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Arc Publishing vs Ghost CMS

Arc Publishing logo

Arc Publishing

Software

The enterprise publishing platform for news organizations

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Ghost CMS logo

Ghost CMS

Software

Modern platform for professional publishing

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Ghost CMS has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Arc Publishing now sold as Arc XP, and arcpublishing.com redirects there; Ghost CMS ghost Pro plans cap members, at 1,000 on both Starter and Publisher and 10,000 on Business
  • They diverge on capability: Arc Publishing covers Modular CMS, Ghost CMS covers Publishing platform.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Arc Publishing and Ghost CMS actually diverge.

Attributes where Arc Publishing and Ghost CMS differ
AttributeArc PublishingGhost CMS
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, MobileWeb, Self-hosted
Founded20162013

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Arc Publishing

  • Modular CMS
  • Content creation
  • Publishing workflow
  • Paywall management
  • Subscription billing
  • Analytics dashboard
  • API framework
  • Commerce integration

Only in Ghost CMS

  • Publishing platform
  • Email newsletters
  • Membership management
  • Analytics
  • Paywall support
  • SEO optimization
  • Media library
  • API access

Both cover

  • Stripe
  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Arc Publishing

  • Content management for news and digital publishersnot Ghost CMS
  • Subscription and paywall managementnot Ghost CMS
  • Video publishing alongside articlesnot Ghost CMS
  • Multi-site delivery for broadcast and B2B publishersnot Ghost CMS

Ghost CMS

  • Running a publication or newsletter with paid subscriptionsnot Arc Publishing
  • Self hosting a headless or full stack publishing platformnot Arc Publishing

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Arc Publishing

  • Now sold as Arc XP, and arcpublishing.com redirects there
  • Pricing is not published
  • Built for media companies, so the editorial workflow assumptions do not suit a general business site

Ghost CMS

  • Ghost Pro plans cap members, at 1,000 on both Starter and Publisher and 10,000 on Business
  • Staff users are limited to 1 on Starter and 3 on Publisher
  • Custom themes and integrations require the Publisher plan at $29 a month billed yearly
  • The jump to 10,000 members is the $199 a month Business plan, with nothing between
  • Self hosting is free but installing under a subdirectory needs a custom reverse proxy that Ghost does not officially support

Pricing, plan by plan

Arc Publishing

On request
  • Enterprise$undefined/custom
    • Custom CMS
    • Paywall integration
    • Advanced analytics

Ghost CMS

Free
  • Free Self-HostedFree
    • Open source
    • Self-hosted
    • Basic features
  • Creator$29/month
    • Email newsletters
    • Memberships
    • Analytics
  • Business$99/month
    • Advanced analytics
    • Priority support
    • Custom integrations

Which should you pick?

Choose Arc Publishing if

  • You need modular cms.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want content creation.
Arc Publishing review

Choose Ghost CMS if

  • You need publishing platform.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Self-hosted.
  • You also want email newsletters.
Ghost CMS review

Questions people ask

Is Arc Publishing or Ghost CMS better?
Neither clearly leads. Arc Publishing starts at On request and Ghost CMS at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Arc Publishing or Ghost CMS?
Ghost CMS has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Arc Publishing and Free for Ghost CMS.
Does Arc Publishing or Ghost CMS run on more platforms?
Arc Publishing runs on Web, Mobile. Ghost CMS runs on Web, Self-hosted.
Can I use Ghost CMS for free?
Yes. Ghost CMS has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Arc Publishing starts at On request.
What is Arc Publishing best used for?
Arc Publishing is most often used for content management for news and digital publishers, subscription and paywall management, video publishing alongside articles, multi-site delivery for broadcast and b2b publishers. Of those, content management for news and digital publishers and subscription and paywall management are not what Ghost CMS is typically brought in for.
What can Arc Publishing do that Ghost CMS cannot?
Arc Publishing covers Modular CMS, Content creation, Publishing workflow, Paywall management. Ghost CMS covers Publishing platform, Email newsletters, Membership management, Analytics. Both handle Stripe, Web support.
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