Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Payload CMS VS Forest Admin

Compare Payload CMS VS Forest Admin and see what are their differences

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Payload CMS logo Payload CMS

Headless CMS and Application Framework built with Node.js, React and MongoDB

Forest Admin logo Forest Admin

Execute fast and at scale with no time wasted on internal tools developed in-house.
  • Payload CMS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-10

Built with React + TypeScript, Payload is a free and open-source Headless CMS. Finally, a CMS that works the way you do. No black magic, all TypeScript, and fully open-source.

  • Forest Admin Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-05

Payload CMS features and specs

  • Headless CMS
    Payload CMS is a headless content management system, allowing for flexibility in how content is delivered and displayed across different platforms.
  • Customizability
    It is highly customizable, enabling developers to tailor the backend and content management experience to specific project requirements.
  • Developer-friendly
    Built with modern technologies such as Node.js and React, Payload CMS is designed to be intuitive and efficient for developers.
  • Open-source
    Payload CMS is open-source, providing transparency and the ability to contribute to its development or modify it according to your needs.
  • Rich Media Support
    It supports a wide range of media types, making it easy to manage and deliver rich content.
  • Advanced Access Control
    Payload CMS includes advanced access control features, allowing for fine-grained permissions and security settings.
  • Extensible API
    The CMS provides a powerful and extensible API, facilitating seamless integration with other services and applications.

Possible disadvantages of Payload CMS

  • Learning Curve
    As a powerful and highly customizable CMS, it may have a steeper learning curve for developers unfamiliar with its ecosystem.
  • Initial Setup Complexity
    Setting up Payload CMS initially can be more complex compared to some other CMS solutions that offer more out-of-the-box simplicity.
  • Smaller Community
    As a relatively newer and niche CMS, Payload CMS has a smaller community compared to more established CMS platforms, potentially limiting available resources and third-party plugins.
  • Hosting Requirements
    Being a Node.js application, it may require specific hosting environments that can support Node.js, which might not be as widespread as hosting for PHP-based systems.
  • Performance Overhead
    Complex customizations and integrations can introduce performance overhead, requiring additional optimization and scaling efforts.
  • Documentation
    Depending on the level of functionality required, the available documentation might not cover all edge cases or complex scenarios, leading to potential challenges during development.

Forest Admin features and specs

  • Customizability
    Forest Admin offers extensive customization options, allowing users to tailor the admin panel to their specific needs with custom actions, segmentation, and dashboards.
  • User-friendly Interface
    The platform provides a clean and intuitive interface, making it easier for non-technical users to navigate and perform administrative tasks efficiently.
  • Security
    Forest Admin emphasizes security with features like role-based access control, ensuring only authorized users can access sensitive data.
  • Integration
    It supports seamless integration with a variety of databases and third-party services, enabling easier data management and workflow automation.
  • Rapid Deployment
    Users can quickly set up and deploy Forest Admin without needing extensive development resources, speeding up the process of having an admin panel ready.

Possible disadvantages of Forest Admin

  • Cost
    The pricing structure can be expensive, especially for small businesses or startups with limited budgets.
  • Complexity for Advanced Customization
    While it offers a high level of customizability, achieving advanced customization can sometimes require significant technical expertise.
  • Dependence on Forest Admin’s Service
    Using Forest Admin means relying on their service for your admin panel, potentially causing issues if their service experiences downtime or if you wish to migrate away.
  • Learning Curve
    There can be a learning curve for new users to fully understand and utilize all the features and functionalities available.
  • Limited Offline Capability
    Forest Admin is primarily a cloud-based solution, which can be a disadvantage if you require offline access to your admin panel.

Analysis of Payload CMS

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Payload CMS is a good option for many use cases.

Why this product is good

  • Payload CMS offers a modern and flexible headless architecture, which allows developers to create custom content management experiences using JavaScript and Node.js.
  • It provides a clean and intuitive admin interface that is designed to be easily customizable to fit different client needs.
  • Payload CMS includes built-in features like access control, versioning, and a robust API, which makes managing content efficient and secure.
  • The developer-centric approach means it's highly extendable and works seamlessly with modern development workflows.

Recommended for

  • Developers seeking a customizable, JavaScript-based headless CMS.
  • Projects that require a flexible content infrastructure and easy integration with other JavaScript libraries or frameworks.
  • Teams looking for a CMS that can scale with their application and development needs.
  • Organizations that need advanced content management capabilities such as complex access control and content versioning.

