Payload CMS vs Statamic
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
VS
Statamic
Laravel-powered flat-file CMS for custom sites
| Feature | Payload CMS | Statamic |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 100 · Excellent | 89 · Excellent |
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 44,910 | ★ 4,897 |
| First released | 2021 | 2012 |
| Replaces | Contentful, Sanity | WordPress, Contentful |
What are Payload CMS and Statamic?
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
Statamic
Statamic is a content management system built on Laravel that can run flat-file or database-backed. It offers a friendly control panel and a developer-focused workflow for building custom websites.
- Flat-file or database storage
- Built on Laravel
- Git-friendly content
- Polished control panel
Payload CMS vs Statamic: key differences
Payload CMS is written in TypeScript, while Statamic is built with PHP. Statamic is the more established project (first released 2012), while Payload CMS arrived in 2021. Payload CMS has the considerably larger community, at 44,910 GitHub stars versus 4,897.
Why pick each one
Choose Payload CMS if…
- Excellent TypeScript developer experience
- No vendor lock-in
Watch out for
- Requires development skills
- Younger ecosystem
Choose Statamic if…
- Great for Laravel developers
- Easy version control of content
Watch out for
- Solo and Pro licenses can be paid
- Best suited to developers
Frequently asked questions
Is Payload CMS or Statamic 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 Payload CMS and Statamic free and open-source?
Yes. Payload CMS is licensed under MIT and Statamic under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Payload CMS and Statamic with Docker?
Payload CMS: yes. Statamic: yes.