Cockpit Next 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.
Payload CMS
TypeScript-native headless CMS and application framework
| Feature | Cockpit Next | Payload CMS |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 81 · Excellent | 100 · Excellent |
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | PHP | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source, docker | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 747 | ★ 44,910 |
| First released | 2021 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Contentful, Strapi | Contentful, Sanity |
What are Cockpit Next and Payload CMS?
Cockpit Next
Cockpit Next is the rewritten generation of the Cockpit headless CMS, providing a content API, structured content management, and asset handling without dictating a presentation layer. It is designed to serve content to websites, apps, and other services.
- Headless content API
- Structured content models
- Asset manager
- Lightweight footprint
Payload CMS
Payload is an open-source headless CMS and application framework built fully in TypeScript and React. It generates a powerful admin UI and APIs from code-first configuration, integrating tightly with Next.js.
- Code-first configuration
- Auto-generated admin UI
- Native Next.js integration
- REST, GraphQL, and local APIs
Cockpit Next vs Payload CMS: key differences
Cockpit Next is written in PHP, while Payload CMS is built with TypeScript. Cockpit Next is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Payload CMS. Payload CMS has the considerably larger community, at 44,910 GitHub stars versus 747.
Why pick each one
Choose Cockpit Next if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in PHP
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Choose Payload CMS if…
- Excellent TypeScript developer experience
- No vendor lock-in
Watch out for
- Requires development skills
- Younger ecosystem
Frequently asked questions
Is Cockpit Next 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 Cockpit Next and Payload CMS free and open-source?
Yes. Cockpit Next is licensed under MIT and Payload CMS under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Cockpit Next and Payload CMS with Docker?
Cockpit Next: yes. Payload CMS: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Cockpit Next or Payload CMS?
Cockpit Next has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Payload CMS. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.