Contentstack vs Payload CMS
Contentstack
contentstack.com
Payload CMS
payloadcms.comSide by side
| Figure | Contentstack | Payload CMS |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $29/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 4 | 2 |
| Spec score · Headless CMS | 8.8 (#8) | 8.5 (#11) |
| API types | both | both |
| Asset transformations | Yes | Yes |
| Headquarters | Austin, Texas, USA; San Francisco, California, USA | United States |
| Integrations | The marketplace covers analytics, commerce, DAM, marketing, PIM, personalization, search, translation and video, with examples including Algolia, Cloudinary, BigCommerce, Shopify, Zapier and Smartling. | Official plugins include Form Builder, MCP, Multi-Tenant, Search, Sentry, SEO, Stripe, Import/Export, and Ecommerce. |
| Content localization | Yes | Yes |
| Content preview | Yes | Yes |
| Role permissions | custom | custom |
| Webhooks | Yes | Yes |
Plans
Contentstack
- FreeFree
- Growth$299 a month
- Build$29 a month
- EnterprisePriced on request
In their own words
Contentstack
Contentstack has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
Payload CMS
Payload CMS is an open-source TypeScript framework and backend for building websites and applications. A configuration provides an admin panel, database migrations, REST and GraphQL APIs, authentication, access control, file storage, and live preview. Its stated uses include headless CMS projects, internal tools, commerce, and digital asset management. Content capabilities include localization, custom role permissions, webhooks, preview, and asset transformations. Official database adapters support MongoDB, Postgres, and SQLite, while plugins cover functions such as forms, search, SEO, and ecommerce. The code is released under the MIT License, and the free self-hosted option includes community support. Payload can run wherever a Node.js app can run, with starter templates for Vercel and Cloudflare; getting started requires Node.js 20.9.0 or later, a JavaScript package manager, and a compatible database. Enterprise features include SSO, visual editing, publishing workflows, AI auto-embedding, and static A/B testing.