Ghost CMS Review: In-Depth Look after 1 Year (2025)

Before we get rolling, let’s clarify what CMS (or Content Management System) actually means. It’s the software designed to help you create, manage, and modify your website’s content without needing deep technical expertise or the ability to code. Think of it as a clickable control center for your posts, pages, and site settings. 

Ghost CMS landed on my radar about a year ago while I was looking for a publishing platform for a new blog I wanted to experiment with. After using a number of tools over the years (ahem, Wordpress), which seemed overstuffed and outdated, Ghost felt like stepping into a newer, more modern tool. Here’s how it’s been after a year of me using their hosted service—yes, I decided to bypass the self-hosting route for simplicity, even if it’s slightly pricier. Below, I’ll break down why I picked Ghost, the benefits of choosing their managed solution, and how it stacks up against major rivals like WordPress and Webflow.

Why Ghost Caught My Attention

Last year, I spent a good chunk of time researching the best CMS options, comparing Ghost vs WordPress, Webflow, and more. See original blog post, here.

Ghost eventually got me with its speed, simplicity, and built-in membership and communication functionality—like a multi-tool that nails most of the essentials out of the box.

• Minimal Setup: Ghost can be self-hosted or run through Ghost Pro. After some deliberation, I opted for the hosted service. It’s not the cheapest option, but it removed the hassle of server config, security patches, and updates.
• Speed & Performance: Powered by Node.js, Ghost feels modern and fast right out of the gate. Once I moved over, I noticed much faster load times and lower bounce rates, which helped me justify the very small extra cost.
• Baseline Functionality: Ghost includes the major baseline features in a single tool - like blog posts, SEO, member and distribution management, and a customizable UX. 

Hands-On Writing Experience

If there’s one element Ghost nails, it’s making the act of writing feel refreshingly straightforward. The editor strips away the usual clutter, letting you concentrate on your words instead of wrestling with design options or plugins. Below are the four features that stand out to me:

1. Minimalist EditorFrom the moment you log in, you’re met with a near-blank canvas that puts your text first. No busy toolbars or pop-ups—it’s just you and your draft. Think of it like a clean, well-organized workspace that keeps you locked into the creative flow.
2. Native Markdown SupportGhost’s built-in Markdown editor is a game-changer if you’re after quick formatting without a barrage of buttons. Heading levels, bullet points, italicized phrases—they all happen naturally as you type, so you don’t break the rhythm to hunt down a toolbar icon.
3. Simple Media EmbedsDrop in a YouTube link, and Ghost automatically turns it into a neat video embed. Same goes for images, tweets, and more. This frictionless approach means you’re not sifting through multiple dialogs just to insert visuals—perfect for multimedia-heavy posts.
4. Separation of Content and DesignBy leaving design tweaks and theme settings outside the main writing view, Ghost helps you avoid rabbit holes of customization. You get to pour your energy into the heart of your post, with design decisions saved for later.

Overall, the writing process feels as smooth as a well-tuned operating system—clean, efficient, and fully devoted to letting you share ideas. Now, if only every platform took such a purposeful approach.

Self-Hosting vs. Hosted

Self-Hosting Ghost

• Cost & Control: Ghost software is open-source and free. You’d only pay for a virtual private server (e.g., DigitalOcean, AWS, or Linode). A small VPS can run around $5–$15/month.
• Maintenance: You’re on the hook for server setups, security patches, and updates via Ghost-CLI. Not a dealbreaker if you’re comfortable with some basic coding and managing a virtual server, but it does require a bit of time investment and oversight.
• Flexibility: You can customize server configurations deeply. Perfect if you want total control or have unique site requirements.

Ghost Pro — Hosted Solution

• Monthly Cost: Plans start at $9/month and all bill annually:
  • Starter ($9/month): Basic features, 1 staff user, good for small personal blogs.
  • Creator ($25/month): 3 staff users, priority support, more capacity. This is what I use. 
  • Team ($50/month): 5 staff users, advanced integrations, bigger audience.
  • Business ($199+/month): For larger organizations that need dedicated support and resources.
• Simplicity: No worrying about server updates or security. Ghost’s team handles the technical grunt work, letting you focus on content.
• Support: Direct support from the Ghost folks if something goes haywire—which saved me a few headaches early on.

