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Ghost vs Newswire

Ghost logo

Ghost

News

Modern publishing platform with content API and membership support

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Newswire logo

Newswire

News

Affordable press release distribution for everyone

From
$399/per release
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Ghost has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Ghost backup and migration processes have significant limitations and are problematic for long-term users; Newswire no free tier or trial available
  • They diverge on capability: Ghost covers Content API, Newswire covers Press release distribution.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ghost and Newswire actually diverge.

Attributes where Ghost and Newswire differ
AttributeGhostNewswire
Starting priceFree$399/per release
Pricing modelUnknownone-time
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Self-hosted, Cloud-hostedWeb
Founded20132004

Identical on both: 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
  • Webhooks
  • Zapier
  • Custom integrations
  • Node.js support
  • Cloud support
  • Self-hosted support

Only in Newswire

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

Both cover

  • Analytics

What people use each for

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

Ghost

  • API Developmentnot Newswire
  • API Gatewaynot Newswire
  • API Testingnot Newswire
  • API Documentationnot Newswire
  • Microservicesnot Newswire

Newswire

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

Newswire

  • No free tier or trial available

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

Newswire

$399/per release
  • Starter$399/per release
    • Distribution to Digital Journal and Online News & Media
    • Estimated reach 6 to 10 million monthly readers
    • Unlimited word count and images
  • Basic$659/per release
    • AP News and Digital Journal distribution
    • Estimated reach 75 to 100 million monthly readers
    • Unlimited word count and images
  • Feature$965/per release
    • AP News, Yahoo, Nexstar network inclusion
    • Estimated reach 150 to 200 million monthly readers
    • Unlimited word count and images
  • State Distribution$599/per release
    • Regional news outlets and local TV stations
    • Unlimited word count and images
    • Includes analytics reporting

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 Newswire if

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

Questions people ask

Is Ghost or Newswire better?
Neither clearly leads. Ghost starts at Free and Newswire at $399/per release, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ghost or Newswire?
Ghost has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Ghost and $399/per release for Newswire.
Does Ghost or Newswire run on more platforms?
Ghost runs on Web, Self-hosted, Cloud-hosted. Newswire runs on Web.
Can I use Ghost for free?
Yes. Ghost has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Newswire starts at $399/per release.
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 Newswire is typically brought in for.
What can Ghost do that Newswire cannot?
Ghost covers Content API, Membership, Webhooks, Zapier. Newswire covers Press release distribution, Media targeting, Social amplification, SEO optimization. Both handle Analytics.

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
Newswire: How much does Newswire cost?

Newswire charges per press release. Starter plan costs 399 dollars per release. Basic plan costs 659 dollars per release. Feature plan costs 965 dollars per release. State Distribution costs 599 dollars per release.

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
Newswire: What is included with Newswire pricing?

All Newswire plans include unlimited word count and images in your press release. Different tiers offer varying distribution networks and estimated reader reach.

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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