Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Ghost VS BigCommerce

Compare Ghost VS BigCommerce and see what are their differences

Ghost logo Ghost

Ghost is a fully open source, adaptable platform for building and running a modern online publication. We power blogs, magazines and journalists from Zappos to Sky News.

BigCommerce logo BigCommerce

BigCommerce provides ecommerce software solutions and shopping cart software for online businesses. Try it free and start selling your products online today!
  • Ghost Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-10-10
  • BigCommerce Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-10-21

Ghost

Website
ghost.org
$ Details
paid Free Trial $36 / Monthly (100k views/month, 2 users)
Startup details
Country
United Kingdom

BigCommerce

$ Details
$29.95 / Monthly (Standard)
Startup details
Country
United States

Ghost features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Ghost offers a clean and intuitive interface that makes content management straightforward, even for those without technical expertise.
  • Speed and Performance
    Ghost is built on modern technology like Node.js which makes it faster and more efficient compared to some traditional CMS platforms.
  • SEO Optimized
    Ghost comes built-in with SEO features like clean URLs, meta tags, and sitemaps which help in improving search engine rankings.
  • Customizable Themes
    Ghost supports a variety of themes that can be easily customized to fit the branding and functionality needs of a website.
  • Markdown Support
    Content creation in Ghost is made easy with Markdown support, allowing writers to focus on text rather than formatting.

Possible disadvantages of Ghost

  • Limited Plugin Ecosystem
    Compared to WordPress, Ghost has a more limited selection of plugins, which might restrict some functionalities users are looking for.
  • Higher Hosting Costs
    Ghost's official hosting is relatively expensive, making it less suitable for users on a tight budget.
  • Technical Knowledge Requirement
    While Ghost is user-friendly, setting it up on a custom server can require a higher level of technical knowledge compared to some other platforms.
  • Less Community Support
    The user community for Ghost is smaller compared to more established platforms like WordPress, which can make it harder to find support and resources.
  • Limited Ecommerce Capabilities
    Ghost is primarily a publishing platform and lacks the more advanced eCommerce functionalities that other CMS platforms might offer out of the box.

BigCommerce features and specs

  • Scalability
    BigCommerce is built to handle large volumes of sales and high traffic, making it an excellent choice for growing businesses.
  • SEO Features
    BigCommerce offers a wide range of built-in SEO tools that help improve your store's visibility on search engines.
  • Integration Capabilities
    The platform supports a variety of third-party integrations, including popular tools like Google Shopping, eBay, and Amazon.
  • Customizable Templates
    BigCommerce provides a variety of responsive and customizable templates to create a unique online store.
  • No Transaction Fees
    BigCommerce does not charge any transaction fees on any of its plans, allowing you to maximize your profit margins.
  • Security Features
    The platform comes with built-in security features such as SSL certification and PCI compliance, ensuring a safe shopping experience.

Possible disadvantages of BigCommerce

  • Pricing
    BigCommerce’s pricing plans can be expensive, especially for new or small businesses.
  • Complexity
    The extensive features and customization options may be overwhelming for beginners or those with limited technical skills.
  • Support Limitations
    Some users report delays and mixed effectiveness in customer support, particularly for more technical issues.
  • Customizations Require Coding
    Advanced customizations often require knowledge of HTML, CSS, or JavaScript, which can necessitate hiring a developer.
  • Sales Thresholds
    BigCommerce imposes sales thresholds on each plan, requiring you to upgrade to a higher plan if you exceed the limit, which can increase costs.
  • Limited Free Themes
    The selection of free themes is somewhat limited, which may require an additional investment into premium themes for a more tailored look.

Analysis of Ghost

Overall verdict

  • Ghost is a highly regarded platform for serious bloggers and publishers who want a minimalistic yet powerful content management system. It is especially beneficial for those who prefer a distraction-free writing environment with the capability to scale and customize as their needs grow.

Why this product is good

  • Ghost is a popular open-source platform designed for professional bloggers and publishers. It is known for its clean design, speed, and ease of use. Ghost offers robust features for content creation, management, and distribution while focusing on providing an optimal writing experience. Additionally, Ghost is built on modern technology stacks and offers flexibility through themes and integrations. It also supports membership and subscription models, making it ideal for those looking to monetize their content.

