Payload CMS
Payload's v4 beta.9 keeps every past image crop and raises the Node floor again.
Comparison · Infra & APIs
Payload CMS vs GravityKit
A side-by-side editorial comparison of Payload CMS and GravityKit — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
Payload CMS vs GravityKit: at a glance
What is Payload CMS?
Payload 4.0 beta 9 keeps old image versions and labels each login session.
Payload 4.0 is in public beta. Beta 8 added an OAuth server to the MCP plugin and moved image crops to request-time edits on the original file. Beta 9 builds on both: restoring a version brings back its upload variants and replays its crops, sessions carry labels and device details, and Node 24.22.3 becomes the minimum.
What is GravityKit?
GravityKit folds every GravityView extension into one Pro plugin.
GravityKit ships a weekly Launch Log across its Gravity Forms add-ons, mostly security fixes and small field options. The November 12 release bundles every GravityView extension and layout into one Pro plugin with Live Filters, Connected Views and an Edit Window; the November 13 log adds paid, ranked Featured Tiers, a Pages with this View menu and more security fixes. October's notable items were Visual Merge Tags, AI-built boards and AI-managed calendars.
Payload CMS vs GravityKit: editorial side-by-side
Payload CMS
5.0INFRA · APIS
Payload 4.0 beta 9 keeps old image versions and labels each login session.
◆ Current state
Payload 4.0 is in public beta. Beta 8 added an OAuth server to the MCP plugin and moved image crops to request-time edits on the original file. Beta 9 builds on both: restoring a version brings back its upload variants and replays its crops, sessions carry labels and device details, and Node 24.22.3 becomes the minimum.
◆ Where it's heading
The 4.0 betas are finishing two systems: an auth model with refresh tokens and visible sessions, and an upload model that stores the original and replays edits. Each beta also nudges the minimum Node and framework versions up.
◆ Prediction
Expect a sessions management screen in the admin and more upload-transform fixes before a release candidate.
GravityKit
5.0INFRA · APIS
GravityKit folds every GravityView extension into one Pro plugin.
◆ Current state
GravityKit ships a weekly Launch Log across its Gravity Forms add-ons, mostly security fixes and small field options. The November 12 release bundles every GravityView extension and layout into one Pro plugin with Live Filters, Connected Views and an Edit Window; the November 13 log adds paid, ranked Featured Tiers, a Pages with this View menu and more security fixes. October's notable items were Visual Merge Tags, AI-built boards and AI-managed calendars.
◆ Where it's heading
GravityKit is consolidating a sprawl of separate add-ons into fewer, larger products while steadily adding AI-assistant hooks to individual tools. Paid Featured Tiers suggest the Pro bundle is also a vehicle for listing and directory use cases.
◆ Prediction
Expect the weekly logs to continue with security fixes, and more products to follow GravityView into bundled editions.
Alternatives to Payload CMS and GravityKit
Other Infra & APIs products tracked by Sparkpulse, ranked by recent ship velocity. Each card links to a full editorial trajectory and lets you pivot into a head-to-head comparison with either Payload CMS or GravityKit.
Nautobot
Nautobot 3.3 alpha 2 adds test helpers and a cable location filter after 3.2.9's token-leak fix.
Clair
Clair 4.10 RC can read SBOMs to match Java vulnerabilities.
Shuffle
Shuffle tags builds almost daily, but the notes are empty.
KrakenD
KrakenD's community edition is shipping only dependency bumps.
Velociraptor
Velociraptor's recent releases are mostly about patching CVEs.
See all Payload CMS alternatives → · See all GravityKit alternatives →
Recent activity from Payload CMS and GravityKit
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 16h agoPayload CMSPayload 4.0 beta 9: upload history restores, labelled sessions
- 1d agoGravityKitLaunch Log: GravityView Pro, paid featured tiers, and a “Pages with this View” menu
- 1d agoGravityKitNew in GravityView Pro: Live Filters, Connected Views, Edit Window, and more
- 3d agoPayload CMSPayload 4.0 beta 8: OAuth for MCP, request-time image transforms
- 8d agoGravityKitGravityKit adds Parent Entry ID fields and patches four add-ons
- 9d agoPayload CMSPayload 4.0 beta 7 adds refresh tokens, security fixes
- 15d agoGravityKitLaunch Log: Live DataTables totals, a Remove Data option, and rounding for Number field merge tags
- 15d agoPayload CMSPayload 4.0 beta 6: Lexical 0.53 upgrade, restores go to draft
- 17d agoPayload CMSPayload 4.0 beta 5: GraphQL, upload and password-reset fixes
- 22d agoGravityKitGravityKit adds slider search and AI calendar management
- 22d agoPayload CMSPayload 4.0 beta 4: accessibility fixes, Node 24.22.1 minimum
- 29d agoGravityKitGravityKit adds AI-built boards and inline Entry Tags editing
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Payload CMS and GravityKit?
They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. Payload CMS and GravityKit are shipping at a similar cadence (velocity 5.0 vs 5.0, both within Sparkpulse's "active" band). See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.
Is Payload CMS better than GravityKit?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. Payload CMS and GravityKit are shipping at a similar cadence (velocity 5.0 vs 5.0, both within Sparkpulse's "active" band). For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other Infra & APIs products to evaluate alongside.
What are the best alternatives to Payload CMS?
Top Payload CMS alternatives in Infra & APIs are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Payload CMS alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/payload-cms for the full list with editorial commentary on each.
What are the best alternatives to GravityKit?
Top GravityKit alternatives in Infra & APIs are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "GravityKit alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/gravitykit for the full list with editorial commentary on each.