head to head · open source
Payload vs CMSeeK
Payload has 44,806 GitHub stars, 4,166 forks, 1,127 open issues and last shipped yesterday. CMSeeK has 2,578 stars, 521 forks, 36 open issues and last shipped 2 months ago. Payload leads on adoption by 1,638% (44,806 vs 2,578 stars). Payload is written in TypeScript under MIT; CMSeeK is written in Python under GPL-3.0. Payload has attracted 9% as many forks as stars, CMSeeK 20%. Payload was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 2 topic tags (cms, content-management-system), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| Payload | CMSeeK | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 45K | ★ 2.6K |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | Python |
| Last push | 2026-09-17 | 2026-07-17 |
| Forks | ⑂ 4.2K | ⑂ 521 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Payload if
- You weight community size — 45K stars and counting
- You want the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick CMSeeK if
- You want the CMSeeK feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the GPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You evaluated both and CMSeeK fits your workflow better
About Payload
Payload is an open source, MIT licensed headless CMS and fullstack framework, written in TypeScript and built to run natively inside a Next.js /app folder, aimed at developers who want a TypeScript backend and admin panel without signing up for another SaaS.
read the full Payload overview →
About CMSeeK
What is a CMS? A content management system (CMS) manages the creation and modification of digital content. It typically supports multiple users in a collaborative environment. Some noteable examples are: WordPress, Joomla, Drupal etc . Release History Changelog File Functions Of CMSeek: Basic CMS Detection of over 180 CMS Drupal version detection Advanced Wordpress Scans Detects Version User Enumeration Plugins Enumeration Theme Enumeration Detects Users (3 Detection Methods) Looks for Version Vulnerabilities and much more! Advanced Joomla Scans Version detection Backup files finder Admin page finder Core vulnera…
read the full CMSeeK overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Payload or CMSeeK more popular?
Payload has 44,806 GitHub stars and CMSeeK has 2,578. Payload has the larger community by that measure.
Are Payload and CMSeeK free?
Both are open source. Payload is licensed under MIT and CMSeeK under GPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Payload and CMSeeK?
Payload is written in TypeScript and CMSeeK in Python. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, Payload or CMSeeK?
Choose Payload if you want the larger community (44,806 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose CMSeeK if its feature set, stack or GPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.