Recommended for

  • Professional bloggers
  • Content creators looking for a minimalist interface
  • Publishers seeking to monetize their content
  • Developers looking for an open-source platform
  • Organizations that require a fast and reliable CMS
  • Writers who value a focused writing experience

Analysis of BigCommerce

Overall verdict

  • BigCommerce is a strong option for an e-commerce platform, particularly for growing businesses that require scalability and a wide array of features. Its comprehensive toolset makes it a valuable choice for those looking to expand and optimize their online sales efforts.

Why this product is good

  • BigCommerce is a robust e-commerce platform known for its scalability and extensive features, making it suitable for businesses of all sizes.
  • It offers a variety of built-in tools for SEO, marketing, and analytics, helping businesses enhance their online visibility and sales performance.
  • The platform supports multi-channel selling, allowing users to expand their reach by selling on platforms like Amazon, eBay, and social media.
  • It provides a high level of customization with its flexible API, allowing developers to build custom solutions tailored to specific business needs.

Recommended for

  • Medium to large businesses looking for a scalable solution with extensive e-commerce features.
  • Businesses seeking to integrate multiple sales channels to maximize reach and sales.
  • Stores that want advanced SEO and marketing tools directly built into the platform.
  • Companies that need a customizable platform with API capabilities to tailor the system to their needs.

Ghost videos

Why I Moved My Blog From WordPress to Ghost

More videos:

  • Review - Ghost review - CMS for creators to build a membership

BigCommerce videos

BigCommerce Ecommerce Review

More videos:

  • Review - Shopify Vs Bigcommerce Unbiased Pros And Cons Review 2020
  • Review - BigCommerce Review, DETAILED Walkthrough, See Features & Options
  • Review - BigCommerce Review – Pros And Cons (What You Must Know Before You Join)
  • Review - 5 reasons you should choose BigCommerce over Shopify
  • Review - Bigcommerce Review - The Best Shopify Alternative?
  • Review - Shopify vs Bigcommerce: Which is Better? (2023)
  • Tutorial - BigCommerce Tutorial 2023 (Make an eCommerce Store The Easy Way)

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Ghost and BigCommerce)
Blogging
100 100%
0% 0
eCommerce
0 0%
100% 100
CMS
100 100%
0% 0
eCommerce Platform
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using Ghost and BigCommerce. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Ghost and BigCommerce

Ghost Reviews

Comparing 9 WordPress alternatives & competitors in 2024
Ghost specializes in creating a monetized blogging platform. Based on their subscription status, readers can create user profiles, sign up for newsletters, and browse your entire blogging calendar. The platform’s singular focus on blogging makes it great for individuals and small teams, but it lacks features like real-time collaboration that are necessary for larger companies.
Source: webflow.com
19 Best WordPress Alternatives in 2025
Ghost is known for its simplicity and focus on content creation. It's a great option for writers and creators who want a clean and distraction-free environment to publish their work.
Source: www.pixpa.com
7 Best Buy Me a Coffee Alternatives
If you don’t already have a website, Ghost may be an appealing option as a Patreon alternative. However, customizations are limited, and you’ll need to choose a pre-built design from the theme library. There are a few themes available, but most are priced from around $80 to $150. The Ghost API also gives you a way to publish content you create on the platform to another...
Source: wpforms.com
Top 10 Web Content Management Systems
Ghost is here as one of the first entries that can be classified as a pure headless CMS. Ghost is not only one of the best headless CMS options, but it also does so while being focused primarily on the blogger community. So if you have or are thinking about starting a large blogging operation featuring many different presentation layers, then Ghost is definitely for you....
Source: cloudzy.com
25+ Medium Alternative Platforms for Publishing Articles
Ghost open-source blogging and the indirect medium alternative platform. Its interface makes blogging easy for users, but also offers SEO tools and other plugins that are built into the platform. This makes it simple for users to publish high-quality content without technical difficulties.
Source: forgefusion.io

