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Cision vs Ghost

Cision logo

Cision

News

The complete PR and earned media platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Ghost logo

Ghost

News

Modern publishing platform with content API and membership support

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Ghost has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cision no transparent pricing published for media monitoring and PR tools; Ghost backup and migration processes have significant limitations and are problematic for long-term users
  • They diverge on capability: Cision covers Media monitoring, Ghost covers Content API.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cision and Ghost actually diverge.

Attributes where Cision and Ghost differ
AttributeCisionGhost
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Self-hosted, Cloud-hosted
Founded18672013

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

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 Cision

  • Media monitoring
  • PR Newswire distribution
  • Media database
  • Analytics & reporting
  • Influencer identification
  • Salesforce
  • Google Analytics
  • Slack

Only in Ghost

  • Content API
  • Membership
  • Analytics
  • Webhooks
  • Zapier
  • Custom integrations
  • Node.js support
  • Cloud support

What people use each for

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

Cision

  • Press release distributionnot Ghost
  • Media monitoringnot Ghost
  • PR measurementnot Ghost
  • Media outreachnot Ghost
  • Crisis communicationsnot Ghost

Ghost

  • API Developmentnot Cision
  • API Gatewaynot Cision
  • API Testingnot Cision
  • API Documentationnot Cision
  • Microservicesnot Cision

Where each one falls short

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

Cision

  • No transparent pricing published for media monitoring and PR tools

Ghost

  • Backup and migration processes have significant limitations and are problematic for long-term users
  • Open-source version lacks automatic backups, email subscriptions, and ad placement features
  • No built-in e-commerce functionality; separate platform required for product sales
  • Smaller community compared to WordPress, making support and resources harder to find
  • Narrow focus on publishing limits use cases outside content-only websites

Pricing, plan by plan

Cision

On request
  • Cision Communications CloudFree
    • Media monitoring
    • Media database
    • PR analytics
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Full platform access
    • PR Newswire distribution
    • Custom integrations

Ghost

Free
  • Self-HostedFree
    • Open-source Ghost CMS
    • Full control over data
    • No payment fees
  • Starter$15/month
    • Up to 1,000 members
    • Newsletter functionality
    • Membership management
  • Publisher$29/month
    • Unlimited members
    • Continuous member scaling
    • Advanced analytics
  • Business$199/month
    • All Publisher features
    • Custom domain
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

Choose Cision if

  • You need media monitoring.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want pr newswire distribution.
Cision review

Choose Ghost if

  • You need content api.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Self-hosted, Cloud-hosted.
  • You also want membership.
Ghost review

Questions people ask

Is Cision or Ghost better?
Neither clearly leads. Cision starts at On request and Ghost at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cision or Ghost?
Ghost has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Cision and Free for Ghost.
Does Cision or Ghost run on more platforms?
Cision runs on Web, Ios, Android. Ghost runs on Web, Self-hosted, Cloud-hosted.
Can I use Ghost for free?
Yes. Ghost has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cision starts at On request.
What is Cision best used for?
Cision is most often used for press release distribution, media monitoring, pr measurement, media outreach. Of those, press release distribution and media monitoring are not what Ghost is typically brought in for.
What can Cision do that Ghost cannot?
Cision covers Media monitoring, PR Newswire distribution, Media database, Analytics & reporting. Ghost covers Content API, Membership, Analytics, Webhooks.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cision: How much does Cision cost?

Cision does not publish standard pricing on its website. The company offers media monitoring, journalist outreach, and social listening tools through CisionOne platform with pricing based on media monitoring scope, number of keywords, and service level. Contact sales for quotes.

Source
Ghost: What is the free option for Ghost?

Ghost is open-source software that can be self-hosted for free. Self-hosting costs depend on your own server, domain, SSL, email delivery infrastructure, and DevOps expertise.

Source
Cision: What services does Cision offer?

Cision offers media monitoring, instant insights and reporting, journalist outreach, social listening and management, professional services, and CisionOne AI. All services are part of the CisionOne unified platform.

Source
Ghost: What is the starting price for Ghost(Pro) managed hosting?

Ghost(Pro) Starter plan is USD 15/month when billed yearly or USD 18/month when billed monthly. This plan includes up to 1,000 members with membership features enabled.

Source
Ghost: Can I collect payments and manage subscriptions with Ghost?

Yes. Ghost includes native membership and subscription management with support for free signups and paid tiers (monthly/yearly options). All revenue goes directly to publishers with zero payment fees.

Source
Ghost: Does Ghost integrate with Stripe?

Yes. Ghost integrates with Stripe for payment processing and subscription management, plus Zapier, Slack, Google Analytics, and thousands of other third-party apps.

Source
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