Ghost vs Strapi
Pricing
Ghost: Self-host free, managed from $9/mo
Strapi: Free (self-hosted), Cloud from $29/mo
Description
Ghost: Open source publishing platform for serious writers
Strapi: Open-source headless CMS built with Node.js that you can self-host or run on Strapi Cloud
Pros
- Open source (MIT license)
- Built-in memberships and payments
- Fast and clean
- 100% open source (MIT license) with full self-hosting option
- Customizable admin panel with a plugin system
- REST and GraphQL APIs generated automatically from your content types
Cons
- Self-hosting needs technical skills
- Smaller plugin ecosystem than WP
- Self-hosting requires Node.js server management
- Plugin ecosystem is smaller than WordPress
Details
Ghost is what WordPress wishes it still was: focused on writing. Founded by John O’Nolan (ex-WordPress core team) as a non-profit. Bootstrapped after getting rejected by YC twice. Now generated over $136M total, used by Apple, DuckDuckGo, Mozilla. You can self-host free or use their managed service.
Strapi is an open-source headless CMS that gives you full control over your content API. You can self-host it for free on your own server or use Strapi Cloud for a managed experience starting at $29/mo. Solo founders who are comfortable with Node.js can save money by self-hosting, while those who prefer a managed solution can use Strapi Cloud to avoid server maintenance.
Verified
