ElementvsPayload CMS
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| Element | Payload CMS | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 76/100 | 83/100 |
| Rank in category | #2 of 13 in Instant Messaging | #2 of 13 in Headless CMS |
| GitHub stars | 13 621 | 45 563 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +119 | +651 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 18 | 20 |
| Latest release | v1.12.33 · 27 Oct 2026 | v3.92.1 · 27 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes | No |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Main language | Typescript | Typescript |
Which one should you pick?
Payload CMS scores 83/100 against 76/100 for Element, so it is the safer default.
Payload CMS ships more often: 20 stable releases in the past year, against 18 for Element.
Payload CMS is growing faster right now (+651 stars in 30 days).
Element details →Payload CMS details →
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