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News · head to head

Ghost vs Ground News

Ghost logo

Ghost

News

Modern publishing platform with content API and membership support

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Ground News logo

Ground News

News

See every side of every story

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Ghost backup and migration processes have significant limitations and are problematic for long-term users; Ground News only one paid tier (Vantage) is publicly offered
  • They diverge on capability: Ghost covers Content API, Ground News covers News comparison.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ghost and Ground News actually diverge.

Attributes where Ghost and Ground News differ
AttributeGhostGround News
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsWeb, Self-hosted, Cloud-hostedIos, Android, Web
Founded20132018

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (News).

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

  • Content API
  • Membership
  • Analytics
  • Webhooks
  • Zapier
  • Custom integrations
  • Node.js support
  • Cloud support

Only in Ground News

  • News comparison
  • Bias ratings
  • Source transparency
  • Blindspot analysis
  • Ownership data
  • Browser extension
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Ghost

  • API Developmentnot Ground News
  • API Gatewaynot Ground News
  • API Testingnot Ground News
  • API Documentationnot Ground News
  • Microservicesnot Ground News

Ground News

  • News consumptionnot Ghost
  • Media literacynot Ghost
  • Researchnot Ghost
  • Fact checkingnot Ghost

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Ghost

  • Backup and migration processes have significant limitations and are problematic for long-term users
  • Open-source version lacks automatic backups, email subscriptions, and ad placement features
  • No built-in e-commerce functionality; separate platform required for product sales
  • Smaller community compared to WordPress, making support and resources harder to find
  • Narrow focus on publishing limits use cases outside content-only websites

Ground News

  • Only one paid tier (Vantage) is publicly offered
  • Annual billing required for the disclosed $8.33/month rate
  • Pricing for monthly billing not disclosed

Pricing, plan by plan

Ghost

Free
  • Self-HostedFree
    • Open-source Ghost CMS
    • Full control over data
    • No payment fees
  • Starter$15/month
    • Up to 1,000 members
    • Newsletter functionality
    • Membership management
  • Publisher$29/month
    • Unlimited members
    • Continuous member scaling
    • Advanced analytics
  • Business$199/month
    • All Publisher features
    • Custom domain
    • Priority support

Ground News

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Basic news comparison
    • Bias ratings
    • Limited stories
  • Pro$9.99/month
    • Unlimited stories
    • Blindspot feed
    • Ownership data
  • Vanguard$19.99/month
    • Everything in Pro
    • Support journalism
    • Early features

Which should you pick?

Choose Ghost if

  • You need content api.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Self-hosted, Cloud-hosted.
  • You also want membership.
Ghost review

Choose Ground News if

  • You need news comparison.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Ios, Android, Web.
  • You also want bias ratings.
Ground News review

Questions people ask

Is Ghost or Ground News better?
Neither clearly leads. Ghost starts at Free and Ground News at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ghost or Ground News?
Ghost starts at Free and Ground News at Free.
Does Ghost or Ground News run on more platforms?
Ghost runs on Web, Self-hosted, Cloud-hosted. Ground News runs on Ios, Android, Web.
Can I use Ghost for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Ghost best used for?
Ghost is most often used for api development, api gateway, api testing, api documentation. Of those, api development and api gateway are not what Ground News is typically brought in for.
What can Ghost do that Ground News cannot?
Ghost covers Content API, Membership, Analytics, Webhooks. Ground News covers News comparison, Bias ratings, Source transparency, Blindspot analysis.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Ghost: What is the free option for Ghost?

Ghost is open-source software that can be self-hosted for free. Self-hosting costs depend on your own server, domain, SSL, email delivery infrastructure, and DevOps expertise.

Source
Ground News: Does Ground News have a free option?

Yes. Ground News offers free access through its website, browser extension, or mobile app. The free tier shows news stories and basic information.

Source
Ghost: What is the starting price for Ghost(Pro) managed hosting?

Ghost(Pro) Starter plan is USD 15/month when billed yearly or USD 18/month when billed monthly. This plan includes up to 1,000 members with membership features enabled.

Source
Ground News: How much does Ground News Vantage cost?

Ground News Vantage is $8.33/month when billed annually, with no hidden fees. Users can cancel anytime.

Source
Ghost: Can I collect payments and manage subscriptions with Ghost?

Yes. Ghost includes native membership and subscription management with support for free signups and paid tiers (monthly/yearly options). All revenue goes directly to publishers with zero payment fees.

Source
Ground News: What features does Ground News Vantage include?

Ground News Vantage includes blindspot analysis, global coverage maps, unlimited saved stories, full coverage comparison, ownership and funding transparency, bias and factuality ratings, and the My News Bias dashboard.

Source
Ghost: Does Ghost integrate with Stripe?

Yes. Ghost integrates with Stripe for payment processing and subscription management, plus Zapier, Slack, Google Analytics, and thousands of other third-party apps.

Source
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