I personally landed on the Creator plan for Ghost Pro. It fits my mid-level needs and means I can scale up if my audience grows. Sure, it’s a bit more expensive than a bare-bones VPS, but the ease of offloading all maintenance tasks makes it worth it. 

Features That Elevate Ghost

1. Newsletter Integration

Within ten minutes, I had a neat email subscription form. Ghost’s dashboard then lets me send out newsletters, track sign-ups, and handle unsubscribes seamlessly—no third-party email tools required, unless I want them

2. Themes & Customization

Ghost uses Handlebars for templating. It’s not as drag-and-drop as some site builders, but basic HTML/CSS know-how goes a long way. They also have a more than sufficient theme marketplace with both free and premium designs.

3. Performance and Node.js

Since Ghost’s core is Node.js, it benefits from faster load times and efficient handling of visitors and connections. If you’re used to the slow-speed of Wordpress, you’ll immediately notice the difference with Ghost.

Ghost vs. The Competition

Ghost vs. WordPress

1. Core Focus
   • Ghost: Streamlined for blogging, memberships, and newsletters.
   • WordPress: A universal CMS that can handle e-commerce, forums, and more—but that extra flexibility can lead to plugin bloat.
2. Ease of Use
   • Ghost: Minimal interface, frictionless updates if you’re on Ghost Pro. Self-hosting requires some coding.
   • WordPress: Many users love WordPress for its massive ecosystem and “click to install” approach. However, plugin conflicts aren’t uncommon. And it’s usually a pain to get right. 
3. Performance
   • Ghost: Much faster out of the box due to Node.js.
   • WordPress: Can be optimized, but it might take caching plugins and careful selection of themes/plugins to reach comparable speeds.
4. Membership & Newsletters
   • Ghost: Built-in from day one.
   • WordPress: Third-party plugins do the job, though not always with the same polish or simplicity.
5. Cost
   • Ghost: Self-host or pay for Ghost Pro (starting at $9/month).
   • WordPress: Software is free, but hosting, premium themes/plugins, and potential developer costs can add up quickly, often making it more expensive than Ghost Pro.

Verdict: If you’re primarily blogging and want membership or newsletter options seamlessly baked in, Ghost is tough to beat. If you need a broader ecosystem for large-scale e-commerce or interactive sites, WordPress has a deeper community of plugins and tools.

Ghost vs. Webflow

1. Design & Customization
   • Ghost: Theme-based, with code-level tweaks for deeper customization.
   • Webflow: A fully visual design platform for pixel-perfect control, but that creative freedom can be overwhelming for some.
2. Publishing Flow
   • Ghost: Focused on writing, emailing subscribers, and membership tiers.
   • Webflow: Great if you need a high-design marketing site or a visually impressive portfolio. Blogging is there, but minimal. Same with membership options - they aren’t that great. 
3. Performance
   • Ghost: Node.js efficiency plus optional self-hosting for even more fine-tuning.
   • Webflow: Hosted on its own infrastructure, which is typically fast, though you can’t tweak the underlying server-level settings.
4. Pricing & Growth
   • Ghost: Self-hosting can cost as little as $5/month for a basic VPS, or use Ghost Pro from $9 to $199+ monthly.
   • Webflow: Site plans start around $12–$29/month for basic to CMS-level features, and memberships can require higher-tier or add-ons.

Verdict: If your prime directive is crafting and distributing written content with minimal friction, Ghost is a strong contender. If design and brand presentation are your core focus (and you don’t mind higher costs for advanced features), Webflow is ok.

Highs & Lows After a Year

• Highs:
  • Consistently fast load times.
  • Built-in memberships that smoothly integrate with the blog and newsletter.
  • Intuitive admin panel, especially with Ghost Pro.
• Lows:
  • Smaller theme library than WordPress, though I find the themes much more consistently polished and well-coded.
  • Some coding knowledge helps if you want to truly customize your theme.
  • Slightly higher monthly cost if you choose Ghost Pro, but for me, it’s worth avoiding self-hosted headaches.

Is Ghost Worth It?

After a full year of expermienting, I can say Ghost is a great fit if your main priority is publishing content. The built-in tools for newsletters and subscriptions feel integrated, not bolted on. You can self-host cheaply if you’re tech-savvy or pay a bit extra for the Ghost Pro for the convenience factor.

For complex e-commerce or heavily customized sites, WordPress or Webflow might still be your go-to. But if streamlined, simple publishing is your goal, Ghost is my pick.