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Software · head to head

Authorize.net vs Ghost CMS

A

Authorize.net

Software

We help make it easy to get paid

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: Authorize.net all-in-One plan charges a $25 monthly gateway fee plus 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction on top of it; Ghost CMS ghost Pro plans cap members, at 1,000 on both Starter and Publisher and 10,000 on Business

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Authorize.net and Ghost CMS actually diverge.

Attributes where Authorize.net and Ghost CMS differ
AttributeAuthorize.netGhost CMS
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Self-hosted
FoundedUnknown2013

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 Authorize.net

Nothing recorded that Ghost CMS does not also cover.

Only in Ghost CMS

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

What people use each for

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

Authorize.net

No use cases recorded yet. See the Authorize.net review.

Ghost CMS

  • Running a publication or newsletter with paid subscriptionsnot Authorize.net
  • Self hosting a headless or full stack publishing platformnot Authorize.net

Where each one falls short

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

Authorize.net

  • All-in-One plan charges a $25 monthly gateway fee plus 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction on top of it
  • eCheck processing carries its own $10 monthly minimum fee separate from the card processing charges

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

Authorize.net

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Authorize.net review.

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 Authorize.net if

Nothing in the data separates Authorize.net from Ghost CMS on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Authorize.net 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 Authorize.net or Ghost CMS better?
Neither clearly leads. Authorize.net 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, Authorize.net or Ghost CMS?
Ghost CMS has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Authorize.net and Free for Ghost CMS.
Does Authorize.net or Ghost CMS run on more platforms?
Authorize.net runs on Web. 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. Authorize.net starts at On request.
What can Authorize.net do that Ghost CMS cannot?
Ghost CMS covers Publishing platform, Email newsletters, Membership management, Analytics.
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Related pages

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