SHSelfHostIndex

Backdrop CMS vs Payload CMS

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted content management systems options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

Not the right match-up?
BA Backdrop CMS Comprehensive CMS forked from Drupal for smaller sites VS PA Payload CMS TypeScript-native headless CMS and application framework
FeatureBackdrop CMSPayload CMS
CategoryContent Management SystemsContent Management Systems
LicenseGPL-2.0MIT
LanguagePHPTypeScript
Setup difficultyMediumMedium
Min. RAM512 MB512 MB
Deploymentdocker, bare-metal, sourcedocker, bare-metal, source
GitHub stars★ 1,044★ 44,043
First released20152021
ReplacesWordPress, DrupalContentful, Sanity

Why pick each one

Choose Backdrop CMS if…

  • Cheaper to run than Drupal
  • Familiar to Drupal users
Backdrop CMS details

Choose Payload CMS if…

  • Excellent TypeScript developer experience
  • No vendor lock-in
Payload CMS details

Frequently asked questions

Is Backdrop CMS or Payload CMS better?

Neither is universally better. Payload CMS has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.

Are Backdrop CMS and Payload CMS free and open-source?

Yes. Backdrop CMS is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Payload CMS under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Backdrop CMS and Payload CMS with Docker?

Backdrop CMS: yes. Payload CMS: yes.

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