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Contentful vs Ghost

Contentful logo

Contentful

Software

The content platform for the digital-first era

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Ghost logo

Ghost

Software

Modern publishing platform with content API and membership support

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Contentful pricing model with content type limits (48) forces full tier upgrades; Ghost backup and migration processes have significant limitations and are problematic for long-term users
  • They diverge on capability: Contentful covers Content modeling, Ghost covers Content API.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Contentful and Ghost actually diverge.

Attributes where Contentful and Ghost differ
AttributeContentfulGhost
PlatformsWeb, APIWeb, Self-hosted, Cloud-hosted

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Unknown), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown), founded (2013).

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 Contentful

  • Content modeling
  • RESTful APIs
  • GraphQL API
  • Rich text editor
  • Asset management
  • Multi-language support
  • Version control
  • Gatsby

Only in Ghost

  • Content API
  • Membership
  • Analytics
  • Zapier
  • Custom integrations
  • Node.js support
  • Cloud support
  • Self-hosted support

Both cover

  • Webhooks

What people use each for

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

Contentful

  • Website content managementnot Ghost
  • Mobile app contentnot Ghost
  • E-commerce catalogsnot Ghost
  • Multi-channel publishingnot Ghost
  • Digital experiencesnot Ghost

Ghost

  • API Developmentnot Contentful
  • API Gatewaynot Contentful
  • API Testingnot Contentful
  • API Documentationnot Contentful
  • Microservicesnot Contentful

Where each one falls short

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

Contentful

  • Pricing model with content type limits (48) forces full tier upgrades
  • Limited GraphQL mutations for content management complexity
  • Requires significant technical expertise and developer dependency
  • Uncertainty following Salesforce acquisition announcement in June 2026

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

Contentful

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 10 users
    • 100K API calls per month
    • 1 Space
  • Team$489/month
    • Higher usage limits
    • Additional collaboration features
    • Professional support

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 Contentful if

  • You need content modeling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want restful apis.
Contentful 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 Contentful or Ghost better?
Neither clearly leads. Contentful starts at Free and Ghost at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Contentful or Ghost?
Contentful starts at Free and Ghost at Free.
Does Contentful or Ghost run on more platforms?
Contentful runs on Web, API. Ghost runs on Web, Self-hosted, Cloud-hosted.
Can I use Contentful for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Contentful best used for?
Contentful is most often used for website content management, mobile app content, e-commerce catalogs, multi-channel publishing. Of those, website content management and mobile app content are not what Ghost is typically brought in for.
What can Contentful do that Ghost cannot?
Contentful covers Content modeling, RESTful APIs, GraphQL API, Rich text editor. Ghost covers Content API, Membership, Analytics, Zapier. Both handle Webhooks.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Contentful: Does Contentful offer a free tier?

Yes, Contentful has a Free tier with 10 users, 100K API calls per month, and support for 1 Space. This is suitable for small projects and proof-of-concept work.

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
Contentful: What is the difference between Contentful and traditional CMS platforms?

Contentful is a headless CMS that decouples content from presentation, allowing you to deliver the same content across websites, mobile apps, IoT devices, and voice assistants without duplication.

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
Contentful: How does Contentful handle multi-locale content?

Contentful supports multi-locale content, though multi-locale costs must be negotiated upfront depending on your pricing tier and requirements.

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
Contentful: Does Contentful integrate with e-commerce platforms?

Yes, Contentful partners with Commerce Layer, an API-first commerce platform, to enable enterprise-grade e-commerce experiences alongside headless CMS capabilities.

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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