We are the Payload to Hygraph migration experts

Challenges with Payload

While Payload CMS offers a range of features tailored for Next.js applications, it presents certain challenges that might deter some users. One of the primary concerns is the learning curve associated with adopting this tool, particularly for developers unfamiliar with Next.js or headless CMS architectures. The platform's smaller ecosystem compared to more established CMS solutions means that users might find fewer ready-made plugins and third-party integrations, potentially increasing development time and complexity. Additionally, as a JavaScript-based CMS, there might be performance overhead in high-traffic environments, necessitating careful consideration of server resources and optimization strategies.

Another notable drawback is the documentation, which, while generally helpful, has been reported to contain gaps that could hinder new users from fully leveraging the platform's capabilities. The community, although growing, is still smaller than those of more established CMS platforms, which can limit the availability of peer support and community-driven resources. Moreover, being a headless CMS, Payload requires a separate hosting solution for its backend, adding an additional layer of complexity for those used to more traditional, all-in-one CMS platforms. These factors combined might make Payload CMS less appealing to users seeking a more straightforward or widely supported content management solution.

Key Pain Points

•Steep learning curve for newcomers
•Smaller ecosystem of plugins and integrations
•Potential performance overhead in high-traffic environments
•Some gaps in documentation
•Smaller community compared to established platforms
•Requires separate hosting for the backend

Benefits of Hygraph

Hygraph is a GraphQL-first setup isn’t a gimmick, queries are fast, precise, and an instant upgrade from platforms still pretending REST is the future. Content teams get a clean, intuitive UI, and developers get proper modeling tools. The real flex is Content Federation. Instead of juggling five backends and duct-taped integrations, Hygraph pulls external APIs into one place and lets you manage everything from a single dashboard.

All the enterprise essentials are built-in like workflows, localization, roles, and staging. If you’re thinking of adopting it (or untangling your current setup), connect with us, and we’ll help you integrate it properly and get the most out of it.

Key advantages

GraphQL-first API architecture

Hygraph gives developers precise and predictable queries without over-fetching or duct-taping endpoints. If you're comfortable with GraphQL, go ahead with it.

Multi-region content delivery

Your content gets served from the closest region, so pages load fast everywhere without you having to think about infrastructure.

Fast geo-distributed responses

Because their CDN actually does its job, API calls resolve quickly across regions which is perfect for apps that can’t afford to wait on slow round-trips.

External API integration support

Hygraph’s content federation lets you pull in data from other APIs and treat everything like one unified system without any custom backend glue or microservice jungle.

Generous free tier offering

You can build real projects without paying a penny. It’s surprisingly capable for prototyping, small sites, or testing before you commit budget.

Automated webhook capabilities

All the updates trigger instantly with clean webhooks, which is great for syncing builds, triggering workflows, or piping data into other systems without manual overhead.