Progress Sitefinity vs Payload
Progress Sitefinity 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 12.
- Progress Sitefinity Enterprise DXP · Closed source · 22 of 28 built in
- Payload Headless · Open source · 13 of 28 built in
Sources checked: Progress Sitefinity 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 | Progress's .NET CMS and DXP for websites, run self-hosted or on the Sitefinity Cloud PaaS, with ASP.NET Core and Next.js renderers. | 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. | Sitefinity CMS 15.4 DX edition, self-hosted or on Sitefinity Cloud Version 15.4.8639, released 29 Sept 2026 | Payload 3, MIT-licensed open-source core Version 3.90.2, released 23 Sept 2026 |
| Vendor | Progress Software progress.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 and Next.js renderers | 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. DX and DX+Enterprise editions, self-hosted or on Sitefinity Cloud. | 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 Export for deployment writes module and field changes to files for source control. 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 Module Builder. | 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 editor widgets. | 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 Multilingual content per 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 Resize through URL parameters and thumbnail profiles. 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. | Built in OData REST web services. 5 | Built in |
| GraphQL API The vendor or an official module provides a GraphQL API for content. | Built in GraphQL on the web services layer. 6 | Built in |
| Webhooks The CMS can call an external URL when content is created, changed or published. | Built in Service hooks with a webhook action, available on all licences. 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, Next.js or legacy MVC renderers. 1 | 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 | Built in 10 |
| Scheduled publishing An editor can set a future date and time for content to publish or unpublish. | Built in Scheduled publish and unpublish per item. 9 | 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 Revision history. | 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 Page editor with widgets. | 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 One or two approval levels, or a custom workflow. 8 | Paid tier Enterprise publishing workflows. 39 |
| Content releases Editors group changes across several entries and publish them together as one release. | Not available Publishing and scheduling work per item. 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 Pages lock while another user edits them. 10 | 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 11 | 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 Module Builder types only, in the classic editing UI. Built-in content types have none. 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 OpenID Connect and external providers such as Azure AD. 13 | 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. | Paid tier DX + Enterprise includes Audit Trail. Progress sells it as an add-on for DX. 142 | 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 Multisite with shared content and per-site permissions. 15 | 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 fields, widgets and AdminApp extensions. | Built in Custom React components, views and fields. |
| Plugin marketplace The vendor runs an official directory or marketplace of installable extensions. | Built in Sitefinity integrations directory. 16 | 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 Forms module with a drag-and-drop 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 Front-end users with registration and login widgets. | 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 Sitefinity AI subscription for text generation and agents. 17 | 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. | Plugin or add-on Sitefinity MCP Server, 15.4.8633 or later, needs a Sitefinity AI subscription. 18 | Plugin or add-on Official open-source MCP plugin. 14 |
Progress Sitefinity sources
Checked 29 Sept 2026. Sitefinity CMS 15.4 DX edition, self-hosted or on Sitefinity Cloud.
- Sitefinity CMS 15.4.8639 release notes
- Sitefinity packaging and deployment options
- Export and deploy database changes
- Resize images through the URL
- Set up a web service
- Use GraphQL protocol
- Service hooks
- Content lifecycle and workflow
- Manage scheduled tasks
- Unlock pages
- Permissions
- Progress knowledge base: How to set up field permissions in Sitefinity
- Authentication
- Sitefinity Audit Trail
- Multisite
- Sitefinity integrations directory
- Sitefinity AI
- Sitefinity MCP Server
- Sitefinity release history
- Sitefinity Cloud documentation
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 Progress Sitefinity and Payload with the rest of your shortlist in the CMS comparison tool.
Where they differ
Progress Sitefinity and Payload get a different status on 12 of the 28 features and the same status on 16. Progress Sitefinity has 22 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
- Progress Sitefinity is closed source (Proprietary). Payload is open source (MIT).
- Free option
- Progress Sitefinity has no free option. Payload has a free option.
Built in on Progress Sitefinity, a different answer on Payload 10
- Content model in the UI Progress Sitefinity: Built in. Payload: Not available.
- Webhooks Progress Sitefinity: Built in. Payload: Not available.
- Renders the website Progress Sitefinity: Built in. Payload: Not available.
- Visual editing Progress Sitefinity: Built in. Payload: Not available.
- Approval workflows Progress Sitefinity: Built in. Payload: Paid tier.
- Custom roles Progress Sitefinity: Built in. Payload: Limited.
- Single sign-on Progress Sitefinity: Built in. Payload: Paid tier.
- Multiple sites Progress Sitefinity: Built in. Payload: Plugin or add-on.
- Plugin marketplace Progress Sitefinity: Built in. Payload: Limited.
- Form builder Progress Sitefinity: Built in. Payload: Plugin or add-on.
Built in on Payload, a different answer on Progress Sitefinity 1
- Field-level permissions Progress Sitefinity: Limited. Payload: Built in.
Built in on neither, with different answers 1
- AI writing assistant Progress Sitefinity: Plugin or add-on. Payload: Paid tier.
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