Source: https://seerepo.com/compare/payloadcms/payload/vs/redwoodjs/graphql
Markdown source: https://seerepo.com/compare/payloadcms/payload/vs/redwoodjs/graphql.md
Description: payload and graphql share 9 technologies: React, Postgres, SQLite, graphql-scalars, Redis, Vite, prompts, nodemailer, and pino. Both are written in TypeScript.

# payload vs graphql

payload and graphql share 9 technologies: React, Postgres, SQLite, graphql-scalars, Redis, Vite, prompts, nodemailer, and pino. Both are written in TypeScript.

- [payloadcms/payload](https://seerepo.com/r/payloadcms/payload): Payload is the open-source, fullstack Next.js framework, giving you instant backend superpowers. Get a full TypeScript backend and admin panel instantly. Use Payload as a headless CMS or for building powerful applications.
- [redwoodjs/graphql](https://seerepo.com/r/redwoodjs/graphql): RedwoodGraphQL

## What they share and what sets them apart

- In common: React, Postgres, SQLite, graphql-scalars, Redis, Vite, prompts, nodemailer, pino
- Only in payload: TanStack, Next.js, Sentry, MongoDB, graphql-http, Vue, @aws-sdk/lib-storage, AWS S3, bson-objectid, Stripe, MCP, @azure/storage-blob, Google Cloud, aws-sdk, Vercel, @clack/prompts, Drizzle, @aws-sdk/credential-providers, @monaco-editor/react, react-datepicker, jose, file-type, sanitize-filename, image-dimensions, sax, Zod, @standard-schema/spec, pino-pretty, escape-html, csv-parse, csv-stringify, lexical, react-error-boundary, @lexical/markdown, mdast-util-from-markdown, mdast-util-mdx-jsx, micromark-extension-mdx-jsx, sharp, sonner, dnd-kit, react-select, monaco-editor, @floating-ui/dom, react-image-crop
- Only in graphql: Fastify, Auth0, MySQL, graphql-yoga, Resend, react-server-dom-webpack, lru-cache, Express, find-my-way, @whatwg-node/server, enquirer, ora, pino-abstract-transport, Prisma, jsonwebtoken, jwks-rsa, @azure/msal-browser, @simplewebauthn/server, @simplewebauthn/browser, Netlify, boxen, opentelemetry, Cheerio, React Hook Form, mjml, @react-email/render, react-helmet-async, react-hot-toast

## Side by side

| | payload | graphql |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 1,066,210 lines written, 4,867 code files | 206,683 lines written, 1,161 code files |
| Who writes it | 0.6% of its commits signed by AI. With GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, and Cursor | 0% of its commits signed by AI |
| Activity | Last push November 6, 2026, 14,788 commits, 45,682 stars | Last push November 4, 2026, 11,042 commits, 17,590 stars |
| Tests | 2,460 test files. 12.6% of its code files have a test that imports them | 1,003 test files. 27% of its code files have a test that imports them |

- Size: Lines written by people and agents, without generated ones; code files, without tests.
- Who writes it: A commit counts as AI's when it carries its signature: a Co-Authored-By line, its author name or the merge of its branch.
- Activity: From GitHub and its history, on the day SeeRepo read it.
- Tests: The files that test the code, and the share of code files a test imports.

## Frequently asked questions

### Which is bigger, payload or graphql?

payload, with 1,066,210 lines written; graphql has 206,683.

The proof: [payloadcms/payload's code at commit fac8196](https://github.com/payloadcms/payload/tree/fac81961b76c0d0e15545ec8aeda3e099aca8f03)

### Which has more GitHub stars, payload or graphql?

payload, with 45,682 stars; graphql has 17,590.

The proof: [payloadcms/payload on GitHub](https://github.com/payloadcms/payload)

### Which has more tests, payload or graphql?

payload, with 2,460 test files; graphql has 1,003.

The proof: [payloadcms/payload's code at commit fac8196](https://github.com/payloadcms/payload/tree/fac81961b76c0d0e15545ec8aeda3e099aca8f03)

### Which was updated more recently, payload or graphql?

payload: its last push was on November 6, 2026, and graphql's on November 4, 2026.

The proof: [payloadcms/payload's commits on GitHub](https://github.com/payloadcms/payload/commits)

### Which has more commits signed by AI, payload or graphql?

payload: an AI signed 0.6% of its commits, with GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, and Cursor.

The proof: [the commits each tool signed in payloadcms/payload](https://seerepo.com/r/payloadcms/payload/ai)

## Sources

- payloadcms/payload: Read on November 6, 2026, at commit fac8196 (https://github.com/payloadcms/payload/tree/fac81961b76c0d0e15545ec8aeda3e099aca8f03)
- redwoodjs/graphql: Read on November 6, 2026, at commit a7852fb (https://github.com/redwoodjs/graphql/tree/a7852fb92d0e4ac2bcce1d9a755717ba6cf53ffd)

## What is your repo built with?

Any public repo, with no account: https://seerepo.com/r/owner/repo/built, with the owner and name it has on GitHub.