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Ghost CMS vs Reeder

Ghost CMS logo

Ghost CMS

News

Modern platform for professional publishing

From
$18/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Reeder logo

Reeder

News

Subscription RSS and social feed reader for Apple platforms, with a separate one-time Classic version

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Reeder 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; Reeder the free tier caps at ten feeds, which is restrictive for anyone following more than a handful of sources.
  • They diverge on capability: Ghost CMS covers Publishing platform, Reeder covers Multi-source feeds.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ghost CMS and Reeder actually diverge.

Attributes where Ghost CMS and Reeder differ
AttributeGhost CMSReeder
Starting price$18/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionPer user per month
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Self-hostedMac, iOS
Founded2013Unknown

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 Reeder

  • Multi-source feeds
  • Gesture-based triage
  • Shared feeds
  • Cross-device sync
  • Reeder Classic option
  • Custom themes

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 Reeder
  • Self hosting a headless or full stack publishing platformnot Reeder

Reeder

  • A reader who wants YouTube, Reddit and Mastodon alongside RSS feeds in one triage-focused appnot Ghost CMS
  • Someone with more than ten feeds who is comfortable with a low cost subscription rather than a hard capnot Ghost CMS
  • A long time Reeder user who prefers the older interface and wants to avoid a subscription by using Reeder Classic insteadnot Ghost CMS
  • A user who wants shared curated feed lists with friends or colleagues, a Plus-only featurenot 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

Reeder

  • The free tier caps at ten feeds, which is restrictive for anyone following more than a handful of sources.
  • Having two separately named and priced apps, Reeder and Reeder Classic, has confused users trying to work out which one to buy.
  • It depends on continued access to YouTube, Reddit and Mastodon APIs for its social feed features, any of which could change terms and reduce functionality.
  • It is Apple platforms only, with no Windows, Android or web version.
  • The subscription, while cheap, is still an ongoing cost compared with NetNewsWire, which does the core RSS job for free indefinitely.

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

Reeder

Free
  • Reeder (free)Free
    • Up to 10 feeds
    • Core reading and triage features
  • Reeder Plus$1/month
    • Unlimited feeds
    • Shared feeds
    • Social timelines from Reddit and Mastodon
  • Reeder ClassicFree
    • Separate app, one-time purchase pricing
    • No subscription required
    • Traditional RSS-focused feature set

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 Reeder if

  • You need multi-source feeds.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Mac, iOS.
  • You also want gesture-based triage.
Reeder review

Questions people ask

Is Ghost CMS or Reeder better?
Neither clearly leads. Ghost CMS starts at $18/month and Reeder at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ghost CMS or Reeder?
Reeder has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $18/month for Ghost CMS and Free for Reeder.
Does Ghost CMS or Reeder run on more platforms?
Ghost CMS runs on Web, Self-hosted. Reeder runs on Mac, iOS.
Can I use Reeder for free?
Yes. Reeder 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 Reeder is typically brought in for.
What can Ghost CMS do that Reeder cannot?
Ghost CMS covers Publishing platform, Email newsletters, Membership management, Analytics. Reeder covers Multi-source feeds, Gesture-based triage, Shared feeds, Cross-device sync.

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
Reeder: Is Reeder free?

A free tier exists capped at ten feeds; unlimited feeds and social timelines require the Reeder Plus subscription.

Ghost CMS: Can I cancel my Ghost subscription anytime?

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

Source
Reeder: What is Reeder Classic?

A separate, older Reeder app kept available as a one-time purchase for users who do not want the new subscription model.

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
Reeder: Does Reeder support YouTube and Reddit, not just RSS?

Yes, the current version combines RSS with YouTube channels, Reddit communities and Mastodon timelines in one app.

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