APIs · head to head
Basis Theory vs Payload CMS
Basis Theory
APIs
Developer tokenisation platform that holds card and sensitive data inside a PCI Level 1 environment you do not operate
- From
- $995/month
- Rated
- -
Payload CMS
APIs
Modern TypeScript-first headless CMS with REST and GraphQL APIs
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Payload CMS has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Basis Theory the Starter plan is 995 US dollars a month before any volume, which is a real floor for an early stage company and puts the product out of reach of teams tokenising a few thousand records.; Payload CMS payload is a Next.js fullstack framework and installs into a Next.js app, so it is not framework-agnostic
- They diverge on capability: Basis Theory covers Tokenisation API, Payload CMS covers REST API.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Basis Theory and Payload CMS actually diverge.
| Attribute | Basis Theory | Payload CMS |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $995/month | Free |
| Pricing model | Per month by token volume | open-source |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android, Linux | Node.js, Self-hosted |
| Founded | Unknown | 2020 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (APIs).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Basis Theory
- Tokenisation API
- Hosted elements
- Outbound proxy
- PCI attestation of compliance
- Processor portability
- Reactors
- Access controls and audit
- PII and PHI options
Only in Payload CMS
- REST API
- GraphQL API
- Versioning
- TypeScript
- Node.js
- Databases
- Custom plugins
- Node.js support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Basis Theory
- A payments company that wants card on file without bringing its own infrastructure into PCI scope and paying for the assessment that followsnot Payload CMS
- A merchant locked into a processor by that processor vault that wants to hold its own tokens and route to more than one acquirernot Payload CMS
- A fintech collecting bank account and identity data that needs it isolated from its application database before an enterprise security reviewnot Payload CMS
- A team that needs to send stored card data to a third party for a one-off integration without that data traversing its own serversnot Payload CMS
Payload CMS
- Running a headless, TypeScript-configured CMS you self-hostnot Basis Theory
- Generating an admin panel plus REST and GraphQL APIs from a code confignot Basis Theory
- Digital asset management and headless e-commerce back endsnot Basis Theory
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Basis Theory
- The Starter plan is 995 US dollars a month before any volume, which is a real floor for an early stage company and puts the product out of reach of teams tokenising a few thousand records.
- Starter is limited to the US region, so a company with European data residency requirements is pushed into a quoted Scale or Enterprise agreement immediately.
- Log retention on Starter is 24 hours, which is well below what most security teams expect for a system holding cardholder data and forces an upgrade for reasons unrelated to volume.
- Migrating away means moving card data out of the vault, which requires processor and assessor involvement and is slow, so the portability argument that attracts buyers cuts against them at exit.
- An attestation of compliance covers the vendor environment, not your assessment; your assessor still decides what is in scope, and buyers occasionally discover their integration pattern pulled systems back into scope anyway.
Payload CMS
- Payload is a Next.js fullstack framework and installs into a Next.js app, so it is not framework-agnostic
- Database support is limited to MongoDB and Postgres
- SSO is an Enterprise-only feature
- Publishing workflows, the visual editor, static A/B testing and AI auto-embedding are listed as Enterprise features
- Enterprise is sold through a Schedule a Demo form with no published price
- Free support is through a Discord community rather than a vendor support channel
Pricing, plan by plan
Basis Theory
$995/month- Starter$995/month
- 20,000 tokens included
- Production PCI Level 1 environment
- US region only
- Scale$undefined/month
- Quoted
- Higher token volumes
- Additional regions
- Enterprise$undefined/month
- Quoted
- Additional compliance options for PII and PHI
- Responses for 95 percent of PCI SAQ D
Payload CMS
Free- Open SourceFree
- Full PayloadCMS
- Self-hosted
- Community support
Which should you pick?
Choose Basis Theory if
- You need tokenisation api.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android, Linux.
- You also want hosted elements.
Choose Payload CMS if
- You need rest api.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Node.js, Self-hosted.
- You also want graphql api.
Questions people ask
- Is Basis Theory or Payload CMS better?
- Neither clearly leads. Basis Theory starts at $995/month and Payload CMS at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Basis Theory or Payload CMS?
- Payload CMS has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $995/month for Basis Theory and Free for Payload CMS.
- Does Basis Theory or Payload CMS run on more platforms?
- Basis Theory runs on Web, iOS, Android, Linux. Payload CMS runs on Node.js, Self-hosted.
- Can I use Payload CMS for free?
- Yes. Payload CMS has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Basis Theory starts at $995/month.
- What is Basis Theory best used for?
- Basis Theory is most often used for a payments company that wants card on file without bringing its own infrastructure into pci scope and paying for the assessment that follows, a merchant locked into a processor by that processor vault that wants to hold its own tokens and route to more than one acquirer, a fintech collecting bank account and identity data that needs it isolated from its application database before an enterprise security review, a team that needs to send stored card data to a third party for a one-off integration without that data traversing its own servers. Of those, a payments company that wants card on file without bringing its own infrastructure into pci scope and paying for the assessment that follows and a merchant locked into a processor by that processor vault that wants to hold its own tokens and route to more than one acquirer are not what Payload CMS is typically brought in for.
- What can Basis Theory do that Payload CMS cannot?
- Basis Theory covers Tokenisation API, Hosted elements, Outbound proxy, PCI attestation of compliance. Payload CMS covers REST API, GraphQL API, Versioning, TypeScript.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Basis Theory: Does this make us PCI compliant?
It removes cardholder data from your systems and gives you an AOC plus documented responses for most of a SAQ D. Your assessor still determines your scope, and a careless integration can pull systems back in.
Payload CMS: How much does Payload CMS cost?
Payload CMS does not publish detailed pricing information on its main website. The site indicates a divide between self-hosted open-source development solutions and premium features, but specific costs and billing periods are not listed.
SourceBasis Theory: What does it cost to start?
995 US dollars a month on Starter, including 20,000 tokens, a production PCI Level 1 environment and US hosting. Higher tiers are quoted.
Payload CMS: Does Payload CMS offer an open-source option?
Yes, Payload offers an open-source option for self-hosted development solutions, with additional enterprise features available.
SourceBasis Theory: Can we switch payment processors without re-collecting cards?
Yes, that is the main non-compliance reason to buy it. You hold the tokens and detokenise into whichever processor you route to.
Payload CMS: How do I learn about Payload CMS pricing?
Users can visit the /get-started page for pricing details or schedule a demo through the website to discuss pricing and enterprise options.
SourceBasis Theory: Is data stored outside the United States?
Not on Starter, which is US only. Other regions require a Scale or Enterprise agreement.
Related pages
More on Basis Theory
More on Payload CMS
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