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Marketing · head to head

Buffer vs Ghost CMS

Buffer logo

Buffer

Marketing

Build your audience organically on social media

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Ghost CMS logo

Ghost CMS

News & Media

Modern platform for professional publishing

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Buffer the free plan allows 3 connected channels and 10 scheduled posts per channel; Ghost CMS ghost Pro plans cap members, at 1,000 on both Starter and Publisher and 10,000 on Business
  • They diverge on capability: Buffer covers Post scheduling, Ghost CMS covers Publishing platform.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Buffer and Ghost CMS actually diverge.

Attributes where Buffer and Ghost CMS differ
AttributeBufferGhost CMS
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Self-hosted
CategoryMarketingNews & Media
Founded20102013

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Buffer

  • Post scheduling
  • Content calendar
  • Analytics dashboard
  • Link shortening
  • Hashtag manager
  • First comment
  • Instagram Stories
  • Shop Grid

Only in Ghost CMS

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

Both cover

  • Zapier

What people use each for

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

Buffer

  • Social media schedulingnot Ghost CMS
  • Content planningnot Ghost CMS
  • Performance analyticsnot Ghost CMS
  • Team collaborationnot Ghost CMS
  • Client managementnot Ghost CMS

Ghost CMS

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

Where each one falls short

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

Buffer

  • The free plan allows 3 connected channels and 10 scheduled posts per channel
  • Essentials at $5 a month covers a single user; team members need the Team plan at $10 a month
  • Approval workflows and custom permissions are Team tier only
  • API access is rationed by plan, from 3,000 monthly requests on free to 15,000 on Team
  • Content ideas are capped at 100 on the free plan

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

Buffer

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 3 connected accounts
    • 10 scheduled posts per channel per month
    • 100 content ideas
  • Essentials$5/month
    • Unlimited scheduled posts
    • Per-channel pricing
    • Advanced analytics
  • Team$10/month
    • Unlimited team members
    • Unlimited scheduled posts
    • Content approval workflows

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 Buffer if

  • You need post scheduling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want content calendar.
Buffer 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 Buffer or Ghost CMS better?
Neither clearly leads. Buffer starts at Free and Ghost CMS at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Buffer or Ghost CMS?
Buffer starts at Free and Ghost CMS at Free.
Does Buffer or Ghost CMS run on more platforms?
Buffer runs on Web, iOS, Android. Ghost CMS runs on Web, Self-hosted.
Can I use Buffer for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Buffer best used for?
Buffer is most often used for social media scheduling, content planning, performance analytics, team collaboration. Of those, social media scheduling and content planning are not what Ghost CMS is typically brought in for.
What can Buffer do that Ghost CMS cannot?
Buffer covers Post scheduling, Content calendar, Analytics dashboard, Link shortening. Ghost CMS covers Publishing platform, Email newsletters, Membership management, Analytics. Both handle Zapier.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Buffer: Does Buffer's free plan include all social media platforms?

The free plan supports 3 connected accounts across any of Buffer's 11 supported platforms (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Threads, Pinterest, Google Business Profile, Bluesky, Mastodon) with up to 10 scheduled posts per channel per month.

Source
Buffer: Can I schedule Instagram Stories with Buffer?

No. Instagram Stories cannot be auto-published. Buffer sends a mobile notification to manually post stories, as Instagram does not provide an API for automated Story scheduling.

Source
Buffer: What is Buffer's per-channel pricing model?

Buffer charges per social media account (channel) rather than per user. Channels 1-10 cost standard rates ($5 Essentials or $10 Team), with additional channels beyond 10 discounted per channel.

Source
Buffer: Does Buffer have a mobile app and what platforms does it support?

Yes, Buffer offers iOS and Android apps for mobile management. The iOS app supports Mastodon and YouTube comment features, while Android support for these features is in development. Android community access works on the six most recent major Android versions.

Source
Buffer: What discount does Buffer offer for annual billing?

Buffer offers a 20% discount for annual billing across all paid plans, plus an additional 50% discount on paid plans for nonprofit organizations.

Source
Buffer: Can Buffer integrate with content creation and storage tools?

Yes. Buffer integrates with 24 tools including Canva, Google Drive, Dropbox, Unsplash for media, Zapier and Make for automation, WordPress for publishing, and Claude, ChatGPT, and Perplexity for AI-assisted content creation.

Source
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Related pages

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