Analysis of Forest Admin

Overall verdict

  • Forest Admin is a good solution if you're looking for a quick, efficient way to manage and visualize your application data. Its robust features, ease of use, and customization capabilities make it a valuable tool for businesses needing a powerful admin interface. However, for highly specialized or uniquely complex scenarios, some additional customization outside of what Forest Admin offers might be necessary.

Why this product is good

  • Forest Admin is well-regarded for streamlining the process of creating admin panels for applications. It provides a no-code/low-code interface that enables developers to quickly build and manage admin interfaces without needing extensive frontend or backend development work. It integrates easily with existing databases and offers customizable features, making it adaptable to various business needs.

Recommended for

  • Startups and small businesses looking for a cost-effective admin panel solution.
  • Development teams that want to save time on building custom admin interfaces.
  • Businesses with non-technical stakeholders who need to view and manage app data.
  • Companies that use a wide range of databases and need seamless integration.

Payload CMS videos

Payload CMS

More videos:

  • Review - Building a Professionally Designed Website with NextJS, TypeScript, and Payload CMS - Episode 1
  • Review - Building a Professionally Designed Website with NextJS, TypeScript, and Payload CMS - Episode 2

Forest Admin videos

No Forest Admin videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Payload CMS and Forest Admin)
CMS
100 100%
0% 0
Developer Tools
43 43%
57% 57
Blogging
100 100%
0% 0
Data Dashboard
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Payload CMS and Forest Admin

Payload CMS Reviews

  1. Alessio Gravili
    · Founder at Bonfire Leads e.K. ·
    Best Headless CMS

    Payload CMS is the most customizable & flexible CMS which exists

    🏁 Competitors: Strapi, Directus, Sanity.io, Prismic
    👍 Pros:    Everything can be customized|Swap out any admin components|Ability to create your own fields|Automatic graphql & rest api|Define collections & fields in code|Serverless support
    👎 Cons:    Does not support all databases yet

Best Node.js CMS platforms for 2022
Payload comes with built-in email functionality. We can use this to handle password reset, order confirmation, and other use cases. Payload uses Nodemailer to process emails.

Forest Admin Reviews

We have no reviews of Forest Admin yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Payload CMS seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 91 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Payload CMS mentions (91)

  • I Found Perfect CMS after Years of Trial and Error
    Payload, a CMS powered by Next.js, or Sveltia CMS, a Decap CMS alternative using Svelte, are examples of CMS that I recommend to avoid until they become framework agnostic. - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
  • [Video] Payload CMS Custom Array Field Component
    Learn how to implement a custom tagging system in Payload CMS using the array field and a custom React component! This video walks you through building a dynamic tag input where users can add, remove, and manage tags directly within the Payload admin panel. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • Firebase and Payload CMS: Early Look at a Client-Side Auth Strategy
    This post details a proof-of-concept integration of Firebase Authentication with Payload CMS, focusing on the client-side implementation using Next.js. The goal is to allow users to authenticate via Firebase's various sign-in methods and then use the resulting Firebase ID token to securely access data and functionality within a Payload CMS instance. This is a work in progress, and I welcome feedback and... - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • I Built a Fast Image Compressor with Next.js and Payload
    Check out https://swissknife.cc/! I made a super fast image compressor that can handle up to 40 images at once, though it can do far more if needed. I'm currently limiting it to 40 images to explore the limits. It supports JPEG and PNG formats, making it perfect for social media and web use. Built entirely with Next.js and Payload (a headless CMS https://payloadcms.com/). This is just one of many tools we'll be... - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • [Video] 🚀 Real-Time Updates in Payload CMS with Web Sockets!
    One of the most critical features for enterprise solutions is real-time data updates—whether for dashboards, notifications, or live collaboration. While Payload CMS doesn’t natively support WebSockets (yet), I put together a solution to enable real-time updates today! - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
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Forest Admin mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Forest Admin yet. Tracking of Forest Admin recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Payload CMS and Forest Admin, you can also consider the following products

Webflow - Build dynamic, responsive websites in your browser. Launch with a click. Or export your squeaky-clean code to host wherever you'd like. Discover the professional website builder made for designers.

Retool - Build custom internal tools in minutes.

WordPress - WordPress is web software you can use to create a beautiful website or blog. We like to say that WordPress is both free and priceless at the same time.

Jet Admin - Build business apps really fast

Strapi - Manage any content. Anywhere. The leading open-source headless CMS. 100% JavaScript / TypeScript and fully customizable.

Tabler - Admin panel made simple