APIs · head to head
Increase vs Payload CMS
Increase
APIs
Direct banking API for ACH, wires, real-time payments, accounts and cards
- From
- On request
- 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: Increase the published per transaction rates exclude a monthly platform fee that Increase states varies by use case, so the transparent price page cannot produce a total cost and the material part of the deal is still negotiated privately.; 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: Increase covers ACH origination and receipt, Payload CMS covers REST API.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Increase and Payload CMS actually diverge.
| Attribute | Increase | Payload CMS |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | Free |
| Pricing model | quote | open-source |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | API, Web | 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 Increase
- ACH origination and receipt
- Domestic wires
- Real-time payments
- Bank accounts
- Cards
- Cheques
- Sandbox and simulations
- Audit and reconciliation data
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.
Increase
- A payroll or treasury product that needs to originate same-day ACH and wires under its own control rather than through a payment processornot Payload CMS
- A marketplace that must hold seller balances in ledgered accounts with real account and routing numbersnot Payload CMS
- A fintech that wants FedNow and RTP payouts so recipients are paid outside banking hoursnot Payload CMS
- An engineering team that needs the underlying return codes and settlement timing visible in order to build correct reconciliation and retry logicnot Payload CMS
Payload CMS
- Running a headless, TypeScript-configured CMS you self-hostnot Increase
- Generating an admin panel plus REST and GraphQL APIs from a code confignot Increase
- Digital asset management and headless e-commerce back endsnot Increase
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Increase
- The published per transaction rates exclude a monthly platform fee that Increase states varies by use case, so the transparent price page cannot produce a total cost and the material part of the deal is still negotiated privately.
- Free allowances are deliberately small at ten account numbers and five physical cards, so any programme issuing accounts or cards at volume moves to quoted pricing almost immediately.
- Banking is provided through partner banks, so programme approval, compliance obligations and the ability to launch at all depend on a bank relationship you do not control, and post-Synapse bank risk appetite has tightened considerably.
- The API deliberately exposes payment rail mechanics rather than smoothing them, which is correct engineering but means a team without payments expertise will build reconciliation and return handling wrongly and only discover it when funds go astray.
- Coverage is United States only, so a company with international payout needs runs a second provider and reconciles two ledgers, and the single API argument disappears at the first cross border customer.
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
Increase
On request- Increase Platform$undefined/month
- Monthly fee quoted by use case and not published
- Next-day ACH origination listed at 0.50 US dollars per transaction
- Same-day ACH origination listed at 2.00 per transaction
Payload CMS
Free- Open SourceFree
- Full PayloadCMS
- Self-hosted
- Community support
Which should you pick?
Choose Increase if
- You need ach origination and receipt.
- You work on API, Web.
- You also want domestic wires.
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 Increase or Payload CMS better?
- Neither clearly leads. Increase starts at On request and Payload CMS at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Increase or Payload CMS?
- Payload CMS has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Increase and Free for Payload CMS.
- Does Increase or Payload CMS run on more platforms?
- Increase runs on API, Web. 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. Increase starts at On request.
- What is Increase best used for?
- Increase is most often used for a payroll or treasury product that needs to originate same-day ach and wires under its own control rather than through a payment processor, a marketplace that must hold seller balances in ledgered accounts with real account and routing numbers, a fintech that wants fednow and rtp payouts so recipients are paid outside banking hours, an engineering team that needs the underlying return codes and settlement timing visible in order to build correct reconciliation and retry logic. Of those, a payroll or treasury product that needs to originate same-day ach and wires under its own control rather than through a payment processor and a marketplace that must hold seller balances in ledgered accounts with real account and routing numbers are not what Payload CMS is typically brought in for.
- What can Increase do that Payload CMS cannot?
- Increase covers ACH origination and receipt, Domestic wires, Real-time payments, Bank accounts. Payload CMS covers REST API, GraphQL API, Versioning, TypeScript.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Increase: Does Increase publish its pricing?
Partly. Per transaction fees for ACH, wires, RTP, FedNow and cards are listed publicly. The monthly platform fee is not, and it is described only as varying by use case.
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.
SourceIncrease: Who holds the deposits?
Partner banks, not Increase itself. That relationship determines your programme approval, your compliance obligations and your risk if the bank changes appetite.
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.
SourceIncrease: Is it international?
No. Increase covers United States rails only, so cross border payouts require a second provider.
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.
SourceIncrease: How is it different from a middleware BaaS platform?
It exposes the rails rather than abstracting them, showing real return codes and settlement timing. That suits teams who understand payments and punishes teams who do not.
Related pages
More on Payload CMS
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