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Ghost

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Squarespace

Ghost vs Squarespace

Ghost vs Squarespace: which is right for your project? Ghost is modern publishing platform built for professional content creators. Squarespace is all-in-one website builder with designer templates. We compare features, performance, and pricing.

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TL;DR — Our Recommendation

Ghost wins overall, but Squarespace is better for non-technical creators who want a polished site without touching code. Choose Ghost for Professional writers, journalists, and newsletter creators who want to monetize content. Choose Squarespace for Non-technical creators who want a polished site without touching code.

Official docs: Ghost Documentation · Squarespace Developer Docs

Feature by Feature Comparison

Feature	Ghost	Squarespace
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

Squarespace

Pros

Beautiful, professionally designed templates out of the box
All-in-one: hosting, SSL, domain, and CDN included
Drag-and-drop editor requires zero coding knowledge
Built-in e-commerce, analytics, and email marketing

Cons

Walled garden — no code access or custom server logic
Cannot self-host or export to another platform easily
Limited to Squarespace's template system for design
Monthly costs add up ($192-588/year) for a content site

Platform Details

Detail	Ghost	Squarespace
Language / Stack	Node.js	Proprietary
Type	blogging	website builder
Pricing	Free (self-hosted) / $9-199/month (managed)	$16-49/month
Open Source	Yes	No
Best For	Professional writers, journalists, and newsletter creators who want to monetize content	Non-technical creators who want a polished site without touching code
Export Method	Built-in JSON export or Content API	Built-in XML export (limited to blog posts and pages)

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 Squarespace if…

You need non-technical creators who want a polished site without touching code
Your team is comfortable with Proprietary
You want a low learning curve for non-technical team members

Which Should You Pick?

The right choice between Ghost and Squarespace 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 Squarespace is a website builder built with Proprietary. 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, Squarespace'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 Squarespace ($16-49/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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Ghost better than Squarespace?

Ghost scores higher overall (19/30 vs 16/30) thanks to better performance. However, Squarespace is the better choice for Non-technical creators who want a polished site without touching code.

Can I migrate from Ghost to Squarespace?

Yes. Export your Ghost content via Built-in JSON export or Content API, then import it into Squarespace. LeaveWP can help automate this process while preserving your SEO metadata and URL structure.

What are the main differences between Ghost and Squarespace?

Ghost is modern publishing platform built for professional content creators, while Squarespace is all-in-one website builder with designer templates. Key differences: ease of use (Ghost: 4/5, Squarespace: 5/5), pricing (Free (self-hosted) / $9-199/month (managed) vs $16-49/month), and scalability (Ghost: 3/5, Squarespace: 2/5).

How much does Ghost cost compared to Squarespace?

Ghost: Free (self-hosted) / $9-199/month (managed). Squarespace: $16-49/month. Ghost is open-source and free to self-host, while Squarespace is a paid platform.

Which is easier to learn, Ghost or Squarespace?

Squarespace is easier to pick up (5/5 vs 4/5). Beautiful, professionally designed templates out of the box. Ghost has a steeper learning curve, especially for teams new to Node.js.

Which performs better, Ghost or Squarespace?

Ghost has the performance edge (4/5 vs 3/5). Ghost has Fast Node.js architecture — much faster than WordPress. Squarespace may require additional optimization for high-traffic sites.

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