Figma Make: Payload Brings a Hosted CMS Backend to Data-Backed Apps
FigmaFigma brought Payload, the open-source headless CMS whose team joined Figma last year, into Figma Make. Teams can now build and ship data-backed web apps with content management, workflows, APIs, and an admin panel hosted by Figma. Marketers can update content without engineering help, and projects remain portable because Payload is open source.
Key Takeaways
- Payload now powers Figma Make backends, giving generated apps real content management instead of static placeholder data.
- The package includes content management, workflows, APIs, and an admin panel, all hosted by Figma.
- Marketers can edit content without source code access or engineering time.
- Content stays tied to the design system, so edits respect approved components.
- Projects are portable outside Figma because Payload is open source.
- Availability is all plans, rolling out over the coming weeks, following Figma's acquisition of the Payload team last year.
Sources & Mentions
1 external resource covering this update
Payload Comes to Figma Make
At Config India on October 15, 2026, Figma announced that Payload is now part of Figma Make. Payload is an open-source content framework and headless CMS. Its team joined Figma last year, and Figma says Payload downloads grew 6x over the past 12 months, making it the fastest-growing open-source CMS on NPM.
What It Provides
The integration lets teams create, manage, and ship data-backed web apps together inside Make. It includes content management, workflows, APIs, and an admin panel, all hosted by Figma. Content and data live in the same place as the app itself.
Why It Matters for Designers and Marketers
A common blocker for prototypes built in Make is that real content needs a backend. With Payload, marketers can update content without source code access or engineering time, and the content stays tied to the design system, so edits do not drift away from approved components.
Portability and Availability
Because Payload is open source, projects can be taken outside Figma, which reduces lock-in concerns. The feature is available on all plans, with access rolling out to all accounts over the coming weeks.