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Payload vs Strapi

Side-by-side NPM package comparison

Quick Verdict

Smallest Bundle

Strapi

166.0 B gzipped

Most Popular

Payload

316.5K weekly downloads

Best Maintained

Payload

100/100 maintenance score

Highest Quality

Payload

80/100 quality score

Overall Pick

Payload

Best all-around based on popularity, size, maintenance & quality

payload icon

payload

Popular

Version 3.81.0

0
88
Excellent

Node, React, Headless CMS and Application Framework built on Next.js

Weekly Downloads
316.5K
↑19%
Bundle (gzip)
2.1 MB
Updated
Vulns
0

Health Score Breakdown

Maintenance
100
Popularity
80
Quality
80
Security
100
Stability
70
strapi icon

strapi

Moderate

Version 3.6.11

0
71
Good

An open source headless CMS solution to create and manage your own API. It provides a powerful dashboard and features to make your life easier. Databases supported: MongoDB, MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, SQLite

Weekly Downloads
11.3K
↑5%
Bundle (gzip)
166.0 B
Updated
Vulns
0

Health Score Breakdown

Maintenance
80
Popularity
60
Quality
50
Security
100
Stability
70

Choosing between Payload and Strapi? Here's a data-driven comparison based on real npm data — downloads, bundle size, health scores, and more — to help you decide which package fits your project best.

Downloads & Popularity

Payload leads with 316.5K weekly downloads — roughly 28.1x more. Strapi has 11.3K weekly downloads. Higher download counts generally indicate broader community adoption and a larger ecosystem of tutorials, plugins, and support.

Bundle Size

Strapi has the smallest gzipped bundle at 166.0 B. Payload comes in at 2.1 MB. A smaller bundle size means faster page loads, which improves user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.

Health Score Comparison

Payload has an overall health score of 88/100 (very good), with strong maintenance, quality, security, popularity scores. Strapi has an overall health score of 71/100 (good), with strong maintenance, security scores. Health scores are calculated from maintenance activity, code quality, security posture, popularity, and stability metrics.

When to Choose Each

Choose Payload if you value actively maintained, strong security track record. Choose Strapi if you value minimal bundle footprint, strong security track record.

Our Verdict

Both Payload and Strapi are solid choices for JavaScript development. Payload has the edge in overall health score (88/100), while each package brings unique strengths to the table. Evaluate them based on your project's priorities — whether that's community size, bundle efficiency, or maintenance activity — and choose the one that aligns best with your requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is payload better than strapi?
It depends on your needs. Payload has a health score of 88/100 while Strapi scores 71/100. Payload has more weekly downloads (316.5K), suggesting broader adoption. Consider your specific requirements — bundle size, community support, and feature set — to decide which is the better fit.
Which has a smaller bundle size, payload or strapi?
Strapi has the smaller gzipped bundle at 166.0 B. A smaller bundle means faster load times for your users, which can positively impact SEO and user experience.
How many developers use payload vs strapi?
Based on npm download statistics, Payload has approximately 316.5K weekly downloads and Strapi has approximately 11.3K weekly downloads. These numbers reflect package installations, not unique developers, but they indicate relative adoption levels.
Which is better maintained, payload or strapi?
Payload currently has the higher overall health score at 88/100. Payload has a maintenance score of 100/100 and Strapi scores 80/100 on maintenance.

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