Ghost
Shopify
Ghost vs Shopify: which is right for your project? Ghost is modern publishing platform built for professional content creators. Shopify is leading hosted e-commerce platform. We compare features, performance, and pricing.
Start MigrationShopify 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 Shopify for E-commerce businesses of any size that want a managed, reliable store.
Official docs: Ghost Documentation · Shopify Developer Docs
| Feature | Ghost | Shopify |
|---|---|---|
Ease of Use | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Performance | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Flexibility | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
Cost Value | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ |
Scalability | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Ecosystem | ⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Detail | Ghost | Shopify |
|---|---|---|
Language / Stack | Node.js | Liquid (templating) / Proprietary |
Type | blogging | ecommerce |
Pricing | Free (self-hosted) / $9-199/month (managed) | $39-399/month |
Open Source | Yes | No |
Best For | Professional writers, journalists, and newsletter creators who want to monetize content | E-commerce businesses of any size that want a managed, reliable store |
Export Method | Built-in JSON export or Content API | CSV export or Admin API (GraphQL/REST) |
The right choice between Ghost and Shopify 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 Shopify is a ecommerce built with Liquid (templating) / Proprietary. 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, Ghost is open-source (Free (self-hosted) / $9-199/month (managed)), while Shopify ($39-399/month) 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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