# cap vs Payload CMS

> Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.

| | cap | Payload CMS |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 79/100 | 83/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #1 of 12 in Video | #2 of 13 in Headless CMS |
| GitHub stars | 24 018 | 45 563 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +1 338 ✓ | +651 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 14 | 20 ✓ |
| Latest release | cap-v0.6.2 · 28 Oct 2026 ✓ | v3.92.1 · 27 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate ✓ | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes ✓ | No |
| License | Other | MIT |
| Main language | Rust | Typescript |

## Which one should you pick?

Payload CMS scores 83/100 against 79/100 for cap, so it is the safer default.

Payload CMS ships more often: 20 stable releases in the past year, against 14 for cap.

cap is growing faster right now (+1 338 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [cap](https://selfhost.directory/project/cap) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/cap.md)
- [Payload CMS](https://selfhost.directory/project/payload-cms) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/payload-cms.md)

## Related comparisons

- [Ghost vs Payload CMS](https://selfhost.directory/compare/ghost-vs-payload-cms)
- [directus vs Payload CMS](https://selfhost.directory/compare/directus-vs-payload-cms)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/cap-vs-payload-cms