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Ghost CMS vs GraphQL Apollo

Ghost CMS logo

Ghost CMS

News

Modern platform for professional publishing

From
$18/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
GraphQL Apollo logo

GraphQL Apollo

APIs

Complete platform for building GraphQL APIs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only GraphQL Apollo has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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; GraphQL Apollo standard and Enterprise plans require sales contact for custom pricing
  • They diverge on capability: Ghost CMS covers Publishing platform, GraphQL Apollo covers Apollo Server.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ghost CMS and GraphQL Apollo actually diverge.

Attributes where Ghost CMS and GraphQL Apollo differ
AttributeGhost CMSGraphQL Apollo
Starting price$18/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Self-hostedJavaScript, Node.js, Web, Mobile
CategoryNewsAPIs
Founded20132016

Identical on both: 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 Ghost CMS

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

Only in GraphQL Apollo

  • Apollo Server
  • Apollo Client
  • GraphQL Federation
  • REST APIs
  • Microservices
  • Databases
  • JavaScript support
  • Node.js support

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 GraphQL Apollo
  • Self hosting a headless or full stack publishing platformnot GraphQL Apollo

GraphQL Apollo

  • GraphQL API managementnot Ghost CMS
  • Schema federationnot Ghost CMS
  • API analytics and monitoringnot Ghost CMS
  • Developer-focused infrastructurenot 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

GraphQL Apollo

  • Standard and Enterprise plans require sales contact for custom pricing
  • Free plan limited to 3 developers and 1-day retention
  • Self-hosted router on free tier heavily rate-limited to 60 requests/minute

Pricing, plan by plan

Ghost CMS

$18/month
  • Starter$18/month
    • For solo blogs and newsletters
    • Your own website
    • Email newsletter
  • Publisher$29/month
    • For custom publications
    • 3 staff users
    • Custom themes
  • Business$199/month
    • For teams scaling up
    • 15 staff users
    • Priority support
  • Custom$null/contact
    • For organizations with complex needs
    • Unlimited staff users
    • Dedicated IP addresses

GraphQL Apollo

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 3 developers
    • 1-day data retention
    • Community support only
  • Developer$5/per million requests
    • $50 usage credit for new signups
    • Up to 10 developers
    • 7-day data retention
  • Standard$null/custom
    • Up to 30 developers
    • 90-day data retention
    • Standard support with SLA (8x5)
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • Unlimited developers
    • 18-month data retention
    • Business support 24x7x365 with SLA

Which should you pick?

Choose Ghost CMS if

  • You need publishing platform.
  • You work on Web, Self-hosted.
  • You also want email newsletters.
Ghost CMS review

Choose GraphQL Apollo if

  • You need apollo server.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on JavaScript, Node.js, Web, Mobile.
  • You also want apollo client.
GraphQL Apollo review

Questions people ask

Is Ghost CMS or GraphQL Apollo better?
Neither clearly leads. Ghost CMS starts at $18/month and GraphQL Apollo at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ghost CMS or GraphQL Apollo?
GraphQL Apollo has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $18/month for Ghost CMS and Free for GraphQL Apollo.
Does Ghost CMS or GraphQL Apollo run on more platforms?
Ghost CMS runs on Web, Self-hosted. GraphQL Apollo runs on JavaScript, Node.js, Web, Mobile.
Can I use GraphQL Apollo for free?
Yes. GraphQL Apollo has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Ghost CMS starts at $18/month.
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 GraphQL Apollo is typically brought in for.
What can Ghost CMS do that GraphQL Apollo cannot?
Ghost CMS covers Publishing platform, Email newsletters, Membership management, Analytics. GraphQL Apollo covers Apollo Server, Apollo Client, GraphQL Federation, REST APIs. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Ghost CMS: How much does Ghost CMS cost?

Ghost(Pro) pricing starts at $18 per month when billed yearly for the Starter plan, with Publisher at $29 per month and Business at $199 per month. All plans include unlimited email sends and enterprise-grade security.

Source
GraphQL Apollo: How much does Apollo GraphQL cost?

Apollo GraphQL is free for up to 3 developers. Paid plans start at $5 per million GraphQL requests on the Developer plan, which includes $50 usage credit for new signups. Standard and Enterprise plans require custom pricing via sales contact.

Source
Ghost CMS: Can I cancel my Ghost subscription anytime?

Yes, users can upgrade, downgrade, or cancel their Ghost subscription anytime without penalties.

Source
GraphQL Apollo: Is there a free version of Apollo GraphQL?

Yes, Apollo GraphQL offers a forever-free plan with no credit card required for up to 3 developers, including 1-day data retention, community support, and self-hosted GraphOS Router rate-limited to 60 requests per minute.

Source
Ghost CMS: Are there any additional fees with Ghost?

Ghost waives transaction fees on all plans, though payment processor fees still apply. There are no setup fees or hidden charges.

Source
GraphQL Apollo: What does Apollo's Enterprise plan include that Standard does not?

The Enterprise plan offers unlimited developers versus 30 on Standard, 18-month data retention versus 90 days, and 24x7x365 business support with SLA instead of 8x5 support. It also includes premium and professional services add-ons and custom MSA agreements. Both require custom pricing.

Source
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