Payload CMSvsWordPress
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| Payload CMS | WordPress | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 83/100 | 81/100 |
| Rank in category | #2 of 13 in Headless CMS | #2 of 42 in Content Management |
| GitHub stars | 45 559 | 21 509 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +647 | +75 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 20 | 0 |
| Latest release | v3.92.1 · 27 Oct 2026 | — |
| Setup | Moderate | Easy |
| Official Docker image | No | No |
| License | MIT | Other |
| Main language | Typescript | PHP |
Which one should you pick?
Payload CMS scores 83/100 against 81/100 for WordPress, so it is the safer default.
Payload CMS ships more often: 20 stable releases in the past year, against 0 for WordPress.
If you want the quickest setup, WordPress is easier to run; Payload CMS needs more configuration.
Payload CMS is growing faster right now (+647 stars in 30 days).
Payload CMS details →WordPress details →