Payload CMS vs WBCE 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?
Payload CMS
TypeScript-native headless CMS and application framework
VS
WBCE CMS
Community-driven PHP CMS forked from WebsiteBaker
| Feature | Payload CMS | WBCE CMS |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | MIT | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 44,043 | ★ 45 |
| First released | 2021 | 2015 |
| Replaces | Contentful, Sanity | WordPress |
Why pick each one
Choose Payload CMS if…
- Excellent TypeScript developer experience
- No vendor lock-in
Choose WBCE CMS if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in PHP
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Payload CMS or WBCE CMS better?
Neither is universally better. Payload CMS has the larger community, while WBCE CMS is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Payload CMS and WBCE CMS free and open-source?
Yes. Payload CMS is licensed under MIT and WBCE CMS under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Payload CMS and WBCE CMS with Docker?
Payload CMS: yes. WBCE CMS: check the project docs for container support.