Ghost^ is a headless Node.js blogging platform that has been hailed as the best alternative to WordPress for bloggers.
Ghost vs WordPress
One of the most talked-about issues among WordPress users is speed. Ghost approaches this differently. Unlike WordPress, which relies on a traditional monolithic setup, Ghost is a decoupled web application built with modern technologies, and it shows. According to the Ghost team, it can be up to 1,900% faster than WordPress.
Since moving several of my blogs from WordPress to Ghost, performance concerns have completely faded into the background. Speed is simply no longer something I need to worry about.
Part of the reason is that Ghost doesn’t rely on plugins, often the main culprits behind sluggish WordPress sites. Instead, it offers clean, purpose-built third-party integrations with platforms like Slack, Mailchimp, Typeform and Discourse. These integrations allow you to streamline your publishing workflow, automate tasks, gather analytics and sync with other tools – all without bloating your site.
Ghost also offers a brilliant writing experience. Its minimal, distraction-free editor feels a lot like Medium. It’s smooth, fast, and entirely focused on content creation, which is exactly what you want from a publishing platform.
But what truly sold me on Ghost was its built-in membership and newsletter system. There’s no need to install plugins to manage subscribers, no need to juggle third-party services like Mailchimp, and no need to hand over a chunk of your earnings. You can publish premium content, sell tiered memberships, and send newsletters directly from your dashboard, and the revenue is 100% yours.
Ghost Drawbacks
Custom email options are currently very limited. There are no retention or automation emails, and you can’t customise the registration or welcome emails sent to new members. For now, you’re stuck with a generic welcome message, something I expect will improve in time, but it’s a notable drawback if email personalisation is important to your workflow.
Media management is another weak spot. Unlike WordPress, Ghost doesn’t offer a media library. Each time you want to use an image, you have to upload it again. There’s no way to browse or reuse previous uploads, which can become frustrating if you publish frequently or reuse the same assets.
Installation isn’t beginner-friendly. If you’re not technically savvy, self-hosting Ghost can be a real challenge. The setup process involves server configuration and command-line interaction, so unless you’re a developer or have one on hand, I would recommend avoiding the self-hosted route.
Ghost still hasn’t reached mass adoption, which means most mainstream web hosts don’t support it. Your options are limited. The most straightforward path is to use Ghost(Pro), their official hosted solution that includes everything — hosting, updates, support, themes and newsletters, in one package. It’s excellent but not the cheapest option. There are a few alternative managed Ghost hosting^ providers out there that may be more affordable, depending on your budget and needs.
Themes are another limitation. The selection of free and premium Ghost themes is still quite small. If you’re after something unique or tailored to a specific niche, you’ll likely need to customise a theme yourself or hire a developer/designer to help you get the look you want.
Ghost vs WordPress Verdict
Ghost was built specifically for blogging and nothing else. For me, the overall experience far surpasses WordPress – hands down. It’s beautifully designed, clean, fast, and feels like the future of publishing.
If you’re curious, give Ghost a try yourself. They offer a free 14-day trial, so there’s no risk in seeing if it’s the right fit for you
Related: Ghost publishing platform review
