Payload CMS vs ButterCMS

Payload CMS8.8Visit ButterCMS8.2Visit

Higher score Payload CMS #6 in Headless CMS 8.8/10 Open source ✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Payload CMS

vs

ButterCMS #12 in Headless CMS 8.2/10 Free plan · 14-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 4 of 4 features Visit ButterCMS

• Payload CMS fits best

  Developers building self-hosted TypeScript systems

• ButterCMS fits best

  Teams needing broad integrations and mobile delivery

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Side by side

Feature	Payload CMS 8.8/10 Visit ↗	ButterCMS 8.2/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.8	8.2
Ranking	#6 in Headless CMS	#12 in Headless CMS
Best for	Developers building self-hosted TypeScript systems	Teams needing broad integrations and mobile delivery
Pricing model	Free	Free plan + paid
Starting price	Open source	$71/mo
Free plan	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Free trial	—	14 days
Deployment	Self-hosted	Cloud
Platforms	Web	Web, iOS, Android
Support	Community, Docs	Email, Live chat, Docs
Compliance	GDPR, SSO/SAML	ISO 27001, SSO/SAML, 2FA
Integrations	5 integrations	16 integrations
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Payload CMS 4/4 · ButterCMS 4/4
Content localization	✓	✓
Webhooks	✓	✓
Content preview	✓	✓
Asset transformations	✓	✓
Specs
API types	Both	Both
Role permissions	Custom	Custom
Our review
Pros	REST and GraphQL APIs support flexible content delivery Field- and document-level access control supports custom permissions Next.js integration, drafts, previews, and localization support modern builds	REST and GraphQL APIs support web, iOS, and Android delivery Visual editing, live preview, localization, and scheduled publishing Broad integrations with identity, forms, media, translation, and CRM tools
Cons	Self-hosting requires teams to manage deployment and infrastructure Payload Cloud deployment of new projects is currently paused The code-first approach may not suit teams seeking a no-code CMS	The paid entry tier is $71 per month when billed annually Write API and webhooks are add-ons on Advanced and higher plans Enterprise features such as workflows and custom roles require the Enterprise plan
Our verdict	Payload CMS is an open-source, code-first headless CMS and TypeScript application framework for developers, marketers, agencies, and enterprise teams. It supports configurable collections and global documents, authentication, custom access… Read the review →	ButterCMS is a hosted, API-first headless CMS for developers and marketing teams managing structured content across websites, ecommerce experiences, and mobile applications. Its model combines pages, collections, reusable components,… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Payload CMS — where it wins

  • REST and GraphQL APIs support flexible content delivery
  • Field- and document-level access control supports custom permissions
  • Next.js integration, drafts, previews, and localization support modern builds

  Where it doesn't

  • Self-hosting requires teams to manage deployment and infrastructure
  • Payload Cloud deployment of new projects is currently paused
  • The code-first approach may not suit teams seeking a no-code CMS

• ButterCMS — where it wins

  • REST and GraphQL APIs support web, iOS, and Android delivery
  • Visual editing, live preview, localization, and scheduled publishing
  • Broad integrations with identity, forms, media, translation, and CRM tools

  Where it doesn't

  • The paid entry tier is $71 per month when billed annually
  • Write API and webhooks are add-ons on Advanced and higher plans
  • Enterprise features such as workflows and custom roles require the Enterprise plan

• Payload CMS8.8/10 · Open source

  A TypeScript-first CMS for teams building self-hosted, API-driven applications.

  Visit Payload CMSFull verdict →
• ButterCMS8.2/10 · Free plan · 14-day trial

  A flexible API-first CMS with broad delivery options and a meaningful paid entry point.

  Visit ButterCMSFull verdict →