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News · head to head

Ghost vs SmartNews

Ghost logo

Ghost

News

Modern publishing platform with content API and membership support

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SmartNews logo

SmartNews

News

Local news and breaking news from top sources

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Ghost backup and migration processes have significant limitations and are problematic for long-term users; SmartNews no specific pricing published for SmartNews+ subscription
  • They diverge on capability: Ghost covers Content API, SmartNews covers Machine learning curation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ghost and SmartNews actually diverge.

Attributes where Ghost and SmartNews differ
AttributeGhostSmartNews
Pricing modelUnknownfree
PlatformsWeb, Self-hosted, Cloud-hostedIos, Android
Founded20132012

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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
  • Analytics
  • Webhooks
  • Zapier
  • Custom integrations
  • Node.js support
  • Cloud support

Only in SmartNews

  • Machine learning curation
  • Smart Mode
  • Local news
  • Breaking alerts
  • Offline reading
  • Social sharing
  • News publishers
  • Ios support

What people use each for

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

Ghost

  • API Developmentnot SmartNews
  • API Gatewaynot SmartNews
  • API Testingnot SmartNews
  • API Documentationnot SmartNews
  • Microservicesnot SmartNews

SmartNews

  • Daily newsnot Ghost
  • Local newsnot Ghost
  • Breaking newsnot Ghost
  • Quick readingnot 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

SmartNews

  • No specific pricing published for SmartNews+ subscription
  • Requires visiting separate product page for pricing details
  • Subscription service model described but not detailed with costs

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

SmartNews

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Trending news
    • Local news
    • Smart Mode reading

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 SmartNews if

  • You need machine learning curation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Ios, Android.
  • You also want smart mode.
SmartNews review

Questions people ask

Is Ghost or SmartNews better?
Neither clearly leads. Ghost starts at Free and SmartNews at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ghost or SmartNews?
Ghost starts at Free and SmartNews at Free.
Does Ghost or SmartNews run on more platforms?
Ghost runs on Web, Self-hosted, Cloud-hosted. SmartNews runs on Ios, Android.
Can I use Ghost for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 SmartNews is typically brought in for.
What can Ghost do that SmartNews cannot?
Ghost covers Content API, Membership, Analytics, Webhooks. SmartNews covers Machine learning curation, Smart Mode, Local news, Breaking alerts.

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
SmartNews: How much does SmartNews cost?

SmartNews does not publish specific subscription pricing on its main website. The vendor offers SmartNews+, described as a subscription service aggregating paid business news and coupons, but cost details must be found on the dedicated SmartNews+ product page.

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
SmartNews: Does SmartNews offer a free tier?

SmartNews provides free access to curated news content. For additional business news and coupons, the vendor offers SmartNews+ as a paid subscription service. Pricing and trial details for SmartNews+ are available on the dedicated subscription product page.

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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