Payload

Payload installs directly into an existing Next.js /app folder, so the CMS and the site live in one codebase instead of behind a separate SaaS. You get a TypeScript backend and a React admin panel from a single config, and you can query the database straight from React Server Components without going through REST or GraphQL.

Content is fully typed, with automatic TypeScript types generated from your collections. Built-in pieces cover authentication, versions and drafts, localization, a block-based layout builder, a Lexical rich text editor, conditional field logic, and granular access control. Document and field-level hooks run on every action, and the admin and backend are extensible end to end.

Payload is MIT licensed with no vendor lock-in, and deploys anywhere Next.js runs, including serverless on Vercel and Cloudflare. Plugins, both official and community-maintained, add or remove functionality. Payload is now part of Figma.