Payload starts at $35/month on the Standard plan.
Verified Sep 2026 from the official pricing page.
Is Payload worth the price?
Payload's pricing is very generous, offering a fully-featured Free tier for self-hosting.
The Cloud Standard tier at $35/month for 1 project and 50GB storage is competitive for managed hosting, while the Pro tier at $199/month offers good value for teams needing more projects and storage. This pricing structure is best for developers and small to large teams looking for a flexible, open-source CMS with optional managed hosting.
Pricing Plans
Free
Self-hosted
- Unlimited everything
- TypeScript
- Full control
Standard
$35/month
Payload Cloud
- 1 project
- 50GB storage
- Email support
Pro
$199/month
Teams
- 5 projects
- 500GB storage
- Priority support
How Payload compares
6 of 6 direct competitors offer a free plan.
| Tool | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|---|---|
| Payload | $35/month, billing unit not specified | Yes |
| Strapi | $99/month, billing unit not specified | Yes |
| Contentful | €300/month, billing unit not specified | Yes |
| Sanity | $15/seat/month | Yes |
| Directus | $99/month, billing unit not specified | Yes |
| Prismic | $100/month, billing unit not specified | Yes |
| Storyblok | $99/month, billing unit not specified | Yes |
Payload Pricing FAQ
How much does Payload cost?
Payload starts at $35/month on the Standard plan. It offers 2 paid tiers ranging from $35/month to $199/month. A free plan is also available.
Does Payload have a free plan?
Yes. Payload offers a free plan called "Free". It includes: Unlimited everything, TypeScript, Full control.
What is the cheapest Payload paid plan?
The cheapest paid plan for Payload is "Standard" at $35/month. Key features include: 1 project, 50GB storage, Email support.
What are alternatives to Payload?
Alternatives to Payload include Strapi, Contentful, Sanity, Directus. Strapi starts at $99/month, billing unit not specified; Contentful starts at €300/month, billing unit not specified; Sanity starts at $15/seat/month.
Payload alternatives
Direct competitors. Starting prices match the table above.
Sources
- Official Payload pricing: payloadcms.com (verified Sep 2026)
- Cite this data: Toolradar, Payload pricing verified Sep 2026, toolradar.com/tools/payload/pricing
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