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Software · head to head

Ghost CMS vs Leadpages

Ghost CMS logo

Ghost CMS

Software

Modern platform for professional publishing

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Leadpages logo

Leadpages

Software

AI-powered landing page builder with lead capture and A/B testing.

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; Leadpages hTML Pub tiers (Starter to Business, $10–$49/month) limited to 5–50 pages without optimisation features

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Ghost CMS and Leadpages differ
AttributeGhost CMSLeadpages
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
PlatformsWeb, Self-hostedWeb, Mobile, API
Founded2013Unknown

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 Leadpages

Nothing recorded that Ghost CMS does not also cover.

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 Leadpages
  • Self hosting a headless or full stack publishing platformnot Leadpages

Leadpages

  • Small business owners and entrepreneurs seeking budget-friendly landing page creationnot Ghost CMS
  • Agencies and freelancers managing multiple client campaigns with AI-assisted page generationnot Ghost CMS
  • SaaS companies optimising customer acquisition with A/B testing and Smart Trafficnot Ghost CMS
  • E-commerce businesses running promotional campaigns with Stripe checkout integrationnot Ghost CMS
  • Sales teams requiring lead enrichment and automated lead qualification via Lead Agent AInot 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

Leadpages

  • HTML Pub tiers (Starter to Business, $10–$49/month) limited to 5–50 pages without optimisation features
  • Full optimisation features (A/B testing, Smart Traffic, heatmaps) only available in Grow tier ($99/month) and above
  • AI credits vary by plan, with Starter limited to 4,000 credits (insufficient for heavy AI usage)
  • All plans include unlimited traffic, but AI credit limitations may restrict heavy use of page generation features
  • 20% savings only apply with annual billing; monthly billing charges full price

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

Leadpages

Free
  • HTML Pub - Starter$10/month
    • 5 pages
    • 1 custom domain
    • 4,000 AI credits
  • HTML Pub - Pro$29/month
    • 25 pages
    • 1 custom domain
    • 5 GB storage
  • HTML Pub - Business$49/month
    • 50 pages
    • 2 custom domains
    • 2 blogs
  • Leadpages - Grow$99/month
    • Unlimited pages
    • 4 custom domains
    • Manual A/B testing

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 Leadpages if

  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, API.
Leadpages review

Questions people ask

Is Ghost CMS or Leadpages better?
Neither clearly leads. Ghost CMS starts at Free and Leadpages at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ghost CMS or Leadpages?
Ghost CMS starts at Free and Leadpages at Free.
Does Ghost CMS or Leadpages run on more platforms?
Ghost CMS runs on Web, Self-hosted. Leadpages runs on Web, Mobile, API.
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 Leadpages is typically brought in for.
What can Ghost CMS do that Leadpages cannot?
Ghost CMS covers Publishing platform, Email newsletters, Membership management, Analytics.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Leadpages: How quickly can I create a landing page with Leadpages?

Leadpages' AI engine generates a complete landing page in approximately 60 seconds based on your description. You can then customise it using the drag-and-drop editor.

Source
Leadpages: Does Leadpages include unlimited traffic?

Yes. All Leadpages plans include unlimited traffic with no overage fees.

Source
Leadpages: What is Lead Agent?

Lead Agent is an AI sales assistant that qualifies and routes leads automatically based on criteria you define, reducing manual lead qualification work.

Source
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Related pages

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