If you’re planning to start a blog or build a website, choosing the right content management system (CMS) is one of the first big decisions you’ll face. Two names you’ll hear a lot are Ghost and WordPress. Both are popular tools for creating websites and managing content, but they’re quite different in what they offer and who they’re built for.
So, which one is right for you in 2025? Whether you’re starting a personal blog, launching a newsletter, or planning a website for your business, this guide will help you weigh the pros and cons of Ghost vs. WordPress to find the perfect fit.
Before diving in, you might also want to check out this ultimate guide to content editing—because the right CMS is just the start of creating a smooth and successful workflow!
Choosing the right Content Management System
Picking a content management system (CMS) isn’t just about finding a tool—it’s about finding one that aligns with your goals. Ghost and WordPress are two of the most talked-about options for bloggers and content creators, each offering its own theme with distinct features and experiences.
WordPress is known for its versatility. It’s a go-to for people who want full control over how their website looks and functions. On the other hand, Ghost is designed with simplicity in mind, focusing on writers and publishers who want a streamlined experience.
The right choice depends on what you need. Are you looking to build a feature-rich website or online store? WordPress might be your best bet. If you’re all about writing and sharing content, Ghost could be the better fit.
If you’re just starting your journey, take a moment to think about what matters most to you—customization, ease of use, or specific features. You might also find inspiration from these tips for setting achievable goals. After all, the right CMS should help you focus on what you do best.
Read also: Wix vs. WordPress: Which Blogging Platform is Best for SEO?
Target audience and use cases
Who you are and what you need from a CMS can play a huge role in deciding between Ghost and WordPress. Let’s break it down:
- WordPress: This is the ideal choice for bloggers and website owners who want complete control over functionality, design, and features. Whether you’re building a blog, a full-fledged business website, or an online store, WordPress has the flexibility to handle it all.
- Ghost: Ghost CMS is perfect for creators who want a simple, no-frills blogging platform for publishing content. It’s built for writers, bloggers, and newsletter creators who want to focus on their craft without getting lost in plugins and customization.
For online stores or advanced websites, WordPress is the best platform because of its ability to integrate advanced features. Ghost, meanwhile, is better suited for minimalist blogs and content-driven newsletters.
Still unsure where you fall? Think about your long-term vision. If you’re planning something like an online store, check out this guide on organizing your schedule effectively. It might spark ideas for structuring your goals—and your website.
Ease of use and learning curve
When it comes to ease of use, Ghost and WordPress take very different approaches.
- WordPress: With its vast range of customization options, WordPress installation can feel overwhelming for beginners. The learning curve is steeper, especially if you’re diving into plugins, themes, and backend tweaks but it doesn’t require advanced level of coding knowledge. However, tools like the wordpress block editor and page builder plugins (e.g., Elementor) make content creation more intuitive once you get the hang of it.
- Ghost: Ghost offers a much simpler, cleaner interface. It’s built for writers, so you’ll spend less time figuring out how things work and more time creating content. However, this simplicity comes with fewer customization options, which might feel limiting for those looking to build a highly personalized site.
If you’re not tech-savvy, Ghost might be a great platform to start. But if you’re willing to invest time learning the ropes, WordPress rewards you with more flexibility.
Customization and design
Customization is where WordPress and Ghost truly show their key differences.
- WordPress: With thousands of free and premium themes, as well as a massive library of plugins, WordPress is all about flexibility. Whether you’re building a personal blog, a portfolio, or a complex business website, you can tweak almost every aspect of your site to match your vision with a self hosted version.
- Ghost: Ghost keeps things simple. While it doesn’t have the extensive theme and plugin ecosystem of WordPress, it offers clean, modern designs out of the box. If you’re tech-savvy, you can easily create custom themes using Handlebars, but for many users, the limited theme options might feel restrictive.
If design freedom is a priority, WordPress is the clear winner. But if you prefer a minimalist setup that lets you focus on writing, Ghost’s simplicity can be refreshing.
E-commerce integration
If you’re planning to sell something through your website, your choice between Ghost and WordPress becomes even more important for ecommerce options.
- WordPress: WordPress is a powerhouse for e-commerce. Thanks to different plugins like WooCommerce plugin, you can sell physical products, digital downloads, or services with ease. The platform supports payment gateways, inventory management, and even advanced features like shipping calculators and tax settings. It has a massive ecosystem to support your digital store with the blog.
- Ghost: Ghost, on the other hand, focuses on a different type of selling—memberships and paid subscriptions. It’s ideal for creators who want to monetize their content through paid memberships, offering exclusive articles, newsletters, or courses. However, it’s not built for traditional online stores selling physical goods.
For those planning an e-commerce business, WordPress is the better choice. But if your goal is to build a subscription-based blogging platform, Ghost might be exactly what you need.
Monetization and revenue streams
If earning money from your website is a top priority, Ghost and WordPress offer very different approaches to monetization.
