Software Alternatives & Startups

Payload CMS VS React Admin

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

Payload CMS

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

Rating
5.0 · 1 review
Pricing
Open source
React Admin

A frontend Framework for building B2B applications running in the browser on top of REST/GraphQL APIs, using ES6, React and Material Design

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source Freemium Free trial €135 / Monthly
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Payload CMS should be more popular than React Admin. It has been mentioned 94 times since March 2021.

social mentions
94 vs 26
CMS popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
240+ vs 84

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Payload CMS
React Admin
Website payloadcms.com marmelab.com
Pricing
Open source Official pricing
Open source Freemium Free trial €135 / Monthly Official pricing
Company 2017
Listed in

About Payload CMS and React Admin

In their own words, as submitted to SaaSHub.

Payload CMS
React Admin

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.

Read more about Payload CMS

No description of React Admin yet.

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Payload CMS 7 features
React Admin 5 features
  • 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

  • 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.
  • Component-Based Architecture
    React Admin utilizes a component-based architecture that promotes reusability and modularity, allowing developers to build complex interfaces with less effort.
  • Rich Ecosystem
    Being a React-based framework, React Admin benefits from a vast ecosystem of libraries and tools which can be easily integrated, providing enhanced functionality and scalability.
  • Customizable and Extensible
    Developers can customize and extend React Admin to fit specific needs, thanks to its high degree of flexibility and comprehensive support for custom components.
  • Built-in Data Providers
    React Admin comes with built-in data providers, making it easy to connect with a variety of REST, GraphQL, or other APIs out of the box.
  • Active Community and Maintenance
    Maintained by Marmelab, React Admin has an active community and is well-maintained, ensuring regular updates and improvements.

Possible disadvantages

  • Steep Learning Curve
    Beginners might find React Admin challenging at first, especially if they are not familiar with React or the paradigm of component-based architecture.
  • Limited Server-Side Rendering
    React Admin is primarily designed for client-side rendering, which can be limiting for applications that require robust server-side rendering features for SEO purposes.
  • Opinionated Framework
    While being opinionated can be advantageous for some, it might restrict developers who are looking for more freedom in how they architect their applications.
  • Performance Overhead
    The abstraction and number of features included might introduce some performance overhead, especially in large-scale applications with complex data interactions.
  • Dependency on Third-Party Libraries
    React Admin's reliance on third-party libraries can sometimes lead to issues with compatibility or require additional learning for integration and use.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Payload CMS
React Admin

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.

No analysis of React Admin yet.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Payload CMS 3 videos + Add
React Admin 1 video + Add

Payload CMS

More videos

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

10 Best React Admin Templates in 2022 | ReactJS Admin Templates

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Payload CMS
React Admin
100% 100%
CMS
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using Payload CMS and React Admin. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

Payload CMS 5.0 · 1 review
React Admin no reviews yet
  • Best Headless CMS
    SaaSHub review
    · May 2023

    Payload CMS is the most customizable & flexible CMS which exists

  • Best Node.js CMS platforms for 2022
    blog.logrocket.com · Dec 2021

    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.

We have no reviews of React Admin yet. Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Payload CMS 94 mentions
React Admin 26 mentions
  • A Complete Guide to Building a Payment System with Payload CMS and Lemon Squeezy
    Learn how to build a full payment system using the modern stack of Payload CMS, Next.js API Routes, and Lemon Squeezy, including a deep dive into debugging common API errors. - Source: dev.to / 11 months ago
  • Run Payload Jobs on Vercel (Serverless) — Step‑by‑Step Migration
    I recently did a video tutorial on using jobs and queues in PayloadCMS and the solution I provide will not work in a Vercel deployment, runs locally and will probably also run on Railway because those are actual servers. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • How to Run Payload CMS in Docker
    Payload is an open source backend framework and it is mainly used as a content management system. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago

View more

  • Top 20 Modern React Libraries To Supercharge Your Next Big Project
    Resource: React Admin Documentation. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • How to build a CMS with Supabase and React-admin
    I've been working with react-admin on various projects, some of which required basic CMS features in addition to the core application. We've used headless CMS like Strapi, Directus, or Prismic for these features. However, react-admin is... - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • A Year of Transformation: Reflecting on 2024's Journey in Tech and Beyond
    I was learning React JS front end and in this journey of self learning, I have achieved many milestone like utilizing react-admin framework. I also implemented two-factor authentication using Authenticator tools with react-admin... - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago

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Alternatives to Payload CMS and React Admin

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