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Software · head to head

Ghost vs Microsoft Start

Ghost logo

Ghost

Software

Modern publishing platform with content API and membership support

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Microsoft Start logo

Microsoft Start

Software

Your personalized news feed powered by Microsoft

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; Microsoft Start microsoft Start (MSN) is a free, ad-supported consumer news aggregator with no subscription tier or enterprise procurement listing anywhere on its own site (msn.com).
  • They diverge on capability: Ghost covers Content API, Microsoft Start covers Personalized news.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ghost and Microsoft Start actually diverge.

Attributes where Ghost and Microsoft Start differ
AttributeGhostMicrosoft Start
Pricing modelUnknownfree
PlatformsWeb, Self-hosted, Cloud-hostedWeb, Ios, Android, Windows
Founded20131975

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

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

Only in Microsoft Start

  • Personalized news
  • Topic following
  • Weather updates
  • Sports scores
  • Finance news
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Windows 11
  • Microsoft Account

What people use each for

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

Ghost

  • API Developmentnot Microsoft Start
  • API Gatewaynot Microsoft Start
  • API Testingnot Microsoft Start
  • API Documentationnot Microsoft Start
  • Microservicesnot Microsoft Start

Microsoft Start

  • Daily newsnot Ghost
  • Topic trackingnot Ghost
  • Weather updatesnot Ghost
  • Quick informationnot 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

Microsoft Start

  • Microsoft Start (MSN) is a free, ad-supported consumer news aggregator with no subscription tier or enterprise procurement listing anywhere on its own site (msn.com).

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

Microsoft Start

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Personalized news feed
    • Topic following
    • Cross-device sync

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 Microsoft Start if

  • You need personalized news.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Windows.
  • You also want topic following.
Microsoft Start review

Questions people ask

Is Ghost or Microsoft Start better?
Neither clearly leads. Ghost starts at Free and Microsoft Start at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ghost or Microsoft Start?
Ghost starts at Free and Microsoft Start at Free.
Does Ghost or Microsoft Start run on more platforms?
Ghost runs on Web, Self-hosted, Cloud-hosted. Microsoft Start runs on Web, Ios, Android, Windows.
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 Microsoft Start is typically brought in for.
What can Ghost do that Microsoft Start cannot?
Ghost covers Content API, Membership, Analytics, Webhooks. Microsoft Start covers Personalized news, Topic following, Weather updates, Sports scores.

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
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
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
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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Related pages

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