django 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?
django CMS
Enterprise CMS built on the Django framework
VS
Payload CMS
TypeScript-native headless CMS and application framework
| Feature | django CMS | Payload CMS |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | BSD-3-Clause | MIT |
| Language | Python | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 10,658 | ★ 44,043 |
| First released | 2009 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Adobe Experience Manager, Sitecore | Contentful, Sanity |
Why pick each one
Choose Payload CMS if…
- Excellent TypeScript developer experience
- No vendor lock-in
Frequently asked questions
Is django CMS or Payload CMS better?
Payload CMS is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider django CMS if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are django CMS and Payload CMS free and open-source?
Yes. django CMS is licensed under BSD-3-Clause and Payload CMS under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run django CMS and Payload CMS with Docker?
django CMS: yes. Payload CMS: yes.