- WordPress: This platform is highly flexible when it comes to revenue streams. You can monetize your site with ads, affiliate links, stores, sponsored posts, and more. With the right plugins, you can set up almost any type of monetization model, from memberships to event ticket sales.
- Ghost: Ghost’s monetization is more focused. It’s designed for content creators who want to sell memberships or subscriptions. You can offer exclusive content, newsletters, or courses to paying subscribers, but it doesn’t support traditional ad networks or advanced e-commerce features like WordPress.
WordPress is the better option for bloggers who want multiple ways to earn, whether it’s through ads, affiliate marketing, or product sales. Ghost, meanwhile, is a great pick for those looking to build a dedicated subscriber base for their content.
Accessibility, SEO, and performance
Your website’s visibility and user experience depend heavily on accessibility, SEO, and performance—and Ghost and WordPress tackle these areas in different ways.
- WordPress: As one of the most popular CMS platforms, WordPress has a primary focus on search engine optimisation. Top SEO Plugins like Yoast SEO and Rank Math make it easy to optimize your content for search engines. WordPress also supports accessibility features such as canonical tags, ARIA tags and Facebook Open Graph tags, which can boost your site’s visibility and usability. Create content with target keyword, optimise urls, clean semantic markups and xml sitemaps to enhance your search engine rankings.
- Ghost: Ghost site is all about speed and performance. Its lightweight design ensures fast loading times, which is great for user experience and SEO rankings. It also includes built-in SEO tools, like structured data and automatic sitemaps, so you don’t need to install plugins.
WordPress gives you more control over advanced SEO settings and accessibility features, making it a solid choice for bloggers aiming to maximize their online presence. However, if performance and simplicity are your priorities, Ghost delivers a sleek, high-speed experience right out of the box.
Related: How to Add Keywords in WordPress for Better SEO: A Detailed Guide
Security and maintenance
Security and maintenance are key factors to consider when choosing between Ghost and WordPress, as both blogging platforms handle these aspects differently.
- WordPress: WordPress’s popularity makes it a frequent target for hackers, but its large community and extensive plugin ecosystem offer solutions. Security plugins like Wordfence and Sucuri can help protect your site, and regular updates to wordpress themes, plugins, and the WordPress core are essential to minimize vulnerabilities. However, managing these updates can feel like a chore for some users.
- Ghost: Ghost’s simpler design and limited third-party integrations make it less prone to security issues. With fewer moving parts, there’s less to maintain and fewer vulnerabilities to exploit. Ghost also handles automatic updates for its core software, reducing the need for manual intervention.
If you’re comfortable managing updates and adding security layers, WordPress gives you the tools to secure even the most complex sites. For those who prefer a low-maintenance option, Ghost’s streamlined approach might be a better fit.
Scalability and growth
When planning for the future, scalability is an important factor to consider. Both WordPress and Ghost can grow with your website, but they have different strengths in this area.
- WordPress: WordPress is highly scalable and can handle anything from small personal blogs to large e-commerce websites with massive traffic. Thanks to its vast plugin library and customization options, WordPress can grow with you as your website expands. Whether you need to add more features or scale your hosting, WordPress can accommodate these changes.
- Ghost: Ghost is also scalable, but its simplicity can sometimes limit its growth potential. While it’s a great choice for content-focused websites, if you plan to add complex features or extensive customization down the road, you might find Ghost more restrictive. However, if your growth is centered on expanding your audience and increasing subscription revenue, Ghost’s structure is well-suited for that.
WordPress offers more flexibility for growing websites with varied needs. But if your goal is to keep things simple and focus on curated content, Ghost can still grow with you—just in a more streamlined way.
Community and support
Unlike other blogging platforms, WordPress and Ghost have active communities, but they differ in size and resources.
- WordPress: WordPress has one of the largest and most active communities of any CMS. With millions of users worldwide, you can find an abundance of tutorials, forums, blogs, and support forums. There are also thousands of developers and designers available to help with everything from troubleshooting to custom development. The sheer number of resources available makes it easier to find solutions and support for any issues you might encounter.
- Ghost: Ghost’s community is smaller, but it’s still active and growing. The platform has a dedicated group of users, and the official Ghost forums and documentation provide plenty of helpful information. While it might not have the same number of third-party resources as WordPress, the community is known for being passionate and supportive, especially when it comes to content creation.
If you need quick help or want to explore a wide range of solutions, WordPress’s larger community is a great asset. But if you’re looking for a more focused, close-knit group, Ghost’s community can offer great support in a more specialized way.
Cost and pricing structure
When it comes to cost, both Ghost and WordPress offer different pricing models, catering to a variety of users from hobbyists to large enterprises.
