# Payload CMS vs Wakapi

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

| | Payload CMS | Wakapi |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 83/100 ✓ | 64/100 |
| Rank in category | #2 of 13 in Headless CMS | #4 of 11 in Time Tracking |
| GitHub stars | 45 570 ✓ | 4 466 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +638 ✓ | +31 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 20 ✓ | 11 |
| Latest release | v3.92.1 · 27 Oct 2026 ✓ | 2.18.2 · 14 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Easy ✓ |
| Official Docker image | No | Yes ✓ |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Main language | Typescript | Go |

## Which one should you pick?

Payload CMS scores 83/100 against 64/100 for Wakapi, so it is the safer default.

Payload CMS ships more often: 20 stable releases in the past year, against 11 for Wakapi.

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

Payload CMS is growing faster right now (+638 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [Payload CMS](https://selfhost.directory/project/payload-cms) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/payload-cms.md)
- [Wakapi](https://selfhost.directory/project/wakapi) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/wakapi.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-wakapi