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Ghost CMS vs Newswire

Ghost CMS logo

Ghost CMS

News

Modern platform for professional publishing

From
$18/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Newswire logo

Newswire

News

Affordable press release distribution for everyone

From
$399/per release
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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; Newswire no free tier or trial available
  • They diverge on capability: Ghost CMS covers Publishing platform, 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 CMS and Newswire actually diverge.

Attributes where Ghost CMS and Newswire differ
AttributeGhost CMSNewswire
Starting price$18/month$399/per release
Pricing modelsubscriptionone-time
PlatformsWeb, Self-hostedWeb
Founded20132004

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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
  • Paywall support
  • Media library
  • API access
  • Stripe
  • Mailgun

Only in Newswire

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

Both cover

  • Analytics
  • SEO optimization
  • 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 Newswire
  • Self hosting a headless or full stack publishing platformnot Newswire

Newswire

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

Newswire

  • No free tier or trial available

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

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 CMS if

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

Choose Newswire if

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

Questions people ask

Is Ghost CMS or Newswire better?
Neither clearly leads. Ghost CMS starts at $18/month 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 CMS or Newswire?
Ghost CMS starts at $18/month and Newswire at $399/per release.
Does Ghost CMS or Newswire run on more platforms?
Ghost CMS runs on Web, Self-hosted. Newswire runs on Web.
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 Newswire is typically brought in for.
What can Ghost CMS do that Newswire cannot?
Ghost CMS covers Publishing platform, Email newsletters, Membership management, Paywall support. Newswire covers Press release distribution, Media targeting, Social amplification, Google News. Both handle Analytics, SEO optimization, 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
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 CMS: Can I cancel my Ghost subscription anytime?

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

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 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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