Payload CMS development

Websites that are faster, more secure and cheaper to build

What is Payload

An open-source content management system, written in TypeScript and built on Next.js, where the whole structure of the website is defined in code.

In Payload, the admin panel, the API and the public website are a single project. Content types, fields, relationships, languages and permissions are defined in code, and Payload generates the editing panel and the API from them.

In June 2025 Payload became part of Figma, which has made it the content foundation of its website-building tools. It is still open source, under the MIT license, and can be hosted on any cloud or server. The website’s code is yours and does not depend on any Figma service.

It is part of our work with Node.js.

Why we implement Payload

Traditional CMSs like WordPress face constant security and performance challenges. Payload comes from a different paradigm.

WordPress’s great asset is its ecosystem: tens of thousands of plugins and themes. The price is that every plugin is third-party code that needs updating, can clash with other plugins and accounts for most of the security flaws published. Performance also depends on each theme and each plugin.

Payload solves this by design: there are no third-party plugins for the basics, the website only runs the code that has been written and reviewed, and Next.js brings performance out of the box. Websites are much faster, more secure and cheaper to build.

We still build and maintain WordPress websites, with our Apex methodology. We have brought the same way of working to Payload: custom blocks defined in code, no visual builders, and best practices in performance, accessibility and SEO from day one.

Payload’s advantages

What changes in the day-to-day running of a corporate website.

No plugin licenses

Forms, SEO, redirects, search, data import and multisite are covered by free official plugins, maintained by the Payload team itself.

Performance out of the box

Next.js brings server-side rendering, page caching and image optimization, without the weight of third-party plugins.

Secure by design

By default, no data is accessible without authentication.

Nothing can be installed from the admin panel: the website only runs the code that has been written and reviewed.

Easier integrations

Any service with an API (an ERP, a CRM, email, market data) is connected from code, with a job queue that schedules syncs and retries them if they fail.

Custom applications in the website

Users, roles, permissions and APIs are already there. Private areas, complex forms or internal tools are built in the same project.

Ready for AI

Since the whole structure is in code, AI agents understand the complete data model.

Payload has an official MCP server so assistants like Claude or Copilot can query and edit content with each user’s permissions.

Up to 60% lower development costs

Building with Payload always costs less.

In some tasks the cost drops by 40% to 60%. We mean programming and front-end work, both for the corporate website and for other integrated solutions. Design, strategy, content, SEO and quality reviews take the same work with any CMS.

Part of the savings comes from how we work. We design in Figma, and AI agents prepare the blocks, content types and fields from the components. Our developers then review and refine them. With Payload the result is cleaner, because all the configuration is in code and errors show up at build time.

From websites to applications

Payload is not just a content management system: it is a full framework for Next.js. The website can grow into private areas, portals or online services (SaaS) without setting up a separate platform.

Users and permissions

Authentication for any kind of user, and access control by document, field and operation.

APIs out of the box

Every collection has its own REST and GraphQL API, with the same access control as the panel and API keys for external systems.

Hooks and webhooks

Code can run before or after saving, publishing or deleting: sending content to a CRM, validating it or recalculating data.

Webhooks from other applications are received in the same project.

Job queue

Periodic syncs, calculations and reports, retried if they fail. It does not depend on site visits, as WP-Cron does.

Generated types

Payload generates the TypeScript types of the data model. Every integration is checked at build time.

Any JavaScript SDK

The official SDKs from Microsoft, Salesforce, HubSpot, Stripe or SAP are used directly from code.

WordPress and Payload

	WordPress	Payload
Approach	Traditional CMS, configured from the admin panel and with plugins	CMS defined in code (code-first), with the website in the same project
Technology	PHP and MySQL	TypeScript, Next.js and PostgreSQL or MongoDB
Languages	With plugins like WPML, paid	Native field-by-field translation
Extensions	Tens of thousands of plugins	Omitsis’s own plugins (SEO, performance, security and cookies), official plugins and custom development
Integrations	With plugins or custom code	From code, with a job queue and retries
Applications and SaaS	Possible with third-party plugins	In the same project, with native users, permissions and job queue
Performance	Depends on the theme and plugins	High out of the box with Next.js
Security	Solid core; the risk lies in the plugins	Authentication by default, permissions in code and no installs from the panel
AI and agents	Abilities API and official MCP adapter (since 6.9)	Configuration in code and official MCP server
Licenses	Free core; paid plugins depending on the case	Free core and official plugins
Community	The largest on the web	Smaller, growing fast and backed by Figma

No lock-in and no change of infrastructure

Payload is a different technology, but the infrastructure barely changes.

We work with Docker containers, and Payload is deployed just like WordPress. Where there was nginx and PHP there is Node.js, and where there was MariaDB there is PostgreSQL. The server, deployment, backups, monitoring and maintenance stay the same.

Choosing Payload does not tie you to it either. It is open source, the code is yours and the data stays well structured in a standard database, accessible through APIs. Day to day, editing with Payload is as easy as with WordPress, and the panel can be tailored much more to each team, with custom fields, screens and editing flows.

Requirements

We explore the project together — goals, context, and audience — bringing ideas, experience, and a strategic perspective from the outset.
Planning

We define phases, deliverables, and budget collaboratively, making sure we’re aligned before moving forward.
UX/UI design

We craft a visually compelling proposal in Figma focused on user experience, combining your input with our design vision.
Development

We build with Payload and Next.js following best practices, sharing progress and validating decisions together along the way.
Launch

We prepare everything for go-live, reviewing every detail and staying close to ensure a smooth, surprise-free launch.