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Software · head to head

Ghost CMS vs Moz

Ghost CMS logo

Ghost CMS

Software

Modern platform for professional publishing

From
Free
Rated
-
Moz logo

Moz

Software

SEO software for smarter marketing

From
Free
Rated
-

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; Moz smaller keyword database with only 500M+ keywords compared to 25 billion for Semrush
  • They diverge on capability: Ghost CMS covers Publishing platform, Moz covers Keyword Explorer.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Ghost CMS and Moz differ
AttributeGhost CMSMoz
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Self-hostedWeb
Founded20132004

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 Moz

  • Keyword Explorer
  • Link Explorer
  • Site Crawl
  • Rank Tracking
  • Page Optimization
  • Competitive research
  • Local SEO tools
  • Fresh Web Explorer

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

Moz

  • SEO auditsnot Ghost CMS
  • Keyword researchnot Ghost CMS
  • Link buildingnot Ghost CMS
  • Local SEOnot Ghost CMS
  • Competitive analysisnot 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

Moz

  • Smaller keyword database with only 500M+ keywords compared to 25 billion for Semrush
  • Unreliable competitive analysis for B2B companies with niche competitor sets
  • Weekly rank tracking on lower plans creates bottlenecks versus daily updates on competitors

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

Moz

Free
  • Starter$39/month
    • Limited keyword tracking
    • Basic site audit
  • Standard$99/month
    • Enhanced keyword tracking
    • Competitive analysis

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.

Choose Moz if

  • You need keyword explorer.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want link explorer.

Questions people ask

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

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Moz: What are Moz's main weaknesses compared to Semrush and Ahrefs?

Moz has a smaller keyword database (500M+ keywords vs Semrush's 25B), weaker competitive analysis tools for B2B niches, weekly rank tracking on lower plans, and limited local SEO features compared to modern competitors.

Source

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