WAYF is a Payload Development Agency

A headless CMS that thinks like a developer. TypeScript-native, code-first, no black boxes. Payload fits how we already work—React frontends, TypeScript everywhere, configuration as code. When we need a headless CMS that doesn’t fight our stack, this is what we reach for.

What We Build

Headless backends for React and Next.js applications. Content platforms where developers need full control. E-commerce product catalogs. Multi-tenant SaaS with content management baked in. Applications where the CMS is part of the product, not bolted on.

We’ve built Payload backends for marketing sites and for complex applications where content management was one feature among many. We’ve used it as a standalone CMS and embedded it directly into Next.js applications.

What we build less of: projects where editors need a polished, opinionated admin experience out of the box, or where the development team isn’t comfortable with code-first configuration. Payload rewards technical teams. If yours isn’t, other options may serve you better.

Why Us

Same Stack, No Context Switch

Payload is TypeScript, React, and Node. So is most of what we build. Our engineers aren’t learning a new ecosystem—they’re using tools that match their existing expertise.

Seniority as Default

Our engineers average 8+ years in software. They’ve built content systems on multiple platforms and know what makes one work. They evaluate tools skeptically and chose Payload for specific reasons, not because it’s new.

Full-Stack Ownership

We build the Next.js frontends that consume Payload APIs and the Payload backends that serve them. One team, one codebase, no handoffs between “CMS people” and “frontend people”.

Range

We’ve shipped for early-stage startups (Framer, Rye), global manufacturers (Ingersoll Rand), and international institutions (Council of Europe Development Bank). Different scales require different approaches to content architecture, access control, and deployment.

How We Work

Sometimes you have a team and a process —you need specialists who can plug in. We do that. Your tools, your preferences. We adapt. But often you need someone to own the process end-to-end. When we lead, we actually lead: two-week sprints, weekly syncs, decisions documented. We surface risks before they’re problems. You get a team accountable for outcomes, not just output.

What stays constant: direct communication, no surprises, honest feedback. We’d rather have a hard conversation early than a failed project late.

Technical Approach

Configuration as Code

Means version control, code review, and type safety for your content model. No clicking through admin panels hoping you remember what changed. Schema changes go through the same process as application code.

TypeScript Throughout

Payload generates types from your collections. Your frontend knows exactly what shape content will take. Runtime errors from content structure mismatches become compile-time errors.

Next.js Integration is Native

Payload can run embedded in your Next.js application—same deployment, same authentication, no separate service to manage. We use this when it simplifies architecture and deploy separately when it doesn’t.

Access Control That Scales

Field-level permissions, document-level permissions, role-based and attribute-based access patterns. We’ve built multi-tenant systems where organizations see only their content and editorial workflows with approval chains.

Self-Hosted by Default

Your data stays on your infrastructure. No vendor lock-in, no usage-based pricing surprises, no third-party dependency for your content.

What We See Go Wrong

The most common pattern: teams choose Payload because it’s developer-friendly, then forget that editors still need to use it. The admin UI is capable but requires thoughtful configuration. Neglect that, and content teams struggle.

We also see teams underestimate the code-first tradeoff. Payload’s power comes from configuration as code. If your team wants to click through a GUI to add fields, or if non-developers need to modify content models, that’s friction.

Another pattern: treating Payload like a traditional CMS instead of leveraging its flexibility. It can be embedded in your application, share your authentication, run in the same deployment. Teams that deploy it as a separate service when they don’t need to add complexity they could avoid.

Who We Work Well With

Clients with technical teams who want control over their content infrastructure. Who see the CMS as part of the application, not a separate concern. Also: clients building products where content management is a feature—SaaS platforms, multi-tenant applications, anything where “just use a hosted CMS” doesn’t fit.

What both types have in common: comfort with code-first tools, realistic expectations, and treating our team as partners.

Who We’re Not For

If you’re comparing on hourly rate alone, we’ll lose that spreadsheet. What we won’t lose is months to content architecture that doesn’t fit your application.

If your content team needs a polished, GUI-driven experience and your development team isn’t going to invest in customizing the admin—Payload may not be the right fit. We’ll tell you that.

If you want a hosted solution with no infrastructure responsibility—Payload Cloud exists, but other headless CMS options might suit you better. We’ll help you evaluate honestly.