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TinaCMS vs Payload: catalog facts
TinaCMS	Payload
Free Open source under the Apache 2.0 license; TinaCloud is an optional hosted service.	Free Free and open source under the MIT license; enterprise features are sold separately.
Web, Self-hosted, Command line	Self-hosted
Content stays as files in your Git repository Visual editing with live preview	Installs inside an existing Next.js app folder Full TypeScript backend with an extensible admin panel
Requires developer setup in a site project Aimed at Git-based sites rather than standalone use	Configured in code, so it needs a developer Tied to the Next.js and React ecosystem
Downloadable app, Self-hosted, Hosted service	Self-hosted
Open source	Open source
License: Apache-2.0	License: MIT
Not stated if an account is needed	No account needed
Not stated if it works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 2, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 2, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.