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Ghost

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Gatsby

Ghost vs Gatsby

Ghost vs Gatsby: which is right for your project? Ghost is modern publishing platform built for professional content creators. Gatsby is react-based ssg with graphql data layer. We compare features, performance, and pricing.

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TL;DR — Our Recommendation

Gatsby wins overall, but Ghost is better for professional writers, journalists, and newsletter creators who want to monetize content. Choose Ghost for Professional writers, journalists, and newsletter creators who want to monetize content. Choose Gatsby for Content-rich sites pulling data from multiple sources via GraphQL.

Official docs: Ghost Documentation · Gatsby Documentation

Feature by Feature Comparison

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

Pros & Cons

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

Gatsby

Pros

  • Rich plugin ecosystem for data sources (CMS, APIs, databases)
  • Unified GraphQL data layer pulls from any source
  • Excellent image optimization with gatsby-plugin-image
  • Pre-renders pages for fast initial load and good SEO

Cons

  • Build times scale poorly with page count (minutes for 10K+ pages)
  • Gatsby Cloud was shut down — hosting is now DIY
  • GraphQL data layer adds complexity to simple projects
  • Declining community momentum — many projects migrating to Astro or Next.js

Platform Details

DetailGhostGatsby
Language / Stack
Node.jsJavaScript/TypeScript (React)
Type
bloggingssg
Pricing
Free (self-hosted) / $9-199/month (managed)Free (open-source)
Open Source
YesYes
Best For
Professional writers, journalists, and newsletter creators who want to monetize contentContent-rich sites pulling data from multiple sources via GraphQL
Export Method
Built-in JSON export or Content APIN/A (destination framework)

When to Choose Each Platform

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

Choose Gatsby if…

  • You need content-rich sites pulling data from multiple sources via graphql
  • Your team is comfortable with JavaScript/TypeScript (React)
  • You want an open-source solution with full code ownership
  • Budget is a top priority — free (open-source)
  • You want maximum performance with static or server-rendered pages

Which Should You Pick?

The right choice between Ghost and Gatsby 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 Gatsby is a ssg built with JavaScript/TypeScript (React). That architectural difference shapes everything from daily content editing workflows to deployment and hosting costs. Both platforms require some technical comfort — consider which tech stack aligns better with your team's existing skills.

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 offers a free GhostGatsby migration tool that preserves your URLs, metadata, and content structure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Ghost better than Gatsby?
Gatsby scores higher overall (22/30 vs 19/30) thanks to stronger ecosystem. However, Ghost remains the better choice for Professional writers, journalists, and newsletter creators who want to monetize content.
Can I migrate from Ghost to Gatsby?
Yes. Export your Ghost content via Built-in JSON export or Content API, then convert it to Markdown or import into a headless CMS. LeaveWP can help automate this process while preserving your SEO metadata and URL structure.
What are the main differences between Ghost and Gatsby?
Ghost is modern publishing platform built for professional content creators, while Gatsby is react-based ssg with graphql data layer. Key differences: ease of use (Ghost: 4/5, Gatsby: 3/5), pricing (Free (self-hosted) / $9-199/month (managed) vs Free (open-source)), and ecosystem size (Ghost: 2/5, Gatsby: 3/5).
How much does Ghost cost compared to Gatsby?
Ghost: Free (self-hosted) / $9-199/month (managed). Gatsby: Free (open-source). Both are open-source, so the main cost difference is hosting and infrastructure.
Which is easier to learn, Ghost or Gatsby?
Ghost is easier to pick up (4/5 vs 3/5). Beautiful, focused writing experience (Markdown + rich editor). Gatsby has a steeper learning curve, especially for teams new to JavaScript/TypeScript (React).
Which performs better, Ghost or Gatsby?
Both score equally on performance (4/5). The real difference depends on your setup: Ghost uses Node.js, Gatsby uses JavaScript/TypeScript (React). Proper caching and CDN configuration matters more than the platform itself at this tier.

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