Software · head to head
Parse.ly vs Ghost CMS
The short version
- Only Ghost CMS has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Parse.ly pricing is by quote only: the pricing page names three tiers but publishes no rate, no minimum and no cost driver, and routes buyers to a demo booking; Ghost CMS ghost Pro plans cap members, at 1,000 on both Starter and Publisher and 10,000 on Business
- They diverge on capability: Parse.ly covers Content analytics, Ghost CMS covers Publishing platform.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Parse.ly and Ghost CMS actually diverge.
Identical on both: 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 Parse.ly
- Content analytics
- Audience tracking
- Real-time metrics
- Recommendations
- Google Analytics
- GDPR
- Cloud deployment
- English language support
Only in Ghost CMS
- Publishing platform
- Email newsletters
- Membership management
- Analytics
- Paywall support
- SEO optimization
- Media library
- API access
Both cover
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Parse.ly
- Real time analytics on article and page performance for publishersnot Ghost CMS
- Attributing conversions and subscriptions to contentnot Ghost CMS
- Comparing audience engagement across authors, sections and channelsnot Ghost CMS
Ghost CMS
- Running a publication or newsletter with paid subscriptionsnot Parse.ly
- Self hosting a headless or full stack publishing platformnot Parse.ly
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Parse.ly
- Pricing is by quote only: the pricing page names three tiers but publishes no rate, no minimum and no cost driver, and routes buyers to a demo booking
- Conversions and attribution reporting require the Content Value tier rather than the entry tier
- Geographic segmentation and video tracking require the top Content Advocacy tier
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
Pricing, plan by plan
Parse.ly
$500/month- Standard$500/month
- Content analytics
- Audience insights
Ghost CMS
Free- Free Self-HostedFree
- Open source
- Self-hosted
- Basic features
- Creator$29/month
- Email newsletters
- Memberships
- Analytics
- Business$99/month
- Advanced analytics
- Priority support
- Custom integrations
Which should you pick?
Choose Ghost CMS if
- You need publishing platform.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Self-hosted.
- You also want email newsletters.
Questions people ask
- Is Parse.ly or Ghost CMS better?
- Neither clearly leads. Parse.ly starts at $500/month and Ghost CMS at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Parse.ly or Ghost CMS?
- Ghost CMS has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $500/month for Parse.ly and Free for Ghost CMS.
- Does Parse.ly or Ghost CMS run on more platforms?
- Parse.ly runs on Web. Ghost CMS runs on Web, Self-hosted.
- Can I use Ghost CMS for free?
- Yes. Ghost CMS has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Parse.ly starts at $500/month.
- What is Parse.ly best used for?
- Parse.ly is most often used for real time analytics on article and page performance for publishers, attributing conversions and subscriptions to content, comparing audience engagement across authors, sections and channels. Of those, real time analytics on article and page performance for publishers and attributing conversions and subscriptions to content are not what Ghost CMS is typically brought in for.
- What can Parse.ly do that Ghost CMS cannot?
- Parse.ly covers Content analytics, Audience tracking, Real-time metrics, Recommendations. Ghost CMS covers Publishing platform, Email newsletters, Membership management, Analytics. Both handle Web support.