Payload CMSvspretalx
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| Payload CMS | pretalx | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 83/100 | 62/100 |
| Rank in category | #2 of 13 in Headless CMS | #2 of 3 in Conference Management |
| GitHub stars | 45 559 | 954 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +647 | +8 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 20 | 7 |
| Latest release | v3.92.1 · 27 Oct 2026 | v2026.2.1 · 8 Jul 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Advanced |
| Official Docker image | No | No |
| License | MIT | Other |
| Main language | Typescript | Python |
Which one should you pick?
Payload CMS scores 83/100 against 62/100 for pretalx, so it is the safer default.
Payload CMS ships more often: 20 stable releases in the past year, against 7 for pretalx.
If you want the quickest setup, Payload CMS is easier to run; pretalx needs more configuration.
Payload CMS is growing faster right now (+647 stars in 30 days).
Payload CMS details →pretalx details →