Payload CMSvsRocket.Chat
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| Payload CMS | Rocket.Chat | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 83/100 | 82/100 |
| Rank in category | #2 of 13 in Headless CMS | #1 of 13 in Instant Messaging |
| GitHub stars | 45 565 | 46 349 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +633 | +179 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 20 | 36 |
| Latest release | v3.92.1 · 27 Oct 2026 | 8.5.4 · 16 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | No | Yes |
| License | MIT | Other |
| Main language | Typescript | Typescript |
Which one should you pick?
Payload CMS scores 83/100 against 82/100 for Rocket.Chat, so it is the safer default.
Rocket.Chat ships more often: 36 stable releases in the past year, against 20 for Payload CMS.
Payload CMS is growing faster right now (+633 stars in 30 days).
Payload CMS details →Rocket.Chat details →