Ghost vs WordPress.com
Compare Ghost and WordPress.com by publishing scope, licensing, migration work and the operating responsibilities of a live site.
Which CMS model fits the publishing team?
Ghost focuses the evaluation on a publication, newsletters and members; WordPress.com offers a hosted WordPress website with plan-based publishing and extension capabilities. Choose the required publication model first. Ghost software can be self-hosted for free, but Ghost(Pro) hosting is paid. WordPress.com has a hosted Free plan with restrictions. Budget for the actual membership, email, theme and payment workflow.
Seven differences that change the shortlist
| Buying question | Ghost | WordPress.com |
|---|---|---|
| Primary purchase | Ghost software or Ghost(Pro) hosting | Hosted WordPress service |
| Publication emphasis | Website, newsletters and members | Website and publishing with extensions |
| Permanent free option | Self-hosted software, not Ghost(Pro) hosting | Hosted Free plan |
| Custom themes | Ghost(Pro) tier determines availability | Theme and customisation entitlements depend on plan |
| Paid subscriptions | Eligible Ghost(Pro) plan or self-hosted setup | Confirm plan, payment tools and applicable fees |
| Extension approach | Publishing APIs and integrations | Plugins available on paid plans |
| Cost drivers | Hosting model, members and required publishing tier | Plan, required extensions and relevant transaction charges |
Four worked buying briefs
These are hypothetical scenarios with explicit assumptions. They do not establish equal capabilities, measured usability or a negotiated price.
| Requirement | Evidence to collect | Acceptance condition |
|---|---|---|
| Content migration | A sample export and import covering references, media and languages | The approved sample preserves meaning and editable structure |
| Publishing control | A demonstration using the intended editor and reviewer permissions | Unauthorised changes cannot reach the live site |
| Delivery ownership | An architecture naming CMS, frontend, hosting and integration owners | Every production dependency has a support and recovery owner |
| Commercial scope | A quote for the required licence, capacity and operating services | The estimate includes renewal and implementation responsibilities |
Paid newsletter
What must a paid reader be able to access?
Ghost: Demonstrate the eligible membership and subscription workflow.
WordPress.com: Demonstrate the chosen payment and gated-content configuration.
Include payment processor fees and reader account recovery in the evaluation.
General business site
How many non-publication workflows are needed?
Ghost: Check whether publishing features and integrations cover the requirements.
WordPress.com: Check the selected plugins for forms, booking or other site tasks.
Do not add paid tools until the actual required workflow is clear.
Independent operations
Who owns newsletter delivery and server updates?
Ghost: For self-hosting, specify infrastructure and email delivery services.
WordPress.com: Confirm the hosted plan and responsibility for connected plugins.
Email infrastructure and website hosting are distinct operating components.
Custom visual identity
Can the team install its intended design?
Ghost: Check custom-theme entitlement in the Ghost(Pro) tier.
WordPress.com: Check theme, CSS and developer tooling in the WordPress.com plan.
A design setting panel is not the same as deploying a bespoke theme.
Evaluate the entire reader journey
Use a proposed issue and a realistic reader journey: signup, confirmation, first email, payment, login and cancellation. Keep marketing preferences separate from access to paid content. Give the publication owner a way to inspect and resolve an incomplete signup without editing the database.
The content editor is only one part of a publication. Identify the owner of sending-domain authentication, bounced mail, payment questions and member exports. A workable support process matters when the publication has no developer immediately available.
Separate software rights from managed publication costs
A free Ghost installation transfers infrastructure and newsletter delivery work to the operator. Ghost(Pro) packages managed services, with plan limits determining staff access, members and features. WordPress.com supplies hosted plans, but the exact publication workflow can require a particular tier or additional tools.
Prepare a small and a growing-audience budget using the same publication needs. Include recurring extensions and processor charges, then rehearse exporting the content and member information required for a future move. Confirm what cannot be recreated automatically elsewhere.
Questions before you choose
Does Ghost have a free hosted plan?
Ghost software is free to self-host. Ghost(Pro) is paid managed hosting; a trial does not become a permanent free service.
Are paid subscriptions included in every Ghost(Pro) plan?
No. Check the current plan table; the entry Starter tier does not include the paid-subscription capability shown on eligible higher tiers.
Can WordPress.com run plugins for a publication?
Yes, on current paid plans. Check the required payment, email and access-control tools and their separate costs.
Turn the comparison into your own evaluation
Use the same criteria and priorities for both products, keep unknowns unassessed and record the plan and evidence behind your ratings.
Build a Ghost vs WordPress.com scorecard →Keep the assumptions with the figures
Use the date, billing cycle, units and limits with each example. Check current account terms before purchasing. Unverified prices and model costs stay unpriced.
Download the buying examples as JSON ↓Share the comparison
Use these examples when discussing the shortlist with your team.