- WordPress: WordPress itself is free open-source software, but there are costs associated with running a WordPress site. You’ll need to pay for web hosting, which can range from a few dollars per month for basic shared hosting to hundreds for managed WordPress hosting. Additionally, premium themes and plugins can add to the cost, though there are thousands of free options available in the WordPress.org plugin repository. If you opt for a self-hosted WordPress site, you’ll have full control over your expenses, allowing you to scale your investment as your site grows.
- Ghost: Ghost offers a more straightforward pricing model with its hosted service, Ghost(Pro). Pricing starts at a monthly transaction fee, which includes hosting, security, and updates. This can be more convenient for users who prefer an all-in-one package without worrying about separate hosting and maintenance costs. However, if you choose to self-host Ghost, you’ll need to consider the costs of a web host, which might be comparable to WordPress hosting prices. Ghost’s focus on memberships and subscriptions makes it a compelling choice for content creators looking to monetize their work.
Ultimately, the cost of using WordPress or Ghost can vary significantly based on your needs. WordPress offers more flexibility in terms of cost management, while the Ghost platform provides a streamlined pricing structure for users who prefer simplicity and ease of use.
Conclusion: WordPress vs Ghost
In the ongoing debate of WordPress vs Ghost, the best choice ultimately depends on your specific needs and goals. WordPress shines as a versatile platform, ideal for anyone seeking extensive customization options, a vast ecosystem of free plugins and free themes within, and the ability to build complex websites or stores. Its flexibility makes it a powerful tool for bloggers, businesses, and developers alike.
You can further explore the full potential of your WordPress blog with Strive Calendar. Seamlessly integrate and manage your content schedule with ease. Streamline your content creation process like never before.
On the other hand, Ghost offers a streamlined, user-friendly interface focused on content creation and publishing. It’s an amazing platform and excellent choice for writers and bloggers who prioritize simplicity and speed, with built-in tools for SEO and membership-based monetization.
If you’re looking to create a highly personalized website, WordPress is likely the better option. However, if your primary focus is on producing and sharing content with minimal fuss, Ghost could be the perfect fit.
Consider your long-term vision, technical skills, and budget when making your decision. Both platforms have their strengths, and understanding your priorities will help you choose the CMS that aligns best with your own blogging platform, and publishing content aspirations in 2025.
FAQs about Ghost vs WordPress
Is Ghost better than WordPress?
It depends on what you’re looking for. Ghost is great if you want a simple, no-frills platform focused on content creation, such as blogging or newsletters. It’s a bit easier to use, fast, and ideal for creators who want to focus on writing rather than customization. On the other hand, WordPress is a more flexible platform, perfect for those who want full control over their website’s design and features. If you need a highly customizable site with advanced features or plan to run an e-commerce store, WordPress might be the better choice. Ultimately, it’s about your specific needs and goals.
Is Ghost blogging platform good for SEO?
Yes, Ghost is excellent for SEO. Its built-in features like fast loading speeds, automatic sitemaps, and structured data ensure that your site is optimized for search engines right from the start. Ghost’s simplicity and focus on performance also mean that your website will provide a great user experience, which is a key factor for SEO rankings. While WordPress offers more free plugins and flexibility for SEO, Ghost’s clean, and streamlined interface design makes it a strong contender for those who want a fast and SEO-friendly website with less effort.
Can WordPress and Ghost be used for e-commerce?
WordPress is highly suitable for e-commerce thanks to its extensive range of plugins, especially WooCommerce, which allows you to easily create a fully functional online store with ease. It supports various payment gateways, inventory management, and other advanced e-commerce features. Ghost, however, is more focused on content monetization through memberships and subscriptions rather than traditional e-commerce, making it less ideal for selling physical products.
How does the community support differ between WordPress and Ghost?
WordPress boasts one of the largest communities in the CMS world, offering a vast array of tutorials, forums, and third-party resources. There are numerous developers and designers available to assist with custom development and troubleshooting. Ghost has a smaller, more specialized community focused on content creation web development, with active forums and documentation to support its users. While not as extensive as WordPress, Ghost’s community is passionate and supportive.
What are the hosting requirements for WordPress and Ghost?
WordPress requires a web host that supports PHP and MySQL, and there are many hosting providers offering specialized WordPress hosting plans. Ghost, on the other hand, is built on Node.js, which may require a different hosting setup. Ghost(Pro) offers a managed hosting solution, but if you choose to self-host, you’ll need to ensure your server supports Node.js. Both platforms have hosting solutions tailored to their specific needs, and your choice will depend on your technical preferences and budget.
Are there any hidden costs associated with using WordPress or Ghost?
WordPress itself is free, but you may incur costs for web hosting, premium themes, and plugins. These can add up depending on your customization needs. Ghost offers a straightforward pricing model with its Ghost(Pro) service, which includes hosting and maintenance in the subscription cost. If you opt for self-hosting, you’ll need to pay for a web host. It’s important to consider these potential costs when choosing between the two platforms.