5M/yr in revenue even if you self-host it.