Payload CMSvsReadMeABook
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| Payload CMS | ReadMeABook | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 83/100 | 64/100 |
| Rank in category | #2 of 13 in Headless CMS | #3 of 15 in Audiobook Management |
| GitHub stars | 45 559 | 1 033 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +647 | +65 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 20 | 21 |
| Latest release | v3.92.1 · 27 Oct 2026 | v1.2.12 · 27 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Advanced |
| Official Docker image | No | Yes |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Main language | Typescript | Typescript |
Which one should you pick?
Payload CMS scores 83/100 against 64/100 for ReadMeABook, so it is the safer default.
ReadMeABook ships more often: 21 stable releases in the past year, against 20 for Payload CMS.
If you want the quickest setup, Payload CMS is easier to run; ReadMeABook needs more configuration.
Payload CMS is growing faster right now (+647 stars in 30 days).
Payload CMS details →ReadMeABook details →