Payload CMSvspenpot
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| Payload CMS | penpot | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 83/100 | 84/100 |
| Rank in category | #2 of 13 in Headless CMS | #1 of 30 in Collaboration |
| GitHub stars | 45 563 | 61 801 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +651 | +1 489 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 20 | 12 |
| Latest release | v3.92.1 · 27 Oct 2026 | 2.18.5 · 26 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Advanced |
| Official Docker image | No | Yes |
| License | MIT | MPL-2.0 |
| Main language | Typescript | Clojure |
Which one should you pick?
penpot scores 84/100 against 83/100 for Payload CMS, so it is the safer default.
Payload CMS ships more often: 20 stable releases in the past year, against 12 for penpot.
If you want the quickest setup, Payload CMS is easier to run; penpot needs more configuration.
penpot is growing faster right now (+1 489 stars in 30 days).
Payload CMS details →penpot details →