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Software · head to head

Ghost CMS vs Google News

Ghost CMS logo

Ghost CMS

Software

Modern platform for professional publishing

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Google News logo

Google News

Software

Comprehensive news coverage powered by Google

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Ghost CMS ghost Pro plans cap members, at 1,000 on both Starter and Publisher and 10,000 on Business; Google News google News is free with no paid tier at all; there is no subscription to compare, and Google monetises it through advertising and Showcase partnerships rather than a user fee
  • They diverge on capability: Ghost CMS covers Publishing platform, Google News covers AI-powered curation.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ghost CMS and Google News actually diverge.

Attributes where Ghost CMS and Google News differ
AttributeGhost CMSGoogle News
Pricing modelfreemiumfree
PlatformsWeb, Self-hostedWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20131998

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Ghost CMS

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

Only in Google News

  • AI-powered curation
  • Full coverage
  • Local news
  • Topic following
  • Newsstand
  • Google account
  • Google Assistant
  • Chrome

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Ghost CMS

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

Google News

  • News consumptionnot Ghost CMS
  • Topic trackingnot Ghost CMS
  • Local newsnot Ghost CMS
  • Researchnot Ghost CMS

Where each one falls short

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

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

Google News

  • Google News is free with no paid tier at all; there is no subscription to compare, and Google monetises it through advertising and Showcase partnerships rather than a user fee

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Google News

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Personalized news feed
    • Full coverage feature
    • Local news

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Google News if

  • You need ai-powered curation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want full coverage.
Google News review

Questions people ask

Is Ghost CMS or Google News better?
Neither clearly leads. Ghost CMS starts at Free and Google News at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ghost CMS or Google News?
Ghost CMS starts at Free and Google News at Free.
Does Ghost CMS or Google News run on more platforms?
Ghost CMS runs on Web, Self-hosted. Google News runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Ghost CMS for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Ghost CMS best used for?
Ghost CMS is most often used for running a publication or newsletter with paid subscriptions, self hosting a headless or full stack publishing platform. Of those, running a publication or newsletter with paid subscriptions and self hosting a headless or full stack publishing platform are not what Google News is typically brought in for.
What can Ghost CMS do that Google News cannot?
Ghost CMS covers Publishing platform, Email newsletters, Membership management, Analytics. Google News covers AI-powered curation, Full coverage, Local news, Topic following. Both handle Web support.
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Related pages

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