Filament vs Payload: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for Filament and Payload side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
Filament
Accelerate Laravel development with a powerful UI framework for admin panels and applications.
Best for you if:
- • You want a fully free tool (Payload requires payment)
Payload
Headless CMS and application framework
Best for you if:
- • You want modern headless CMS
| At a Glance | Filament | Payload |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | Free 100% free | Free plan, paid from $35/mo, billed monthly Standard plan |
Category | Internal Tools App Builders | Headless CMS API Tools |
Rating | n/a | 4.9/5 G2 4.9 59 reviews |
Free plan | Yes | Yes |
Choose Filament or Payload?
Choose Filament if
- You want a fully free tool (Payload requires payment)
- You want significantly accelerates Laravel development
- You want comprehensive set of UI builders and components
- You work in internal tools, not headless CMS
Choose Payload if
- You want modern headless CMS
- You want code-first approach
- You work in headless CMS, not internal tools
In-Depth Analysis
Filament
Accelerate Laravel development with a powerful UI framework for admin panels and applications.
Filament's pricing is exceptionally generous, offering a fully-featured and powerful UI framework completely free of charge.
Strengths
- Pro: Significantly accelerates Laravel development
- Pro: Comprehensive set of UI builders and components
- Pro: Leverages the popular TALL stack
- Pro: Open-source with an active community
- Pro: Highly customizable and extensible
Weaknesses
- Con: Primarily focused on Laravel ecosystem, limiting use for other frameworks
- Con: Requires familiarity with Livewire and the TALL stack
Key features
Payload
Headless CMS and application framework
Payload's pricing is very generous, offering a fully-featured Free tier for self-hosting.
Strengths
- Pro: Modern headless CMS
- Pro: Code-first approach
- Pro: Self-hostable
- Pro: TypeScript native
- Pro: Good documentation
Weaknesses
- Con: Newer platform
- Con: Smaller community
- Con: Learning curve
- Con: Node.js required
- Con: Less hosting options
Key features
Plans and prices: Filament vs Payload
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Filament |
| filamentphp.com read Oct 8, 2026 |
| Payload |
| payloadcms.com read Oct 4, 2026 |
Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on Filament pricing and Payload pricing.
Key Takeaways
Filament
- Choose if you want accelerate Laravel development with a powerful UI framework for admin panels and applications
Payload
- Choose if you want headless CMS and application framework
What the data shows
On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair.
- Only Payload has a published user rating (4.9/5 from 59 reviews); Filament has none we can show.
- Payload starts at $35/mo, billed monthly; Filament has no public paid plan price on file.
- Both have a free plan.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Filament and Payload compare in 2026?
On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair. Only Payload has a published user rating (4.9/5 from 59 reviews); Filament has none we can show. Payload starts at $35/mo, billed monthly; Filament has no public paid plan price on file. Both have a free plan.
What are Filament and Payload used for?
Filament: Accelerate Laravel development with a powerful UI framework for admin panels and applications. Payload: Headless CMS and application framework.
What does Filament cost vs Payload?
Filament is free. Payload's cheapest paid plan is Standard at $35/mo, billed monthly; it also has a free plan. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Oct 8, 2026.
What's the main difference between Filament and Payload?
Filament's main strength: significantly accelerates Laravel development. Payload's main strength: modern headless CMS.