# Payload CMS vs Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP)

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

| | Payload CMS | Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP) |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 83/100 ✓ | 80/100 |
| Rank in category | #2 of 13 in Headless CMS | #4 of 78 in Security |
| GitHub stars | 45 559 ✓ | 16 058 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +647 ✓ | +243 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 20 | 31 ✓ |
| Latest release | v3.92.1 · 27 Oct 2026 ✓ | w2026-10-23 · 23 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Easy ✓ |
| Official Docker image | No | Yes ✓ |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Main language | Typescript | Java |

## Which one should you pick?

Payload CMS scores 83/100 against 80/100 for Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP), so it is the safer default.

Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP) ships more often: 31 stable releases in the past year, against 20 for Payload CMS.

If you want the quickest setup, Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP) is easier to run; Payload CMS needs more configuration.

Payload CMS is growing faster right now (+647 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [Payload CMS](https://selfhost.directory/project/payload-cms) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/payload-cms.md)
- [Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP)](https://selfhost.directory/project/zed-attack-proxy-zap) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/zed-attack-proxy-zap.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-zed-attack-proxy-zap