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News · head to head

Ghost CMS vs News Break

Ghost CMS logo

Ghost CMS

News

Modern platform for professional publishing

From
$18/month
Rated
-
News Break logo

News Break

News

Local news and breaking stories for your community

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only News Break 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; News Break no pricing model disclosed, appears to be free news platform
  • They diverge on capability: Ghost CMS covers Publishing platform, News Break covers Local news aggregation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ghost CMS and News Break actually diverge.

Attributes where Ghost CMS and News Break differ
AttributeGhost CMSNews Break
Starting price$18/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Self-hostedIos, Android, Web
Founded20132016

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 CMS

  • Publishing platform
  • Email newsletters
  • Membership management
  • Analytics
  • Paywall support
  • SEO optimization
  • Media library
  • API access

Only in News Break

  • Local news aggregation
  • AI personalization
  • Breaking news alerts
  • Community posts
  • Local events
  • Local publishers
  • Weather services
  • Ios 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 News Break
  • Self hosting a headless or full stack publishing platformnot News Break

News Break

  • Local newsnot Ghost CMS
  • Community updatesnot Ghost CMS
  • Breaking newsnot Ghost CMS
  • Local eventsnot 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

News Break

  • No pricing model disclosed, appears to be free news platform

Pricing, plan by plan

Ghost CMS

$18/month
  • Starter$18/month
    • For solo blogs and newsletters
    • Your own website
    • Email newsletter
  • Publisher$29/month
    • For custom publications
    • 3 staff users
    • Custom themes
  • Business$199/month
    • For teams scaling up
    • 15 staff users
    • Priority support
  • Custom$null/contact
    • For organizations with complex needs
    • Unlimited staff users
    • Dedicated IP addresses

News Break

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Local news
    • Breaking alerts
    • Personalized feed

Which should you pick?

Choose Ghost CMS if

  • You need publishing platform.
  • You work on Web, Self-hosted.
  • You also want email newsletters.

Choose News Break if

  • You need local news aggregation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Ios, Android, Web.
  • You also want ai personalization.

Questions people ask

Is Ghost CMS or News Break better?
Neither clearly leads. Ghost CMS starts at $18/month and News Break at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ghost CMS or News Break?
News Break has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $18/month for Ghost CMS and Free for News Break.
Does Ghost CMS or News Break run on more platforms?
Ghost CMS runs on Web, Self-hosted. News Break runs on Ios, Android, Web.
Can I use News Break for free?
Yes. News Break has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Ghost CMS starts at $18/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 News Break is typically brought in for.
What can Ghost CMS do that News Break cannot?
Ghost CMS covers Publishing platform, Email newsletters, Membership management, Analytics. News Break covers Local news aggregation, AI personalization, Breaking news alerts, Community posts. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Ghost CMS: How much does Ghost CMS cost?

Ghost(Pro) pricing starts at $18 per month when billed yearly for the Starter plan, with Publisher at $29 per month and Business at $199 per month. All plans include unlimited email sends and enterprise-grade security.

Source
News Break: Does News Break charge a subscription fee?

News Break does not disclose pricing on its website. The platform offers free access to local news, headlines, and other news content through sections covering sports, finance, and other categories.

Source
Ghost CMS: Can I cancel my Ghost subscription anytime?

Yes, users can upgrade, downgrade, or cancel their Ghost subscription anytime without penalties.

Source
Ghost CMS: Are there any additional fees with Ghost?

Ghost waives transaction fees on all plans, though payment processor fees still apply. There are no setup fees or hidden charges.

Source
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