Are you looking for a headless CMS that can help you create and manage your website content anywhere?
Then you might be considering Strapi or Ghost as potential solutions.
Both platforms offer a range of features and benefits. But how are they different? Which platform is better for creating, managing, and growing your business?
The main difference between Strapi and Ghost is that Strapi is a headless CMS that offers flexible content management through APIs, suitable for various types of projects, while Ghost is primarily tailored for bloggers and publications, focusing on a user-friendly interface for content creation and publishing.
While both are open-source, Strapi’s versatility makes it suitable for a broader range of applications, whereas Ghost excels specifically in blogging and editorial content.
Strapi vs. Ghost: Feature Comparison Table
| Key Features | Strapi | Ghost |
|---|---|---|
| Content Types | Flexible content types with customizable API, suitable for various types of projects | Focused on blogging and editorial content |
| User Interface | Customizable API-based backend | User-friendly interface for content creation and publishing |
| Use Cases | E-commerce backend, mobile app content management | Blogging, online publications, newsletter management |
| Scalability & Performance | Scalable to handle increased traffic and content growth | Scalable for growing audiences |
| Community & Support | Active community with regular updates and bug fixes | Community engagement, regular updates, and support resources |
| Integration & Compatibility | Compatible with various front-end frameworks and technologies | Designed for seamless integration with existing tech stacks |
Strapi Pricing & Plans:
Strapi offers Self-hosted and Cloud plans. With the former, you host content on your servers, while Cloud hosting is when you utilize Strapi’s server.
Here’s the breakdown of the plans and pricing for the Cloud hosting:
- PRO ($99/project/month): 10 seats, 100,000 CMS Entries, Global CDN, Real-time logs, etc.
- TEAM ($499/project/month): 20 seats, 1 million CMS Entries, Audit logs (7 days), Review workflows, etc.
- CUSTOM (Get a quote): Single Sign On, Premium Support with SLAs, Technical Audit, Custom number of seats, etc.
Note: Strapi comes with a 14-day free trial regardless of the plan you choose. Get started today.
Ghost Pricing & Plans:
Ghost offers different subscription plans and pricing based on the number of members you have or want.
Let’s break down the pricing for 1,000 members:
- STARTER ($19/month): 1 staff user, standard built-in integrations, Free, official Ghost themes, etc.
- CREATOR ($31/month): 2 staff users, unlimited custom themes, 1,000+ Zapier integrations, etc.
- TEAM ($63/month): 5 staff users, priority support, higher usage limits, etc.
- BUSINESS ($249/month): 10,000 members, unlimited staff users, advanced domain configs, 99.9% uptime SLA, etc.
Note: Save 20% when you pay yearly.
What is Strapi? (Detailed Review)
Strapi is a flexible, open-source headless CMS that allows developers to create custom content types and API endpoints. It lets you manage your content and pages anywhere.
With Strapi, developers can define user roles and permissions, customize the CMS to meet their specific needs, and integrate it with a variety of front-end frameworks and technologies.
Key Features of Strapi:
Some of the notable features of Strapi include:
- Customizable content types: With Strapi, developers can create custom content types and fields to match their specific needs.
- API endpoints: Strapi generates API endpoints for each content type, making it easy to access content programmatically from other applications or websites.
- User roles and permissions: Strapi allows developers to define user roles and permissions, ensuring that content is secure and only accessible to authorized users.
- Extensive documentation and customer support: Strapi offers a comprehensive documentation library and support forums to help developers get started and troubleshoot any issues.
Examples of businesses using Strapi:
- Credly, a digital credentialing platform, uses Strapi to manage its content and user data.
- Fresh8 Gaming, a sports betting technology company, uses Strapi to power its content management system.
What is Ghost Site Builder? (Detailed Review)
Ghost is a headless CMS and blogging platform designed for writers and publishers.
It offers a streamlined, intuitive interface for creating and managing content, as well as a variety of powerful tools for monetizing content and building a loyal audience.
Key Features of Ghost:
What makes Ghost site builder stand out? Let’s take a closer look at the key features:
- Content creation: Ghost provides a simple, distraction-free interface for creating and publishing blog posts and other content types.
- Customizable themes: Ghost offers a variety of customizable themes, making it easy to create a unique look and feel for your website or blog.
- Membership and subscription tools: Ghost offers a variety of tools for monetizing content, including membership and subscription options for premium content.
- SEO optimization: Ghost includes built-in SEO optimization tools, such as automatic XML sitemap generation and social media metadata tagging.
Examples of businesses using Ghost:
- DuckDuckGo, a privacy-focused search engine, uses Ghost for its official blog.
- OpenAI, an artificial intelligence research lab, uses Ghost for its research blog.
How to Use Strapi:
- To get started with Strapi, you will need to install it on your local machine or a server.
- Once installed, you can create your first Strapi project and start adding content types and fields.
