Wix vs Payload
Wix is a closed-source site builder that runs 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.
- Wix Site builder · Closed source · 21 of 28 built in
- Payload Headless · Open source · 13 of 28 built in
Sources checked: Wix 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 | Hosted website builder with a CMS, business apps and hosting, run by Wix.com Ltd. Wix Studio adds an editor and workspace for agencies. | 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. | Wix website builder with Wix CMS, in Wix Editor and Wix Studio SaaS, continuously updated | Payload 3, MIT-licensed open-source core Version 3.90.2, released 23 Sept 2026 |
| Vendor | Wix.com Ltd. wix.com | Figma (acquired Payload in June 2025) payloadcms.com |
| Licence | Closed source Proprietary | Open source MIT |
| Hosting | No self-hosting Vendor cloud Wix Headless serves the same content to a frontend you host. | Self-hosting Vendor cloud Payload Cloud is paused for new projects. Payload offers hosting to enterprise customers. |
| Built with | Hosted SaaS, JavaScript through the Wix IDE, CLI and SDK | TypeScript, Node.js, Next.js, React |
| Database | Wix CMS collections, managed by Wix | PostgreSQL, MongoDB, SQLite |
| Pricing Public list prices only. Hosting and implementation are extra everywhere. | Free to start Free plan. Light $17, Core $29, Business $39, Business Elite $159 per month billed yearly in the US. | 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. | Limited Only Wix CLI apps and headless projects define collections in TypeScript files. 13 | 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 20 | 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 Editors add and reorder sections and saved components on the canvas. | 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 Wix Multilingual, with manual or automatic translation. 14 | 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 and crop through image URL parameters. 15 | 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 Data Items REST API. 3 | Built in |
| GraphQL API The vendor or an official module provides a GraphQL API for content. | Built in GraphQL endpoint over the same data as the REST API. 4 | Built in |
| Webhooks The CMS can call an external URL when content is created, changed or published. | Built in App webhooks, or an HTTP request step in Wix Automations. 16 | 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 | 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 Draft status on CMS items, on by default for new collections. 11 | Built in 10 |
| Scheduled publishing An editor can set a future date and time for content to publish or unpublish. | Built in Scheduled status changes on CMS items. 11 | 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. | Limited CMS keeps weekly and manual collection backups. Restores replace whole collections. 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 | 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 | 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. | Paid tier Approvals for site changes in the Wix Studio enterprise solution. 8 | Paid tier Enterprise publishing workflows. 39 |
| Content releases Editors group changes across several entries and publish them together as one release. | Limited Release Manager publishes whole site versions and test sites. No grouped item releases. 12 | 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. | Built in Built into the Studio Editor. 7 | 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 Not every permission is available to custom roles. 619 | 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 CMS permissions apply per collection. 20 | Built in Field-level access functions. 18 |
| Single sign-on Editors can sign in through SAML or OpenID Connect against a company identity provider. | Paid tier OpenID Connect only, with the Wix Studio enterprise solution. 10 | 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. | Not available Not documented publicly. | 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 One account or Studio workspace manages many sites, each on its own plan. | 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 Dashboard extensions add custom pages and widgets. 17 | Built in Custom React components, views and fields. |
| Plugin marketplace The vendor runs an official directory or marketplace of installable extensions. | Built in Wix App Market. | 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 Wix Forms. | 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 Area handles sign-up and login. | 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 AI text creator in the Wix and Studio editors. 18 | 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 Wix MCP for docs, code and site API calls. 5 | Plugin or add-on Official open-source MCP plugin. 14 |
Wix sources
Checked 29 Sept 2026. Wix website builder with Wix CMS, in Wix Editor and Wix Studio.
- Wix plans and pricing
- Wix blog: Wix Premium plans (May 2026)
- Wix Data Items API
- The Wix GraphQL API
- The Wix MCP
- Wix Help: creating custom roles for collaborators
- Wix Help: Studio Editor collaborating on a site
- Wix Help: enterprise approvals for site changes
- Wix Help: restoring CMS collections with backups
- Wix Help: SSO login for your organization
- Wix Help: managing collection item statuses
- Wix Help: Release Manager
- Wix CLI: data collections extension files
- Wix Help: Wix Multilingual overview
- Wix Media: URL image transformation
- Wix Developers: about webhooks
- Wix Developers: about dashboard extensions
- Wix Help: Studio Editor AI text creator
- Wix Help: inviting collaborators
- Wix Help: CMS overview
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 Wix and Payload with the rest of your shortlist in the CMS comparison tool.
Where they differ
Wix and Payload get a different status on 16 of the 28 features and the same status on 12. Wix has 21 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
- Wix is closed source (Proprietary). Payload is open source (MIT).
- Self-hosting
- Wix cannot be self-hosted. Payload can be self-hosted.
Built in on Wix, a different answer on Payload 11
- Content model in the UI Wix: Built in. Payload: Not available.
- Webhooks Wix: Built in. Payload: Not available.
- Renders the website Wix: Built in. Payload: Not available.
- Visual editing Wix: Built in. Payload: Not available.
- Real-time co-editing Wix: Built in. Payload: Not available.
- Custom roles Wix: Built in. Payload: Limited.
- Multiple sites Wix: Built in. Payload: Plugin or add-on.
- Plugin marketplace Wix: Built in. Payload: Limited.
- Form builder Wix: Built in. Payload: Plugin or add-on.
- AI writing assistant Wix: Built in. Payload: Paid tier.
- Official MCP server Wix: Built in. Payload: Plugin or add-on.
Built in on Payload, a different answer on Wix 3
- Content model in code Wix: Limited. Payload: Built in.
- Version history Wix: Limited. Payload: Built in.
- Field-level permissions Wix: Not available. Payload: Built in.
Built in on neither, with different answers 2
- Content releases Wix: Limited. Payload: Not available.
- Audit log Wix: Not available. Payload: Paid tier.
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