Should I pick Strapi or Payload CMS?

Strapi: Engineering orgs that want full OSS customization and accept self-host cost. Payload CMS: Next.js teams that want code-first CMS in their repo.

Where does LUNO fit as a third option?

LUNO is not “another headless CMS winner” — it fits when you need a Backend Platform humans and agents share.

Where do I check pricing?

Vendor sites for A/B; LUNO on /pricing and /pricing.md.

Compare

LUNO is Backend Platform for the AI Era.

Strapi vs Payload CMS

Strapi and Payload CMS are both content-centric tools. When the job is a Backend Platform — not only a CMS — LUNO enters as a third option.

See LUNO Matrix

Strapi

Engineering orgs that want full OSS customization and accept self-host cost.

If you must own every line of the CMS runtime on your VMs, Strapi fits better.

LUNO vs Strapi →

Payload CMS

Next.js teams that want code-first CMS in their repo.

If CMS must live inside your Next app codebase, Payload wins.

LUNO vs Payload CMS →

LUNO

Third option: LUNO

Category is AI-era Backend Platform. The question is not who wins CMS feature bingo — it is whether identity, forms, APIs, and agents share one record.

Teams that want SaaS edge delivery and agent ops without running Node CMS servers.

FAQ

Should I pick Strapi or Payload CMS?
Strapi: Engineering orgs that want full OSS customization and accept self-host cost. Payload CMS: Next.js teams that want code-first CMS in their repo.
Where does LUNO fit as a third option?
LUNO is not “another headless CMS winner” — it fits when you need a Backend Platform humans and agents share.
Where do I check pricing?
Vendor sites for A/B; LUNO on /pricing and /pricing.md.

Try the platform path

Evaluate MCP and forms on Free. Keep the CMS matrix open too.

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