Ghost
Craft CMS
Ghost vs Craft CMS: which is right for your project? Ghost is modern publishing platform built for professional content creators. Craft CMS is developer-focused php cms with elegant content modeling. We compare features, performance, and pricing.
Start MigrationIt depends — Ghost and Craft CMS serve different use cases well. Choose Ghost for Professional writers, journalists, and newsletter creators who want to monetize content. Choose Craft CMS for Agencies building bespoke sites with complex content requirements.
Official docs: Ghost Documentation
| Feature | Ghost | Craft CMS |
|---|---|---|
Ease of Use | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
Performance | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
Flexibility | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Cost Value | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ |
Scalability | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Ecosystem | ⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ |
| Detail | Ghost | Craft CMS |
|---|---|---|
Language / Stack | Node.js | PHP (Yii framework) |
Type | blogging | traditional cms |
Pricing | Free (self-hosted) / $9-199/month (managed) | Free solo / $35+/mo for teams |
Open Source | Yes | No |
Best For | Professional writers, journalists, and newsletter creators who want to monetize content | Agencies building bespoke sites with complex content requirements |
Export Method | Built-in JSON export or Content API | Element API or GraphQL endpoint |
The right choice between Ghost and Craft CMS depends on three things: your team's technical skills, your project timeline, and your long-term content strategy.
These platforms take fundamentally different approaches. Ghost is a blogging built with Node.js, while Craft CMS is a traditional cms built with PHP (Yii framework). 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, Craft CMS's familiar editing interface may save you onboarding time.
From a cost perspective, Ghost is open-source (Free (self-hosted) / $9-199/month (managed)), while Craft CMS (Free solo / $35+/mo for teams) carries ongoing license costs. 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.
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