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Drupal

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Ghost

Drupal vs Ghost

Drupal vs Ghost: which is right for your project? Drupal is enterprise php cms for complex content architectures. Ghost is modern publishing platform built for professional content creators. We compare features, performance, and pricing.

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TL;DR — Our Recommendation

It depends — Drupal and Ghost serve different use cases well. Choose Drupal for Large organizations needing complex content structures and strict access control. Choose Ghost for Professional writers, journalists, and newsletter creators who want to monetize content.

Official docs: Drupal Documentation · Ghost Documentation

Feature by Feature Comparison

FeatureDrupalGhost
Ease of Use
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Performance
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Flexibility
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Cost Value
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Scalability
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ecosystem
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Pros & Cons

Drupal

Pros

  • Powerful content modeling with custom entity types and fields
  • Enterprise-grade access control and user permissions
  • Built-in multilingual support for global sites
  • Strong security track record used by governments and universities

Cons

  • Steep learning curve — requires developer expertise
  • Fewer themes and modules compared to WordPress
  • Major version upgrades (e.g. Drupal 7→10) are complex migrations
  • Slow without aggressive caching configuration

Ghost

Pros

  • Beautiful, focused writing experience (Markdown + rich editor)
  • Built-in membership and subscription payment system
  • Newsletter/email delivery built right into the platform
  • Fast Node.js architecture — much faster than WordPress

Cons

  • Limited to blogs and newsletters — not a general CMS
  • Small theme ecosystem compared to WordPress
  • Self-hosting requires Node.js server expertise
  • Managed hosting (Ghost Pro) is relatively expensive

Platform Details

DetailDrupalGhost
Language / Stack
PHPNode.js
Type
traditional cmsblogging
Pricing
Free (self-hosted)Free (self-hosted) / $9-199/month (managed)
Open Source
YesYes
Best For
Large organizations needing complex content structures and strict access controlProfessional writers, journalists, and newsletter creators who want to monetize content
Export Method
JSON:API module or Views data exportBuilt-in JSON export or Content API

When to Choose Each Platform

Choose Drupal if…

  • You need large organizations needing complex content structures and strict access control
  • Your team is comfortable with PHP
  • You want an open-source solution with full code ownership

Choose Ghost if…

  • You need professional writers, journalists, and newsletter creators who want to monetize content
  • Your team is comfortable with Node.js
  • You want an open-source solution with full code ownership
  • You want a low learning curve for non-technical team members

Which Should You Pick?

The right choice between Drupal and Ghost depends on three things: your team's technical skills, your project timeline, and your long-term content strategy.

These platforms take fundamentally different approaches. Drupal is a traditional cms built with PHP, while Ghost is a blogging built with Node.js. That architectural difference shapes everything from daily content editing workflows to deployment and hosting costs. If your team includes non-developers who need to publish content frequently, Drupal's familiar editing interface may save you onboarding time.

From a cost perspective, both platforms are open-source, so the real cost difference is hosting and operational overhead. Factor in plugin or extension costs, developer rates for each tech stack, and whether you need managed hosting or can self-host.

Whichever you choose, migrating between them is straightforward. LeaveWP supports migration between 60+ platforms, so you're never locked in regardless of which you pick today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Drupal better than Ghost?
They're closely matched (20/30 vs 19/30). Drupal is best for Large organizations needing complex content structures and strict access control, while Ghost excels for Professional writers, journalists, and newsletter creators who want to monetize content. Your choice should depend on your team's skills and project requirements.
Can I migrate from Drupal to Ghost?
Yes. Export your Drupal content via JSON:API module or Views data export, then import it into Ghost. LeaveWP can help automate this process while preserving your SEO metadata and URL structure.
What are the main differences between Drupal and Ghost?
Drupal is enterprise php cms for complex content architectures, while Ghost is modern publishing platform built for professional content creators. Key differences: ease of use (Drupal: 2/5, Ghost: 4/5), pricing (Free (self-hosted) vs Free (self-hosted) / $9-199/month (managed)), and ecosystem size (Drupal: 3/5, Ghost: 2/5).
How much does Drupal cost compared to Ghost?
Drupal: Free (self-hosted). Ghost: Free (self-hosted) / $9-199/month (managed). Both are open-source, so the main cost difference is hosting and infrastructure.
Which is easier to learn, Drupal or Ghost?
Ghost is easier to pick up (4/5 vs 2/5). Beautiful, focused writing experience (Markdown + rich editor). Drupal Steep learning curve — requires developer expertise.
Which performs better, Drupal or Ghost?
Ghost has the performance edge (4/5 vs 3/5). Ghost has Fast Node.js architecture — much faster than WordPress. Drupal Slow without aggressive caching configuration.

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