Payload
Developer-first TypeScript & React headless CMS
Sanity.io
The Composable Content Cloud
Updated February 2026
| Payload | Sanity.io | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 5.0★ | 4.2★ |
| Reviews | 11 | 11 |
| Pros | 10 | 14 |
| FactScore™ | 54 | 45.1 |
FactScore™ Comparison
FactScore™ weighs both quality (rating) and popularity (reviews) for a fairer ranking than stars alone.
Pros & Cons
Only in Payload — Pros
Developer friendly Customization capabilities Rich text editor Configurable admin panel Excellent documentation Extendable admin UI Fast performance Open source REST and GraphQL supportBoth tools — Pros
Community supportOnly in Sanity.io — Pros
Easy setup Developer experience Headless CMS Customizable schema Structured content management Flexibility Free tier GitHub integration Image hotspot Next.js integration Portable text Rapid development Real-time collaborationOnly in Payload — Cons
Limited features Limited integrationsBoth tools — Cons
—Only in Sanity.io — Cons
Data migration issues UI limitations Complex setup Internationalization support Outdated documentation TypeScript types generationDetails
| Payload | Sanity.io | |
|---|---|---|
| Categories | Content Management Systems, Headless CMS software, Databases and backend frameworks | Content Management Systems, Headless CMS software, Databases and backend frameworks |
| Platforms | Web | Web |
| Became Popular | May 12, 2021 | November 10, 2017 |
| Website | payloadcms.com | www.sanity.io |
Who Should Pick Which?
Choose Payload if...
- Developer friendly
- Customization capabilities
- Rich text editor
Choose Sanity.io if...
- Easy setup
- Developer experience
- Headless CMS
With a FactScore™ of 54 vs 45.1, Payload leads in community reception. Payload uniquely offers Developer friendly and Customization capabilities, while Sanity.io stands out for Easy setup and Developer experience.
What Users Say
Payload
I've been using Payload CMS for more than a month now. It hard to appreciate the simplicity and performance without trying it. I encourage everyone to try it. All you need is to create a model (Typ...
hey @jamesmikrut! congrats on your launch! I'm using Payload CMS for a while now, started to do so when the version number started with a 0 and I already liked it even then. great documentation, re...
We started using payload recently for making full-stack web applications. CMS is their core but you can go above and beyond with their excellent support. Tapping into the new ecosystem and loving it.
Sanity.io
A very intuitive and easy-to-use headless CMS. Seamless integration with Next.JS and GitHub. Respectable pricing and easy to use resources for schema updates for developer newbs like me.
We considered Contentful, Strapi, and a “just use Notion” approach. Sanity’s real-time editing, structured content model, and developer experience made it the best fit for us long term.
If you’re building a product where content structure evolves as fast as the product itself, Sanity is a great fit.
Related Comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Payload or Sanity.io?
Based on FactScore™, Payload leads with a score of 54 vs 45.1. Payload has a higher rating of 5.0★ compared to 4.2★.
What are the pros of Payload compared to Sanity.io?
Payload uniquely offers: Developer friendly, Customization capabilities, Rich text editor, Configurable admin panel, Excellent documentation.
What are the pros of Sanity.io compared to Payload?
Sanity.io uniquely offers: Easy setup, Developer experience, Headless CMS, Customizable schema, Structured content management.
Is Payload better rated than Sanity.io?
Payload is rated 5.0★ from 11 reviews. Sanity.io is rated 4.2★ from 11 reviews.
What is the FactScore™ of Payload and Sanity.io?
FactScore™ weighs rating and review volume together. Payload scores 54 and Sanity.io scores 45.1.
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