Now booking enterprise content platform builds for 2026. Contact us

Join us
Contact us

What we build

Who it's for

How we engage

Case studies

Industries

Partnerships

About

Writing

Tools

For startups Join us
Contact us
CMS comparison FirstSpirit vs Payload

FirstSpirit vs Payload

FirstSpirit is a closed-source enterprise DXP that you can host yourself or run on the vendor's cloud. Payload is an open-source headless CMS that you can host yourself or run on the vendor's cloud. The table below sets them side by side on 28 features. They get a different status on 16.

Book a call
  • FirstSpirit Enterprise DXP · Closed source · 19 of 28 built in
  • Payload Headless · Open source · 13 of 28 built in

Sources checked: FirstSpirit on 29 Sept 2026, Payload on 29 Sept 2026. Plans and releases can change after those dates.

WAYF is an official Payload partner and top contributor. Every platform in the table is classified by the same published definitions, and each answer lists the vendor page it came from.

Feature comparison

Built inPaid tierPlugin or add-onLimitedNot available
FirstSpirit vs Payload feature comparison. Columns are the two platforms. Rows are features, grouped by area.
Platform
FirstSpirit Enterprise DXP
Payload Headless
Overview
What it is Java-based enterprise CMS with in-preview editing and a CaaS layer for headless delivery. Runs as FirstSpirit Cloud or on-premises.Open-source TypeScript headless CMS and app framework that installs into a Next.js app and stores content in your own database.
Edition compared The product and release each column describes. FirstSpirit 5.2 monthly release line, FirstSpirit Cloud and on-premises Version 2026.10 (5.2.261011), released 15 Sept 2026 Payload 3, MIT-licensed open-source core Version 3.90.2, released 23 Sept 2026
Vendor Crownpeak Technology GmbH, part of Rezolve Ai since December 2025 firstspirit.com Figma (acquired Payload in June 2025) payloadcms.com
Licence Closed source Proprietary Open source MIT
Hosting Self-hosting Vendor cloud Self-hosting Vendor cloud Payload Cloud is paused for new projects. Payload offers hosting to enterprise customers.
Built with Java, ContentCreator web client, SiteArchitect desktop appTypeScript, Node.js, Next.js, React
Database Built-in repository, plus SQL databases such as PostgreSQL for data sourcesPostgreSQL, MongoDB, SQLite
Pricing Public list prices only. Hosting and implementation are extra everywhere. No free option Pricing on request. Free to start Free to self-host. Enterprise licence, support and hosting on request.
Content modelling
Content model in code You define content types in files in your repository, review them like any other code and apply them from there. Imperative migration scripts alone count as limited. Built in Templates sync to files in Git through external synchronization and FSDevTools. 34 Built in Collections, globals and fields are TypeScript config. 2
Content model in the UI Admins can create and change content types and fields in the admin interface without writing code. Limited Developers build templates in SiteArchitect but write their forms as XML. 412 Not available No schema builder in the admin.
Reusable blocks Editors compose pages from reusable, typed components or blocks, and can reorder them. Built in Pages consist of sections based on section templates. Built in Blocks field.
Localization Editors translate content per locale inside the CMS, by field or by entry, without a separate site for each language. Built in Language-dependent fields per project language. Built in Field-level localization.
Image transformations The CMS resizes, crops or converts images on request, through URL parameters or generated sizes, with no external service. Built in FirstSpirit automatically generates the image resolutions defined per project. Built in Generates configured image sizes on upload, with crop and focal point. 11
APIs and delivery
REST API A documented REST or JSON HTTP API returns content. Built in CaaS REST API. 56 Built in
GraphQL API The vendor or an official module provides a GraphQL API for content. Built in CaaS GraphQL API generated from the FirstSpirit data model. 56 Built in
Webhooks The CMS can call an external URL when content is created, changed or published. Limited CaaS Change Streams push change events over WebSocket. 6 Not available No webhook settings. Call URLs from afterChange hooks in code. 17
Renders the website The CMS itself renders and serves the public pages through themes or templates. Headless-only products answer no. Built in Generates pages from templates. CaaS covers headless delivery. Not available Runs inside your Next.js app. You build the pages.
Editorial workflow
Drafts Editors save changes as a draft and publish them later. The live version stays untouched until then. Built in Changes stay unreleased until the release workflow runs. 8 Built in 10
Scheduled publishing An editor can set a future date and time for content to publish or unpublish. Limited Admins set up timed schedule entries. Editors have no per-item publish date. 10 Built in Scheduled publish and unpublish run through the jobs queue. 10
Version history The CMS keeps earlier versions of an entry, and editors can compare or restore them. Built in Built in Opt-in per collection or global. 10
Preview Editors can see unpublished content rendered as it will appear on the site before publishing. Built in Built in
Visual editing Editors can click on the rendered page and edit content in place or in a side panel next to it. Built in ContentCreator in-preview editing. Omnichannel Manager for headless frontends. 7 Not available Payload lists the Enterprise Visual Editor as coming soon. 37
Approval workflows Content moves through review stages you configure, such as draft, review and approved, with permissions per stage. Built in 8 Paid tier Enterprise publishing workflows. 39
Content releases Editors group changes across several entries and publish them together as one release. Limited Release with dependencies publishes a page with its linked media and parents. 9 Not available
Real-time co-editing Two or more editors can work on the same entry at once and see each other's changes live. Not available The Collaboration module adds comments on fields. No co-editing. 11 Not available Document locking only. Payload lists enterprise multi-player editing as coming soon. 12320
Access and governance
Custom roles Admins define their own roles with granular permissions instead of picking from a fixed set. Built in Groups with permissions per store and node. Limited Roles are access-control functions written in code. No role editor in the admin. 18
Field-level permissions Admins can restrict access to single fields, on top of content types and entries. Limited Form rules hide or lock single fields per user group. 12 Built in Field-level access functions. 18
Single sign-on Editors can sign in through SAML or OpenID Connect against a company identity provider. Built in SAML and OpenID Connect login modules. 1314 Paid tier Enterprise licence, SAML and OAuth 2.0. 35
Audit log The CMS logs who changed what and when across the whole installation, and admins can review the log. Built in Audit logging to the server log once enabled. 15 Paid tier Enterprise audit logs. 6
Platform and extensibility
Multiple sites One installation or account can manage several separate websites or brands with shared users. Built in Several projects per server. Multisite Management shares content between them. 16 Plugin or add-on Official multi-tenant plugin. 15
Extensible admin UI Developers can add their own components, views or fields to the editing interface. Built in ContentCreator and SiteArchitect plug-ins. Built in Custom React components, views and fields.
Plugin marketplace The vendor runs an official directory or marketplace of installable extensions. Built in FirstSpirit Marketplace. 17 Limited Docs list official plugins. Community plugin directories are third-party. 13
Form builder Editors can build and publish forms and collect submissions without code. Plugin or add-on Formcentric for FirstSpirit, a partner product. 18 Plugin or add-on Official Form Builder plugin. 16
Site member accounts The platform handles sign-up and login for public site users or members, separate from editors. Not available Built in Any auth-enabled collection can hold site users.
AI writing assistant A first-party AI feature in the editing interface generates, rewrites or translates content. Plugin or add-on AI Suite module: Content, Analyze and Image assistants. 117 Paid tier Enterprise AI writing assistant. Payload lists AI translation and image generation as coming soon. 8
Official MCP server The vendor publishes a Model Context Protocol server so AI agents can read or write content. Built in CaaS Platform MCP server builds and runs CaaS GraphQL queries. 19 Plugin or add-on Official open-source MCP plugin. 14

