Craft CMS vs Ghost: What are the differences?

1. Content Management System Type: Craft CMS is a flexible and customizable content management system that is typically used for complex and large-scale websites or web applications. On the other hand, Ghost is a simplistic and straightforward content management system that is focused solely on blogging and publishing content. Craft CMS offers more flexibility and depth in terms of content structure and customization options compared to Ghost.
2. Target Audience: Craft CMS is more suitable for developers, agencies, and organizations looking for a robust and customizable solution for managing large amounts of content with various content types. In contrast, Ghost is more geared towards individual bloggers, writers, or small publishing teams who prioritize simplicity and ease of use over advanced features and customization options.
3. Theme Development: In Craft CMS, themes are built using templates and markup languages like Twig, giving developers more control and customization options. Ghost, on the other hand, offers a more streamlined approach to theme development with its Handlebars-based templating system, making it easier for non-developers to create and customize themes.
4. Extensibility and Plugins: Craft CMS has a wide range of plugins and modules available in its ecosystem, allowing users to extend the functionality of their websites as needed. Ghost, on the other hand, has a more limited selection of official plugins and integrations, primarily focusing on essential blogging features.
5. Cost and Pricing Model: Craft CMS follows a traditional licensing model, where users purchase a license for the software based on the specific edition and features they require. Ghost, on the other hand, operates on a subscription-based pricing model, offering different pricing tiers based on the number of websites and features needed. This difference in pricing models can influence the total cost of ownership for each platform.
6. Hosting and Deployment: Craft CMS does not provide hosting services and users are responsible for finding their own hosting provider and setting up the CMS on their server. In comparison, Ghost offers a managed hosting solution called Ghost(Pro), where users can host their Ghost website on the official Ghost platform, simplifying the deployment and maintenance process for users without technical expertise.

In Summary, Craft CMS is more suited for complex websites requiring extensive customizations and content structures, while Ghost is ideal for individual bloggers focusing on simplicity and ease of use.