- Strapi also allows you to create custom APIs and integrations.
- The Strapi documentation provides extensive guides and tutorials to help you get started.
How to Use Ghost Site Builder:
- Ghost offers a cloud-hosted solution, so you can sign up for an account and start using it right away.
- Once signed up, you can create your first Ghost site and start adding content.
- Ghost offers a range of templates and themes to help you customize your site’s design.
- The Ghost documentation provides extensive guides and tutorials to help you get started.
Strapi vs. Ghost: Pros and Cons
To summarize the pros and cons of each platform, here’s a quick breakdown:
Pros of Strapi:
- Fully customizable headless CMS
- Advanced features such as role-based access control and user authentication
- Extensive integrations and community support
Cons of Strapi:
- Requires technical expertise to set up and use
- May be overwhelming for non-developers
Pros of Ghost:
- User-friendly CMS designed specifically for bloggers and publishers
- Powerful content creation features and monetization options
- Extensive documentation and customer support
Cons of Ghost:
- Limited customization options for non-blog content types
- May not be ideal for businesses with more complex needs
Strapi vs. Ghost: Use Cases
Use cases for Strapi:
- E-commerce Backend: Strapi can serve as the backend for an e-commerce platform, managing product catalogs, user accounts, and orders through its flexible API. This allows developers to create custom frontends for web, mobile, and other platforms, providing a seamless shopping experience.
- Mobile App Content Management: Strapi can be utilized to power the content management system for a mobile app, enabling non-technical users to update app content, such as articles, images, and videos, without the need for app updates or code changes.
Use cases for Ghost:
- Blogging and Publications: Ghost is an ideal choice for bloggers and online publications. Its intuitive interface and focused features allow writers to create, format, and publish content efficiently, making it a popular choice for bloggers, authors, and online magazines.
- Newsletter Management: Ghost’s built-in newsletter functionality makes it well-suited for managing subscriber lists, sending personalized newsletters, and tracking engagement metrics. It simplifies the process of connecting with a dedicated audience and keeping them updated on the latest content.
Strapi vs. Ghost: Feature Chart
Here’s a quick breakdown of how the key features stack up between Strapi/Ghost and Shopify:
| Feature | Strapi/Ghost | Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Content management | Fully customizable headless CMS | CMS tailored for ecommerce |
| Ecommerce functionality | Not included | Included |
| Design flexibility | Highly customizable | Limited customization options |
| Integration options | Extensive integrations with frontend frameworks | Limited integrations with non-Shopify tools |
| Pricing | The higher starting price point for basic plan | The higher starting price point for the basic plan |
What to Consider When Choosing a Headless CMS (5 Factors)
When choosing a headless CMS, there are five key factors to consider:
- Functionality and Features: Assess the CMS’s capabilities to ensure it aligns with your project requirements. Consider content types, user roles, APIs, localization, media management, and any other essential features needed for your application.
- Scalability and Performance: Evaluate the CMS’s ability to handle increased traffic and content growth. A scalable CMS should be able to maintain high performance even as your user base and content volume expand.
- Ease of Use: User-friendliness is crucial for content creators and editors. A straightforward interface and intuitive content management process will enhance productivity and minimize the learning curve.
- Community and Support: Check the CMS’s community engagement and support resources. An active community means regular updates, bug fixes, and a wealth of resources to help troubleshoot issues and find solutions.
- Integration and Compatibility: Consider how well the CMS integrates with your existing tech stack. It should be compatible with your front-end framework or technology of choice, allowing smooth data flow between different parts of your application.
FAQs
What is a Headless CMS?
A headless CMS is a content management system that separates content creation and storage from its presentation. Unlike traditional CMS platforms, a headless CMS doesn’t dictate the front-end design or user interface. Instead, it provides content through an API, allowing developers to fetch and display the content on various devices and platforms, such as websites, mobile apps, IoT devices, and more.
Is Headless CMS Drag-and-Drop Builder?
No, a headless CMS is not necessarily a drag-and-drop builder. A headless CMS focuses on managing and delivering content through an API without dictating the front-end presentation. It provides a structured back-end for content creation, storage, and retrieval. In contrast, drag-and-drop builders are typically associated with traditional CMS platforms where users can visually create and customize the front-end design using a graphical interface.
Strapi vs. Ghost: Summary
In conclusion, both Strapi and Ghost offer powerful headless CMS solutions for creating and managing website content.
Strapi is a more general-purpose solution that offers advanced features and extensive customization options, while Ghost is specifically tailored for bloggers and publishers with powerful content creation and monetization tools.
When considering which platform is right for your needs, it’s important to consider factors such as your technical expertise, the complexity of your content needs, and your budget.
Additionally, if you require ecommerce functionality, Shopify may be a more suitable option for your business.
Ultimately, the choice between Strapi, Ghost, and other CMS solutions will depend on your specific needs and goals.
