Software · head to head
Ghost CMS vs Parse.ly
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; Parse.ly pricing is by quote only: the pricing page names three tiers but publishes no rate, no minimum and no cost driver, and routes buyers to a demo booking
- They diverge on capability: Ghost CMS covers Publishing platform, Parse.ly covers Content analytics.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Ghost CMS and Parse.ly actually diverge.
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
- Analytics
- Paywall support
- SEO optimization
- Media library
- API access
Only in Parse.ly
- Content analytics
- Audience tracking
- Real-time metrics
- Recommendations
- Google Analytics
- GDPR
- Cloud deployment
- English language 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 Parse.ly
- Self hosting a headless or full stack publishing platformnot Parse.ly
Parse.ly
- Real time analytics on article and page performance for publishersnot Ghost CMS
- Attributing conversions and subscriptions to contentnot Ghost CMS
- Comparing audience engagement across authors, sections and channelsnot 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
Parse.ly
- Pricing is by quote only: the pricing page names three tiers but publishes no rate, no minimum and no cost driver, and routes buyers to a demo booking
- Conversions and attribution reporting require the Content Value tier rather than the entry tier
- Geographic segmentation and video tracking require the top Content Advocacy tier
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
Parse.ly
$500/month- Standard$500/month
- Content analytics
- Audience insights
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.
Questions people ask
- Is Ghost CMS or Parse.ly better?
- Neither clearly leads. Ghost CMS starts at Free and Parse.ly at $500/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Ghost CMS or Parse.ly?
- Ghost CMS has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Ghost CMS and $500/month for Parse.ly.
- Does Ghost CMS or Parse.ly run on more platforms?
- Ghost CMS runs on Web, Self-hosted. Parse.ly runs on Web.
- Can I use Ghost CMS for free?
- Yes. Ghost CMS has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Parse.ly starts at $500/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 Parse.ly is typically brought in for.
- What can Ghost CMS do that Parse.ly cannot?
- Ghost CMS covers Publishing platform, Email newsletters, Membership management, Analytics. Parse.ly covers Content analytics, Audience tracking, Real-time metrics, Recommendations. Both handle Web support.