Craft CMS vs Ghost (2024 Comparison)
Craft CMS offers a flexible and robust platform for building custom websites. With its highly customizable templates and advanced security features, it's an excellent choice for businesses looking to enhance their online presence.
- Highly customizable templates
- Robust content management
- Advanced security features
- Requires technical knowledge
- Limited free support options
Free plan?
YesStarting price
$279 per project
Ghost provides a streamlined platform for content creators, offering an intuitive interface and fast performance. Its built-in SEO features make it a great choice for writers and bloggers aiming to boost their online visibility.
- Intuitive interface
- Fast performance
- Built-in SEO features
- Limited customization options
- Basic user permissions
Free plan?
YesStarting price
$9 per monthWhat is Craft CMS?
Craft CMS is a flexible, user-friendly content management system designed for developers and content creators. It offers a robust set of features that allow you to build custom websites with ease. With its intuitive interface, Craft CMS helps users manage content efficiently, making it ideal for businesses looking to create dynamic and engaging websites. Whether you're a developer or a content manager, Craft CMS provides the tools you need to streamline your workflow and enhance your online presence.
What is Ghost?
Ghost is a powerful, open-source platform designed for professional publishing. It offers a clean, intuitive interface that makes it easy for writers and bloggers to create and manage content. Ghost's focus on simplicity and speed helps users publish content quickly, making it a popular choice for content creators who want to focus on writing rather than managing complex systems. With its built-in SEO features and customizable themes, Ghost is perfect for those looking to build a professional online presence.
Pros and Cons of Craft CMS vs Ghost
Pros & Cons of Craft CMS
- Craft CMS offers a wide range of customizable templates, allowing you to create a unique and personalized website that reflects your brand's identity. This flexibility is ideal for businesses looking to stand out.
- With Craft CMS, managing content is a breeze. Its robust content management features make it easy to organize and update your website, ensuring your content is always fresh and relevant.
- Craft CMS prioritizes security, offering advanced features that protect your website from potential threats. This makes it a reliable choice for businesses that handle sensitive data.
- Craft CMS can be challenging for beginners, as it requires some technical knowledge to fully utilize its features. This may not be ideal for those who prefer a more straightforward platform.
- While Craft CMS offers support, the free options are limited, which may be a drawback for users who require extensive assistance or are working with a tight budget.
Pros & Cons of Ghost
- Ghost's intuitive interface makes it easy for users to navigate and manage their content. This simplicity is perfect for writers and bloggers who want to focus on creating rather than managing.
- Ghost is known for its fast performance, ensuring your website loads quickly and efficiently. This is ideal for users who prioritize speed and want to provide a seamless experience for their audience.
- Ghost offers built-in SEO features that help optimize your content for search engines. This is a great advantage for users looking to improve their online visibility and reach a wider audience.
- While Ghost offers some customization, it is more limited compared to other platforms. This may not be ideal for users who want extensive design options and flexibility.
- Ghost's user permissions are basic, which may not be suitable for larger teams or businesses that require detailed access control. This could be a limitation for those who need more advanced user management.
Craft CMS vs Ghost: At A Glance
Value to Price
Craft CMS offers a comprehensive set of features that justify its price, making it a great investment for businesses looking to build custom websites. Ghost, while slightly more affordable, offers fewer customization options, making it better suited for those who prioritize simplicity over flexibility.
Ease of Use
Ghost shines in ease of use with its intuitive interface, making it ideal for writers and bloggers. Craft CMS, while user-friendly, requires a bit more technical knowledge, making it better suited for developers and tech-savvy users.
Functionality
Craft CMS excels in functionality, offering a wide range of features that allow for extensive customization. Ghost, while functional, focuses more on content creation, making it a better choice for those who prioritize writing over design.
Scalability
Craft CMS is highly scalable, making it suitable for businesses of all sizes. Ghost, while scalable, is better suited for smaller projects or individual bloggers due to its focus on simplicity and speed.
Integrations
Craft CMS offers a wide range of integrations, making it easy to connect with other tools and services. Ghost, while offering some integrations, is more limited in this area, making it better suited for those who don't require extensive third-party connections.
Customer Support
Craft CMS provides reliable customer support, ensuring users have the help they need when issues arise. Ghost offers support as well, but it may not be as comprehensive, making Craft CMS a better choice for those who prioritize customer service.
Security
Both Craft CMS and Ghost offer robust security features, but Craft CMS takes the lead with its advanced security measures, making it a better choice for businesses that prioritize data protection.
Overall Rating
Craft CMS scores higher overall due to its extensive features and flexibility, making it ideal for developers and businesses. Ghost, while slightly lower in rating, is perfect for content creators who value simplicity and speed.
