Payload Review: Features, Pricing, Pros & Cons

Is Payload CMS Open-Source And Free To Use?

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.