Payload CMS vs. Strapi: Which Headless CMS Should You Choose?

In the rapidly evolving world of web development, the headless CMS has become a cornerstone for building flexible, modern, and scalable digital experiences. By decoupling the content backend from the presentation layer, developers gain the freedom to use any frontend framework they choose. Two of the most prominent players in the open-source headless CMS space are Payload CMS and Strapi.

Both are powerful, built on Node.js, and loved by developers. But they follow fundamentally different philosophies. Choosing the right one can significantly impact your development workflow, customization capabilities, and the final experience for you and your clients.

This guide will break down the key differences between Payload CMS and Strapi, helping you make an informed decision for your next project.

Meet the Contenders: A Quick Introduction

Before we dive into a head-to-head comparison, let's get acquainted with our two CMSs.

What is Payload CMS?

Payload is a developer-first, open-source headless CMS built entirely in TypeScript. It's renowned for its "code-as-configuration" approach, extreme flexibility, and a beautifully clean, modern admin interface built with React. Payload prioritizes giving developers ultimate control within their codebase, rather than a GUI.

What is Strapi?

Strapi is one of the most popular open-source Node.js headless CMSs. It empowers developers to quickly build content APIs through a user-friendly admin panel. Its main strengths lie in its visual content-type builder, an extensive plugin marketplace, and broad database support, making it accessible to a wide range of teams and projects.

Head-to-Head Comparison: Payload vs. Strapi

Let's compare them across the categories that matter most.

1. Developer Experience & Configuration

This is the most significant philosophical difference between the two platforms.

• Payload CMS: Adopts a "code-first" philosophy. You define your content models, fields, and admin panel configurations directly in TypeScript files. This means your entire CMS schema can be version-controlled with Git, reviewed in pull requests, and managed like any other part of your application's code. It offers unparalleled type safety and predictability.
• Strapi: Uses a "GUI-first" approach. You primarily build your content types (called "Content-Types") using a visual builder within the admin dashboard. While you can extend things with code, the source of truth often starts in the UI. This is fantastic for rapid prototyping and for teams where non-developers need to adjust the content structure.

Verdict: If your team lives in the IDE and values version-controlled schemas and strong typing, Payload is a dream come true. If you prefer a visual, click-based setup or need to empower non-technical users to build content models, Strapi is more approachable.

2. Customization & White-Labeling

How much can you make the CMS your own?

• Payload CMS: Built from the ground up to be completely white-labeled. The entire admin panel is a collection of React components that you can easily override, extend, or replace. This allows you to create a fully custom-branded CMS for your clients, complete with their logo, colors, and even custom UI components.
• Strapi: Offers customization through a plugin system and code overrides, but removing the Strapi branding and achieving a true white-label experience requires more effort and is often a feature of their paid enterprise plans.

The Agency Game-Changer: For agencies and freelancers, offering a custom-branded CMS is a massive value-add. Payload's architecture makes this possible, and services like studio.do make it effortless. With studio.do, you can deploy a fully white-labeled Payload CMS instance for a client with a single API call, completely automating the infrastructure and branding process.

3. Technology Stack & Database Support

• Payload CMS: Built with TypeScript, Node.js (Express), and React. It is exclusively designed to work with MongoDB, providing a deeply integrated and optimized experience.
• Strapi: Built with Node.js (Koa) and React. One of its key advantages is its broad database support, including PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, and SQLite.

Verdict: If you require a relational database like PostgreSQL, Strapi is your only choice here. If you are comfortable with MongoDB and value a modern, fully type-safe stack, Payload's dedicated approach is incredibly robust.

4. Ecosystem & Plugins

• Payload CMS: Has a smaller, but growing, ecosystem. Because it's "just code," integrating third-party services is often a matter of writing custom Hooks or API endpoints, which can be more seamless for developers than wrestling with a rigid plugin API.
• Strapi: Boasts a large and mature plugin marketplace. You can find ready-made plugins for everything from GraphQL and Algolia search to Sentry and AWS S3, which can significantly speed up development for common use cases.

Verdict: If you need a wide array of off-the-shelf solutions, Strapi has the clear advantage with its mature ecosystem. If you foresee building custom, deep integrations, Payload's code-first nature provides a more flexible and powerful foundation.

FAQ: Quick Answers

Q: What is studio.do?
A: studio.do is an AI-powered service that automates the deployment and management of custom-branded Payload CMS instances. It allows you to create fully white-labeled content management systems for you or your clients with a simple API call.

Q: Can I use studio.do to create a CMS for my clients?
A: Absolutely. studio.do is designed for agencies, freelancers, and SaaS companies who want to offer a powerful, custom-branded CMS to their clients without the overhead of managing infrastructure and deployments.

Q: Can I use a custom domain for my CMS admin panel?
A: Yes. Each instance deployed with studio.do can be configured to use a custom domain, providing a seamless, fully-branded experience for your users.

Final Verdict: Which One Is for You?

There's no single winner—the best choice depends entirely on your project's goals and your team's DNA.

Choose Payload CMS if:

• You are a developer who loves writing code and wants maximum control.
• You need a truly custom-branded, white-labeled CMS for your clients.
• Version-controlling your entire CMS schema via Git is a priority.
• You value a pristine, modern admin UI and a native TypeScript experience.

Choose Strapi if:

• Your team prefers a visual, GUI-driven approach to building content models.
• You need to get a project up and running as quickly as possible.
• You rely on a large marketplace of pre-built plugins for common integrations.
• Your project requires a relational database like PostgreSQL or MySQL.

Take Payload to the Next Level

If the power, control, and white-labeling capabilities of Payload CMS align with your vision, the next step is to think about deployment and management.

This is where a service like studio.do shines. It takes the best parts of Payload—the code-first power and customization—and delivers it as a managed service. Stop worrying about servers and DevOps. Instead, focus on what you do best: building incredible digital experiences for your clients.

Explore studio.do today and see how easy it is to launch your own custom-branded CMS.