What is Payload CMS?
Payload is an open source headless CMS written in TypeScript. The content model is code: pages, cases, blog posts, fields and access rules are defined in the project and live in git with everything else. It runs on a regular Postgres database, and there's no per-editor licence.
Editors get a clear admin panel with drafts, versions and a preview of how the page looks in Google. I build the frontend in React, so the site looks and behaves exactly the way the project needs.
Why choose Payload
- You edit it yourself. Text, images, pages and SEO fields are changed in the admin without a developer.
- Danish and English from the start. Payload has per-field translations built in. If an English text is missing, the Danish one is shown.
- SEO as part of the content. Every page, case and blog post has its own title, description and share image that editors can change.
- No lock-in. Payload is open source and the database is yours. You can move the project to another developer or another server.
- Room for more than a website. Booking, a webshop, a customer portal or internal tools can be built on the same foundation.
Projects I've built with Payload
gearloose.dk
The site you're reading this on runs on Payload. Cases, packages, the blog and pages are edited in Payload, the frontend is server-rendered React, and everything exists in Danish and English. It was moved from a WordPress site I also built myself.
NaturRo
NaturRo sells guided hikes. Payload manages all the content about the trips, while Medusa handles booking, payment and available places. React ties it together, so the customer never sees where the content ends and the shop begins. The split has its own post.
Kyst-Ild-Vildt
Kyst-Ild-Vildt is a booking site for wild full-day experiences, with its content managed in Payload.
Luggage Log and Watt-E
The Luggage Log landing page follows the same pattern, with terms, support and privacy texts as content in Payload. Watt-E uses Payload for its landing page content and news, while the price is fetched live from the webshop.
How a Payload project runs
- Scoping. We talk about what the site needs to do and who will edit it.
- Content model. I define pages, fields and blocks in code to fit your content.
- Design and frontend. The site is built in React with a focus on speed and readability.
- Content and SEO. Titles, descriptions, images and translations are set up, and the sitemap and structured data are generated automatically.
- Launch. The site runs on a server in the EU. The database is backed up, and changes to the content model ship as versioned migrations.
- Training. You get a walkthrough of the admin panel so you can keep the site up to date yourself.
From WordPress to Payload
If you already have a WordPress site, it can be moved. I've done it with my own site: a script read the content from WordPress, re-uploaded the images and created the pages in Payload, so the move could run several times without duplicates. Old addresses send visitors on to the new ones, so you don't lose your Google rankings.
Body text from WordPress can't be converted cleanly by a script, so it's reviewed and set up as structured content. That's also a good moment to tidy up. Read more about when WordPress is still the right choice.
When Payload isn't the right choice
If you just need a small site that nobody touches for years, a ready-made solution is often cheaper. The same goes if your team already knows WordPress well and doesn't need more. Payload adds the most value when the content changes, has to exist in several languages, or the site needs to do more than show text.
Questions about Payload CMS
Can we edit the content ourselves?
Yes. That's the whole point. The admin panel is built around your content, with the fields you need and no more.
Where is our data stored?
In a Postgres database on a server in the EU, either mine or your own. Data can be exported at any time.
Is Payload free?
Payload is open source, so there's no licence. You pay for the development and the hosting.
Can Payload be used for a webshop?
Yes, together with a commerce platform like Medusa. Payload handles the content and Medusa the products, cart and payment. See how in the post about my e-commerce stack.
How does Payload compare to WordPress?
WordPress is quick to get started with and has a huge ecosystem. Payload is better when the content model should be versioned as code, the site needs to be fast and multilingual, or you're building more than a website. The technical setup is described in React + Payload in practice.
Do you have a project that could suit Payload? Get in touch and we'll look at it together.