Craft CMS vs Ghost: A Detailed Breakdown of Key Features
Custom Templates
Craft CMS offers extensive custom template options, allowing you to create unique designs tailored to your brand. Ghost, while offering some customization, is more limited in this area, making it better suited for those who prefer simplicity over extensive design options.
SEO Tools
Both Craft CMS and Ghost provide robust SEO tools, but Craft CMS offers more advanced features, making it ideal for businesses looking to optimize their online presence. Ghost's SEO tools are effective but more basic, making it a good choice for smaller projects.
Content Management
Craft CMS excels in content management, offering a wide range of features that make it easy to organize and manage content. Ghost, while also strong in this area, focuses more on simplicity, making it a better choice for those who prioritize ease of use over extensive management options.
User Permissions
Craft CMS offers detailed user permissions, allowing you to control access to different parts of your website. Ghost, while offering some user permissions, is more limited, making it better suited for smaller teams or individual users.
Performance
Ghost takes the lead in performance, offering fast loading times and a smooth user experience. Craft CMS, while also performing well, may require more resources, making Ghost a better choice for those who prioritize speed and efficiency.
Theme Customization
Craft CMS offers extensive theme customization options, allowing you to create a unique look for your website. Ghost, while offering some customization, is more limited, making it better suited for those who prefer a simpler design process.
Pricing Comparison of Craft CMS and Ghost
To assist you in making an informed choice, we’ve outlined the pricing plans and essential features of Craft CMS and Ghost. This comparison will highlight the best option for creating your website.
Craft CMS Pricing Plans
- Ultra-flexible content modeling for custom content types.
- Multi-site and localization support for diverse audiences.
- Advanced previewing for multiple targets.
- Twig and GraphQL for custom front-end templates.
- One user group with customizable permissions.
- Developer support from Craft core team.
- Free when hosted on Craft Cloud.
- Ideal for small team projects.
- Unlimited user groups for diverse teams.
- Branded control panel for personalization.
- Branded communication with custom email templates.
- Free when hosted on Craft Cloud.
- Custom license agreement for specific needs.
- Procurement support for large organizations.
- Dedicated premium support for priority assistance.
- Tailored for projects with specific licensing requirements.
Ghost Pricing Plans
- Allows 1 staff user to manage content and settings.
- Access to 18 free official themes for customization.
- No transaction fees on payments, keeping all revenue.
- 5MB file upload limit for media and documents.
- Allows 2 staff users for collaborative content creation.
- Unlimited custom themes for personalized branding.
- 1,000+ integrations for enhanced functionality.
- 100MB file upload limit for larger media files.
- Allows 5 staff users for larger teams.
- Priority support for faster issue resolution.
- 250MB file upload limit for extensive media use.
- Advanced integrations for complex workflows.
- Unlimited staff users for extensive team collaboration.
- Advanced configuration options for tailored solutions.
- 99.9% uptime SLA for reliable performance.
- 1GB file upload limit for high-volume media.
Our Rating Methodology
We thoroughly test each content management system, evaluating key features like ease of use, functionality, and scalability. We also analyze user reviews to ensure our recommendations fit your needs. Each of the seven evaluation factors is weighted by importance to provide an accurate final rating, helping you avoid poor-quality tools and make informed decisions.
Craft CMS or Ghost: Which One Matches Your Business Needs?
Choose Craft CMS If You Need ...
- Advanced customization options
If you need a platform with advanced customization options, Craft CMS is the better choice. Its extensive template and design features allow you to create a unique and personalized website that stands out.
- Robust content management
If you require robust content management capabilities, Craft CMS excels in this area. Its comprehensive features make it easy to organize and update your website, ensuring your content is always fresh and relevant.
Choose Ghost If You Need ...
- Intuitive and fast platform
If you prefer an intuitive and fast platform, Ghost is the ideal choice. Its user-friendly interface and quick performance make it perfect for writers and bloggers who want to focus on content creation.
- Built-in SEO features
If you need built-in SEO features, Ghost offers effective tools to optimize your content for search engines. This is a great advantage for users looking to improve their online visibility and reach a wider audience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which platform is better for beginners, Craft CMS or Ghost?
Can Craft CMS handle large-scale websites?
Does Ghost offer customization options?
Which platform offers better SEO tools?
Is customer support available for both platforms?
Which platform is more secure, Craft CMS or Ghost?
Martin Lunendonk
Martin Lunendonk is a senior tech writer specializing in website builders, web hosting, and ecommerce platforms. With a background in finance, accounting, and philosophy, he has founded multiple tech startups and worked in medium to large tech companies and investment banking, bringing deep expertise and reliable insights to his software reviews.
