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Software · head to head

Ghost CMS vs Newswire

Ghost CMS logo

Ghost CMS

Software

Modern platform for professional publishing

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Newswire logo

Newswire

Software

Affordable press release distribution for everyone

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Ghost CMS 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; Newswire priced per press release rather than a subscription: Starter is $399 for an estimated 6 to 10 million reach, Basic is $659, Feature is $965 for 150 to 200 million reach, and State Distribution is a separate $599 add on
  • They diverge on capability: Ghost CMS covers Publishing platform, Newswire covers Press release distribution.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Ghost CMS and Newswire differ
AttributeGhost CMSNewswire
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumusage-based
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Self-hostedWeb
Founded20132004

Identical on both: 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
  • Paywall support
  • Media library
  • API access
  • Stripe
  • Mailgun

Only in Newswire

  • Press release distribution
  • Media targeting
  • Social amplification
  • Google News
  • Yahoo News
  • Bing News
  • Social media

Both cover

  • Analytics
  • SEO optimization
  • 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 Newswire
  • Self hosting a headless or full stack publishing platformnot Newswire

Newswire

  • Product launchesnot Ghost CMS
  • Company newsnot Ghost CMS
  • Event announcementsnot Ghost CMS
  • SEO boostnot Ghost CMS
  • Brand awarenessnot 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

Newswire

  • Priced per press release rather than a subscription: Starter is $399 for an estimated 6 to 10 million reach, Basic is $659, Feature is $965 for 150 to 200 million reach, and State Distribution is a separate $599 add on

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

Newswire

On request
  • Essential$99/one-time
    • Online distribution
    • Google News
    • Social sharing
  • Professional$249/one-time
    • National media
    • Industry targeting
    • Enhanced analytics
  • Premium$549/one-time
    • AP wire inclusion
    • Full distribution
    • Journalist outreach
  • Enterprise$1299/one-time
    • Maximum reach
    • All features
    • Dedicated support

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 Newswire if

  • You need press release distribution.
  • You also want media targeting.
Newswire review

Questions people ask

Is Ghost CMS or Newswire better?
Neither clearly leads. Ghost CMS starts at Free and Newswire at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ghost CMS or Newswire?
Ghost CMS has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Ghost CMS and On request for Newswire.
Does Ghost CMS or Newswire run on more platforms?
Ghost CMS runs on Web, Self-hosted. Newswire runs on Web.
Can I use Ghost CMS for free?
Yes. Ghost CMS has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Newswire starts at On request.
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 Newswire is typically brought in for.
What can Ghost CMS do that Newswire cannot?
Ghost CMS covers Publishing platform, Email newsletters, Membership management, Paywall support. Newswire covers Press release distribution, Media targeting, Social amplification, Google News. Both handle Analytics, SEO optimization, Web support.
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