Why Figma Bought Payload CMS — And Why It Actually Makes a Lot of Sense

In a move that caught most of the dev community off guard, Figma acquired Payload CMS. A design company buying a CMS? Sounds odd at first.

But it’s not.

Here’s the breakdown.

First—What is Payload CMS?

If you’re imagining WordPress with a React wrapper, think again.

Payload isn’t your average “blog-posts-and-pages” CMS.

It’s:

• A backend framework
• A full admin UI
• A powerful API system
• Built for developers (by developers)
• 100% TypeScript

Think of it as a headless CMS meets an app framework.

Define your data models? ✅

Get a GraphQL and REST API instantly? ✅

Admin panel included? ✅

Host it anywhere? ✅

Build real apps with it? ✅✅✅

So yeah—Payload is more of a developer-first tool to build apps, not just sites.

So… Why Did Figma Buy a CMS?

Let’s reframe that.

They didn’t just buy a CMS.

They bought the missing backend to their frontend. Here’s why:

1. Closing the Design-to-Code Gap

Figma nails UI design. But turning that beautiful design into a working app? Still a messy process.

There’s:

• Design systems in Figma
• Then separate frontend code
• Then somewhere… a backend

Payload fits in right there.

It gives Figma users (or future tools powered by Figma) a code-level backend that speaks design.

2. Declarative Everything

Payload works off a single config file. Declare your collections, fields, access rules—all from one place.

This config is perfect for AI and perfect for automation.

Instead of hand-coding everything, AI tools can output Payload configs. That means:

• Instant APIs
• Instant admin UIs
• All hooked into your frontend and data layer

3. Figma Wants More Than Just Design

Figma’s growing.

From a canvas tool to a full product ecosystem. They’re not just stopping at designs. They want to be part of:

• Developer workflows
• Content workflows
• Product shipping cycles

Payload gives them that backend muscle—open source, dev-friendly, and tightly integrated with real application needs.

What’s the Vision Here?

Imagine this workflow:

• A designer creates a layout in Figma
• Figma knows what a “Button” or “Card” or “Product” means
• With AI + Payload, that layout turns into:
  • React/JSX components
  • Payload collections
  • A full backend with access control
  • Editable content in an admin panel

It’s no longer just design-to-code

It’s design-to-app.

Frontend, backend, and CMS—all generated, all editable, all synced.

What About Payload’s Future?

Still open source. Still developer-first.

In fact, it’s getting even better:

• Better integrations with frontend frameworks like Next.js
• More dev tools
• Potential Figma-powered workflows for non-dev teams
• More features like digital asset management (DAM), A/B testing, etc.

The core team is still building it. And now—with Figma’s support—it’s about to reach way more people.

Final Thoughts

Figma didn’t just buy a CMS.

They bought a developer-grade application layer that can bridge design, data, and development.

And if you’ve ever built an app and thought: “I wish my backend just understood what I was doing in Figma…” Well… we’re getting there.

This move isn’t just strategic. It’s a signal: The future of app building is visual, connected, and full-stack by default.

And Payload? It just became the brain of that system.

🚀 Let’s build something amazing! If you have a project in mind or need help with your next design system, feel free to reach out.
📧 Email: safi.abdulkader@gmail.com | 💻 LinkedIn: @abdulkader-safi | 📱 Instagram: @abdulkader.safi | 🏢 DSRPT

Drop me a line, I’m always happy to collaborate! 🚀