Orchard Core 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?
Orchard Core
Modular, multi-tenant CMS built on ASP.NET Core
VS
Payload CMS
TypeScript-native headless CMS and application framework
| Feature | Orchard Core | Payload CMS |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | BSD-3-Clause | MIT |
| Language | C# | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 8,148 | ★ 44,043 |
| First released | 2018 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Sitecore, WordPress | Contentful, Sanity |
Why pick each one
Choose Payload CMS if…
- Excellent TypeScript developer experience
- No vendor lock-in
Frequently asked questions
Is Orchard Core or Payload CMS better?
Payload CMS is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Orchard Core if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Orchard Core and Payload CMS free and open-source?
Yes. Orchard Core is licensed under BSD-3-Clause and Payload CMS under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Orchard Core and Payload CMS with Docker?
Orchard Core: yes. Payload CMS: yes.