# Payload CMS vs Standard Notes

> Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.

| | Payload CMS | Standard Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 83/100 ✓ | 70/100 |
| Rank in category | #2 of 13 in Headless CMS | #8 of 81 in Notes & Editors |
| GitHub stars | 45 561 ✓ | 6 684 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +649 ✓ | +52 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 20 ✓ | 5 |
| Latest release | v3.92.1 · 27 Oct 2026 ✓ | @standardnotes/mobile@3.202.11 · 23 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate ✓ | Advanced |
| Official Docker image | No | No |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Main language | Typescript | Typescript |

## Which one should you pick?

Payload CMS scores 83/100 against 70/100 for Standard Notes, so it is the safer default.

Payload CMS ships more often: 20 stable releases in the past year, against 5 for Standard Notes.

If you want the quickest setup, Payload CMS is easier to run; Standard Notes needs more configuration.

Payload CMS is growing faster right now (+649 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [Payload CMS](https://selfhost.directory/project/payload-cms) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/payload-cms.md)
- [Standard Notes](https://selfhost.directory/project/standard-notes) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/standard-notes.md)

## Related comparisons

- [Ghost vs Payload CMS](https://selfhost.directory/compare/ghost-vs-payload-cms)
- [directus vs Payload CMS](https://selfhost.directory/compare/directus-vs-payload-cms)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/payload-cms-vs-standard-notes