Xperience by Kentico vs Payload
Xperience by Kentico 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.
- Xperience by Kentico Enterprise DXP · Closed source · 19 of 28 built in
- Payload Headless · Open source · 13 of 28 built in
Sources checked: Xperience by Kentico 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
| Platform |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| What it is | Kentico's .NET digital experience platform for websites, email and headless channels, sold as Kentico-hosted SaaS or a private-cloud licence. | 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. | Xperience by Kentico Version 31.9.0, released 24 Sept 2026 | Payload 3, MIT-licensed open-source core Version 3.90.2, released 23 Sept 2026 |
| Vendor | Kentico kentico.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 | .NET, ASP.NET Core | TypeScript, Node.js, Next.js, React |
| Database | Microsoft SQL Server | PostgreSQL, MongoDB, SQLite |
| Pricing Public list prices only. Hosting and implementation are extra everywhere. | No free option Pricing on request. Licensed per channel in Standard and Advanced tiers, plus AIRA credit packages. | 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 Continuous Integration serializes content types to files in the repository. 3 | 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. | Built in Field editor in the Content types application. | 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 Page Builder widgets and sections, plus reusable content items. | 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 variants per page and content item. | 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 Image variants with configured crops and sizes. 4 | 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. | Limited The Management REST API is for local development only. Headless delivery is GraphQL. 56 | Built in |
| GraphQL API The vendor or an official module provides a GraphQL API for content. | Paid tier Headless channels need the Advanced tier. 6 | Built in |
| Webhooks The CMS can call an external URL when content is created, changed or published. | Not available No outgoing webhooks. Content events need custom handler code. 7 | 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 ASP.NET Core website channels. | 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 8 | Built in 10 |
| Scheduled publishing An editor can set a future date and time for content to publish or unpublish. | Built in Schedule publish and unpublish. 8 | 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 View and restore previously published versions. 9 | 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 Preview mode and shareable preview URLs. | 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 Page Builder. | 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 Custom workflow steps with role permissions. 10 | Paid tier Enterprise publishing workflows. 39 |
| Content releases Editors group changes across several entries and publish them together as one release. | Limited Cascade publishing sends linked items with the parent. No standalone release bundles. 11 | 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 Content locking lets one user edit an item at a time. 12 | 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 Roles with application, workspace and page permissions. 13 | 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. | Not available Permissions stop at application, workspace and page level. 13 | 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 OpenID Connect for the administration, for example Microsoft Entra ID. 14 | 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. | Limited Event log records system events. Version history shows who changed versioned items. 159 | 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. | Paid tier Several main website channels need the Advanced tier. Standard adds only microchannels. 2 | 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 Custom React UI pages and form components. 16 | Built in Custom React components, views and fields. |
| Plugin marketplace The vendor runs an official directory or marketplace of installable extensions. | Built in Integrations directory on the Kentico Community portal. 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. | Built in Form Builder. | 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. | Built in Members with registration, login and member roles. 18 | 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. | Built in AIRA text generation and translation on both tiers. Licences include 200,000 credits a year. 219 | 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. | Limited Management MCP server works on local development instances only. 205 | Plugin or add-on Official open-source MCP plugin. 14 |
Xperience by Kentico sources
Checked 29 Sept 2026. Xperience by Kentico.
- Xperience by Kentico changelog (Refresh 31.9.0, 24 September 2026)
- How to buy Xperience by Kentico
- Continuous Integration
- Content item assets and image variants
- Configure the Management MCP and management API
- Headless channel management
- Handle content events
- Edit and publish pages
- Content versioning
- Workflows
- Content items and cascade publishing
- Content locking configuration
- Role management
- Administration external authentication
- Event log
- Extend the administration interface
- Kentico Community integrations
- Registration and authentication for members
- AIRA pricing, usage and policies
- Management MCP server
Payload sources
Checked 29 Sept 2026. Payload 3, MIT-licensed open-source core.
- payload on the npm registry
- Get started with Payload
- Payload for Enterprise
- Payload Cloud update: Payload has joined Figma
- Payload enterprise SSO
- Payload enterprise audit logs
- Payload Visual Editor
- Payload enterprise AI
- Payload publishing workflows
- Payload docs: Drafts
- Payload docs: Uploads
- Payload docs: Document locking
- Payload docs: Plugins
- Payload docs: MCP plugin
- Payload docs: Multi-tenant plugin
- Payload docs: Form Builder plugin
- GitHub discussion: Webhooks?
- Payload docs: Access control
- Figma blog: Welcoming Payload to the Figma team
- Payload multi-player editing
Considering more platforms? Compare Xperience by Kentico and Payload with the rest of your shortlist in the CMS comparison tool.
Where they differ
Xperience by Kentico and Payload get a different status on 16 of the 28 features and the same status on 12. Xperience by Kentico 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
- Xperience by Kentico is closed source (Proprietary). Payload is open source (MIT).
- Free option
- Xperience by Kentico has no free option. Payload has a free option.
Built in on Xperience by Kentico, a different answer on Payload 9
- Content model in the UI Xperience by Kentico: Built in. Payload: Not available.
- Renders the website Xperience by Kentico: Built in. Payload: Not available.
- Visual editing Xperience by Kentico: Built in. Payload: Not available.
- Approval workflows Xperience by Kentico: Built in. Payload: Paid tier.
- Custom roles Xperience by Kentico: Built in. Payload: Limited.
- Single sign-on Xperience by Kentico: Built in. Payload: Paid tier.
- Plugin marketplace Xperience by Kentico: Built in. Payload: Limited.
- Form builder Xperience by Kentico: Built in. Payload: Plugin or add-on.
- AI writing assistant Xperience by Kentico: Built in. Payload: Paid tier.
Built in on Payload, a different answer on Xperience by Kentico 3
- REST API Xperience by Kentico: Limited. Payload: Built in.
- GraphQL API Xperience by Kentico: Paid tier. Payload: Built in.
- Field-level permissions Xperience by Kentico: Not available. Payload: Built in.
Built in on neither, with different answers 4
- Content releases Xperience by Kentico: Limited. Payload: Not available.
- Audit log Xperience by Kentico: Limited. Payload: Paid tier.
- Multiple sites Xperience by Kentico: Paid tier. Payload: Plugin or add-on.
- Official MCP server Xperience by Kentico: Limited. Payload: Plugin or add-on.
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