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Ghost

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Wix

Ghost vs Wix

Ghost vs Wix: which is right for your project? Ghost is modern publishing platform built for professional content creators. Wix is drag-and-drop website builder with ai features. We compare features, performance, and pricing.

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TL;DR — Our Recommendation

Ghost wins overall, but Wix is better for small business owners building their first website without any coding. Choose Ghost for Professional writers, journalists, and newsletter creators who want to monetize content. Choose Wix for Small business owners building their first website without any coding.

Official docs: Ghost Documentation · Wix Developer Docs

Feature by Feature Comparison

FeatureGhostWix
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

Wix

Pros

  • Wix ADI creates a site automatically from your answers
  • True WYSIWYG — drag elements anywhere on the page
  • Large template marketplace (800+ templates)
  • App Market adds functionality without code

Cons

  • Poor Core Web Vitals — heavy JavaScript bundle slows pages
  • No way to export your site or move to another host
  • Absolute positioning makes responsive design brittle
  • Performance degrades significantly with apps and animations

Platform Details

DetailGhostWix
Language / Stack
Node.jsProprietary (Velo for custom code)
Type
bloggingwebsite builder
Pricing
Free (self-hosted) / $9-199/month (managed)$17-35/month
Open Source
YesNo
Best For
Professional writers, journalists, and newsletter creators who want to monetize contentSmall business owners building their first website without any coding
Export Method
Built-in JSON export or Content APINo native export — content must be manually copied

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 Wix if…

  • You need small business owners building their first website without any coding
  • Your team is comfortable with Proprietary (Velo for custom code)
  • You want a low learning curve for non-technical team members

Which Should You Pick?

The right choice between Ghost and Wix 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 Wix is a website builder built with Proprietary (Velo for custom code). 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, Wix'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 Wix ($17-35/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 Wix?
Ghost scores higher overall (19/30 vs 15/30) thanks to better performance. However, Wix is the better choice for Small business owners building their first website without any coding.
Can I migrate from Ghost to Wix?
Yes. Export your Ghost content via Built-in JSON export or Content API, then import it into Wix. LeaveWP can help automate this process while preserving your SEO metadata and URL structure.
What are the main differences between Ghost and Wix?
Ghost is modern publishing platform built for professional content creators, while Wix is drag-and-drop website builder with ai features. Key differences: ease of use (Ghost: 4/5, Wix: 5/5), pricing (Free (self-hosted) / $9-199/month (managed) vs $17-35/month), and scalability (Ghost: 3/5, Wix: 2/5).
How much does Ghost cost compared to Wix?
Ghost: Free (self-hosted) / $9-199/month (managed). Wix: $17-35/month. Ghost is open-source and free to self-host, while Wix is a paid platform.
Which is easier to learn, Ghost or Wix?
Wix is easier to pick up (5/5 vs 4/5). Wix ADI creates a site automatically from your answers. Ghost has a steeper learning curve, especially for teams new to Node.js.
Which performs better, Ghost or Wix?
Ghost has the performance edge (4/5 vs 2/5). Ghost has Fast Node.js architecture — much faster than WordPress. Wix Poor Core Web Vitals — heavy JavaScript bundle slows pages.

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