Payload CMS vs Sphido
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?
Payload CMS
TypeScript-native headless CMS and application framework
VS
Sphido
Flat-file CMS that builds simple websites from folders
| Feature | Payload CMS | Sphido |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | bare-metal, docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 44,043 | ★ 37 |
| First released | 2021 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Contentful, Sanity | WordPress |
Why pick each one
Choose Payload CMS if…
- Excellent TypeScript developer experience
- No vendor lock-in
Choose Sphido if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in TypeScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Payload CMS or Sphido better?
Neither is universally better. Payload CMS has the larger community, while Sphido is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Payload CMS and Sphido free and open-source?
Yes. Payload CMS is licensed under MIT and Sphido under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Payload CMS and Sphido with Docker?
Payload CMS: yes. Sphido: yes.