Considering more platforms? Compare FirstSpirit and Payload with the rest of your shortlist in the CMS comparison tool.

Where they differ

FirstSpirit and Payload get a different status on 16 of the 28 features and the same status on 12. FirstSpirit has 19 built in on its baseline edition, Payload has 13. Two matching statuses can still name different paid tiers or limits, so read the notes in the table before treating a row as equal.

Licence
FirstSpirit is closed source (Proprietary). Payload is open source (MIT).
Free option
FirstSpirit has no free option. Payload has a free option.

Built in on FirstSpirit, a different answer on Payload 9

  • Renders the website FirstSpirit: Built in. Payload: Not available.
  • Visual editing FirstSpirit: Built in. Payload: Not available.
  • Approval workflows FirstSpirit: Built in. Payload: Paid tier.
  • Custom roles FirstSpirit: Built in. Payload: Limited.
  • Single sign-on FirstSpirit: Built in. Payload: Paid tier.
  • Audit log FirstSpirit: Built in. Payload: Paid tier.
  • Multiple sites FirstSpirit: Built in. Payload: Plugin or add-on.
  • Plugin marketplace FirstSpirit: Built in. Payload: Limited.
  • Official MCP server FirstSpirit: Built in. Payload: Plugin or add-on.

Built in on Payload, a different answer on FirstSpirit 3

  • Scheduled publishing FirstSpirit: Limited. Payload: Built in.
  • Field-level permissions FirstSpirit: Limited. Payload: Built in.
  • Site member accounts FirstSpirit: Not available. Payload: Built in.

Built in on neither, with different answers 4

  • Content model in the UI FirstSpirit: Limited. Payload: Not available.
  • Webhooks FirstSpirit: Limited. Payload: Not available.
  • Content releases FirstSpirit: Limited. Payload: Not available.
  • AI writing assistant FirstSpirit: Plugin or add-on. Payload: Paid tier.

More comparisons

FirstSpirit against other platforms

Payload against other platforms

Open the CMS comparison tool to put up to six platforms in one table.

We're booking content platform
engagements for 2026.

Twenty-five minutes to walk through the work and decide if we're the right team for it. Scoping and a fixed price come after.

Book a 25-min call Or email us instead