Brandwave

How popular isPayload CMS?

In October 2026, people searched for Payload CMS by name about 170 times in New Zealand, about the same as the previous year. These searches made up 11% of all New Zealand headless CMS platform searches, placing Payload CMS fourth out of seven platforms. When we asked both ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about headless CMS platforms, Payload CMS appeared in three of the five answers and was the fifth most recommended of the seven.

Search and AI answers in October 2026

Payload CMS is the fourth most searched of 7 competitors and the fifth most recommended in the AI answers we collected.

  1. PrismicShare of searches 32.5%Mentioned in 1 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 6th
  2. ContentfulShare of searches 25.3%Mentioned in 5 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 4th
  3. SanityShare of searches 13.6%Mentioned in 5 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 1st
  4. Payload CMSShare of searches 11%Mentioned in 3 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 5th
  5. StoryblokShare of searches 9.1%Mentioned in 3 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 2nd

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Top headless CMS platforms in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews

In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Payload CMS was mentioned in three out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Payload CMS is the fifth most recommended of the seven.

Most recommended by AI

Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.

  1. Sanity1st
  2. Storyblok2nd
  3. Strapi3rd
  4. Contentful4th
  5. Payload CMS5th
  6. Prismic6th
  7. Hygraph7th

Mentioned by AI

Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.

  • Contentful5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
  • Sanity5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
  • Strapi4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
  • Payload CMS3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
  • Storyblok3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
  • Prismic1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
  • Hygraph1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers

See every answer about headless CMS platforms

5 answers

Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in New Zealand on October 21, 2026.

How often do people search for Payload CMS compared with other New Zealand headless CMS platforms?

Payload CMS against headless CMS platforms in New Zealand, by month

Share of searches by month for Prismic, Contentful, Sanity, Payload CMS, Storyblok, Strapi. The figures are in the table below the chart.

View monthly share of searches table
MonthPrismicContentfulSanityPayload CMSStoryblokStrapiHygraph
Nov 202521.5%29.7%13.3%10.8%10.8%13.3%0.63%
Dec 202527.2%27.2%12.8%11.2%8.8%11.2%1.6%
Jan 202624.8%26.9%11%11.7%11.7%11.7%2.1%
Feb 202620%28.2%12.4%15.3%10%12.4%1.8%
Mar 202617.6%30.6%14.5%13.5%10.9%10.9%2.1%
Apr 202619.4%28.8%17.6%12.4%8.2%12.4%1.2%
May 202623.4%24.6%17.5%12.3%9.9%9.9%2.3%
Jun 202619.6%28.5%17.9%11.7%11.7%9.5%1.1%
Jul 202618.1%32.9%17.4%13.5%9%7.1%1.9%
Aug 202620.9%30.4%14.6%13.3%10.8%8.9%1.3%
Sep 202621.8%33.3%14.7%10.9%10.9%7.1%1.3%
Oct 202632.5%25.3%13.6%11%9.1%7.1%1.3%

  1. 1.Prismic

    32.5%

    Moved from 2nd to 1st. 500 estimated branded searches, +47.1% vs prior month. Share +10.7 points.

  2. 2.Contentful

    25.3%

    Moved from 1st to 2nd. 390 estimated branded searches, -25% vs prior month. Share -8 points.

  3. 3.Sanity

    13.6%

    Held 3rd. 210 estimated branded searches, -8.7% vs prior month. Share -1.1 points.

  4. 4.Payload CMS

    11%

    Held 4th. 170 estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share +0.1 points.

  5. 5.Storyblok

    9.1%

    Held 5th. 140 estimated branded searches, -17.6% vs prior month. Share -1.8 points.

  6. 6.Strapi

    7.1%

    Held 6th. 110 estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share +0.1 points.

  7. 7.Hygraph

    1.3%

    Held 7th. 20 estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share 0 points.

Compare popularity between Payload CMS and its closest rivals

Every comparison with Payload CMS

6 comparisons

How has branded search demand for Payload CMS changed in New Zealand over the last 12 months?

3 findings
  • Across the 12 months ending October 2026, estimated monthly branded searches for Payload CMS in New Zealand held steady at 170.
  • Across the 12 months ending October 2026, Payload CMS’s share of searches among headless CMS platforms in New Zealand peaked at 15.3% in February 2026 and was lowest at 10.8% in November 2025.
  • Across the 12 months ending October 2026, Payload CMS rose from 5th to 4th among headless CMS platforms in New Zealand.

How did search popularity change for New Zealand headless CMS platforms in October 2026?

6 changes

  1. In October 2026, Prismic overtook Contentful to become the leader among headless CMS platforms in New Zealand, with 32.5% of the searches.

  2. In October 2026, Contentful lost share of searches among headless CMS platforms in New Zealand, from 33.3% to 25.3%.

  3. In October 2026, Storyblok lost share of searches among headless CMS platforms in New Zealand, from 10.9% to 9.1%.

  4. In October 2026, Sanity lost share of searches among headless CMS platforms in New Zealand, from 14.7% to 13.6%.

  5. Estimated monthly branded searches for Hygraph in New Zealand rose 100% over 12 measured months, from 10 to 20 in October 2026.

  6. Estimated monthly branded searches for Strapi in New Zealand fell 47.6% over 12 measured months, from 210 to 110 in October 2026.

How are Payload CMS’s branded searches counted?

1 search term

Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Payload CMS’s name. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for this branded term can be used to understand whether interest in the brand is growing, holding steady, or fading.

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