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# ApostropheCMS vs Payload CMS Comparison - What are their main differences?

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ApostropheCMSPayload CMS[+ Add Product](#)

Pricing

**ApostropheCMS**
Free Trial

**Free Trial** 1 Site · Apostrophe Community 

**Payload CMS**
Free Trial

**Free** · Self-Hosted

**Pricing Insights**
from reviews

Time to Implement

**ApostropheCMS**
2 months

Based on 6 responses

**Payload CMS**
2 months

Based on 14 responses

Return on Investment

**ApostropheCMS**
Not enough reviews yet

**Payload CMS**
6 months

Based on 8 responses

Perceived Cost

**ApostropheCMS**
Not enough reviews yet

**Payload CMS**
$$$$$

Average Discount

**ApostropheCMS**
Not enough reviews yet

**Payload CMS**
5%

 ![ApostropheCMS](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/b0b10c74b7e37597f3b4d3b209403e9e/apostrophecms.svg "ApostropheCMS")

 ![Payload CMS](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/af2f83878bc9b5dcc8d95a79a3a54d91/payload-cms.svg "Payload CMS")

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**Pros & Cons**
from reviews

**ApostropheCMS**
[
CMS Flexibility (1)
](https://www.g2.com/products/apostrophecms/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2260592&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[
Content Management (1)
](https://www.g2.com/products/apostrophecms/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2260597&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[
App Integration Issues (1)
](https://www.g2.com/products/apostrophecms/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2260617&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[
Third-Party Tools (1)
](https://www.g2.com/products/apostrophecms/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2260627&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)

**Payload CMS**
[
Community Support (3)
](https://www.g2.com/products/payload-cms/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1123836&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[
Ease of Use (3)
](https://www.g2.com/products/payload-cms/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1122613&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[
Lack of Customization (1)
](https://www.g2.com/products/payload-cms/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1124239&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[
Limited Community Support (1)
](https://www.g2.com/products/payload-cms/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1122695&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)

Screenshots

**ApostropheCMS**
 ![ApostropheCMS screenshot](https://images.g2crowd.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=600,height=600,fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,/https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/attachment/file/1837473/vlcsnap-2026-08-14-10h31m24s306.png)

**Payload CMS**
 ![Payload CMS screenshot](https://images.g2crowd.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=600,height=600,fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,/https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/attachment/file/1315088/backend-to-build-modern-web.png)

**Ratings**
from reviews

Meets Requirements

**ApostropheCMS**

8.9

8.99

**Payload CMS**

9.4

9.456

Ease of Use

**ApostropheCMS**

8.3

8.39

**Payload CMS**

9.0

9.056

Ease of Setup

**ApostropheCMS**

8.8

8.87

**Payload CMS**

9.1

9.148

Ease of Admin

**ApostropheCMS**

7.8

7.86

**Payload CMS**

9.3

9.347

Quality of Support

**ApostropheCMS**

9.0

9.010

**Payload CMS**

9.3

9.355

Has the product been a good partner in doing business?

**ApostropheCMS**

9.4

9.46

**Payload CMS**

9.4

9.435

Product Direction (% positive)

**ApostropheCMS**

8.5

8.58

**Payload CMS**

10.0

10.055

**Features**
ratings from reviews

Web Content Management

8.4

7

9.4

7

Headless CMS

8.3

5

8.7

46

User Insights

**Reviewers' Company Size**

Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
54.5%

Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
27.3%

Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.)
18.2%

Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
54.5%

Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
27.3%

Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.)
18.2%

Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
86.2%

Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
13.8%

Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.)
0%

Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
86.2%

Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
13.8%

Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.)
0%

**Reviewers' Industry**

[![ApostropheCMS](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/b0b10c74b7e37597f3b4d3b209403e9e/apostrophecms.svg "ApostropheCMS")](https://www.g2.com/products/apostrophecms/reviews)
ApostropheCMS

Internet
18.2%

Information Technology and Services
18.2%

Hospital & Health Care
18.2%

Non-Profit Organization Management
9.1%

Marketing and Advertising
9.1%

Other
27.3%

[![Payload CMS](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/af2f83878bc9b5dcc8d95a79a3a54d91/payload-cms.svg "Payload CMS")](https://www.g2.com/products/payload-cms/reviews)
Payload CMS

Computer Software
32.8%

Information Technology and Services
13.8%

Design
8.6%

Marketing and Advertising
6.9%

Internet
5.2%

Other
32.8%

Alternatives

**ApostropheCMS Alternatives**

 ![Contentful](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/b9b1b51e8da0cd8fb03bab3e24b9a565/contentful.svg "Contentful")

[
Contentful
](/products/contentful/reviews)

 ![WordPress.org](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/a8f8ad7b23d4f2a855b3e1fcdaec52e9/wordpress-org.svg "WordPress.org")

[
WordPress.org
](/products/wordpress-org/reviews)

 ![Storyblok](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/4b8041cd8ae250b60855fc7d90ee7bac/storyblok.svg "Storyblok")

[
Storyblok
](/products/storyblok/reviews)

 ![Sanity](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/8ad945ed33d9d2bb3fd0fddbe8ce5524/sanity.svg "Sanity")

[
Sanity
](/products/sanity/reviews)

**Payload CMS Alternatives**

 ![Sanity](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/8ad945ed33d9d2bb3fd0fddbe8ce5524/sanity.svg "Sanity")

[
Sanity
](/products/sanity/reviews)

 ![Strapi](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/16e816aaabcf0c54044f5265cd6d1a7e/strapi.svg "Strapi")

[
Strapi
](/products/strapi/reviews)

 ![Storyblok](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/4b8041cd8ae250b60855fc7d90ee7bac/storyblok.svg "Storyblok")

[
Storyblok
](/products/storyblok/reviews)

 ![Contentful](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/b9b1b51e8da0cd8fb03bab3e24b9a565/contentful.svg "Contentful")

[
Contentful
](/products/contentful/reviews)

## ApostropheCMS vs Payload CMS

When assessing the two solutions, reviewers found Payload CMS easier to use, set up, and administer. However, reviewers felt that both vendors make it equally easy to do business overall.

- Reviewers felt that Payload CMS meets the needs of their business better than ApostropheCMS.
- When comparing quality of ongoing product support, reviewers felt that Payload CMS is the preferred option.
- For feature updates and roadmaps, our reviewers preferred the direction of Payload CMS over ApostropheCMS.