BigCommerce Reviews

Top 5 Headless Ecommerce Platform For B2B Business (2024 Reviews)
Renowned for its enterprise-level functionality and extensive integrations, BigCommerce boasts an open API architecture. Its intuitive interface and real-time store sales metrics on the Home screen make it easy for merchants to manage their ecommerce store. The side menu facilitates smooth navigation through the backend of the headless commerce site, granting access to core...
Top 10 Shopify Alternatives for Ecommerce in 2024
BigCommerce stands out for its robust features that support scalability. If you're planning to grow your business, BigCommerce offers multi-channel selling and advanced SEO capabilities that can help you reach more customers without the need to switch platforms later. It's designed for businesses of all sizes that are serious about expansion.
Source: www.attrac.io
Shopify Self-Hosted Alternatives for Your E-Commerce Success
BigCommerce is an all-in-one e-commerce platform that simplifies the process of setting up and running an online store. Its user-friendly interface and customizable options allow businesses to create unique and visually appealing online storefronts.
Source: cyberpanel.net
Best eCommerce Platform for Auto Parts
Bigcommerce is similar to Shopify in almost every aspect, but it has a lower value in the market. Still, it is a popular choice for those looking for a reliable auto parts ecommerce platform. We can easily customize the auto parts ecommerce website with its drag-and-drop features and many themes. The data migration is costly, similar to Shopify, as it is a proprietary SaaS...
Source: www.ayatas.com
10 Best Website Builders for Companies in 2023
BigCommerce is an e-commerce website builder that helps individuals and businesses create an online store to sell their products and services. It provides a user-friendly interface, templates, and design options for users to customize their store. BigCommerce also offers hosting and maintenance services, as well as payment and shipping options, to make it easy for users to...

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Ghost seems to be a lot more popular than BigCommerce. While we know about 196 links to Ghost, we've tracked only 4 mentions of BigCommerce. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Ghost mentions (196)

  • Local Journalism Is How Democracy Shows Up Close to Home
    Digital production has lowered the cost, and the Ghost platform in particular is a great value for small publishers, bundling together the blog, newsletter and subscriptions in one package, even now including ActivityPub federation. And Ghost themselves a non-profit org that doesn't mark up the Stripe transaction fees! One local news outlet recently switched to that, saving about %5 on Patreon fees and a second is... - Source: Hacker News / 8 months ago
  • Bye Bye Big Tech: How I Migrated to an Almost All-EU Stack (and Saved 500€/Year)
    Https://ghost.org — Open-source run by a non-profit headquartered in Singapore. - Source: Hacker News / 8 months ago
  • Ask HN: Looking for Headless CMS Recommendation
    If you're hell-bent on headless, I can personally recommend 11ty (https://www.11ty.dev/) and hugo (https://gohugo.io/). That said, for non-technical admins, you probably want a user interface. For that, Ghost (https://ghost.org/) and Grav (https://getgrav.org/). Or Wordpress! - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Typepad Is Shutting Down
    They should provide an option to move to https://ghost.org/. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Build an analytics agent to analyze your Ghost blog traffic with the Vercel AI SDK and Tinybird
    In this post, I'll show you how to build an agent with sufficient contextual understanding of underlying analytics data - and the tools to query it - so that you can have a chat with your data (any data!). Specifically, I'll build a simple analytics agent for a blog - hosted on the open-source publishing platform Ghost. The agent will tell us which content is performing the best, and why. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
View more

BigCommerce mentions (4)

  • Pre ordered the Premium edition of armored Core 6
    It's their payment processing, the inspect browser tool pulls up a bad connection with their payment system (bigcommerce.com). It's some amateur hour shenanigans. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Possible scam
    Looks nothing like bigcommerce.com IMHO. Crappy graphics, site looks like it was put together by a 5 year old child. Source: over 4 years ago
  • What's Your Preferred Platform?
    But there are many alternatives I saw some people selling nice on ecwid.com as well and bigcommerce.com have more specific B2B options. Source: over 5 years ago
  • MACHathon 2021: Building the BigCommerce Weather Alert Merchandising Tool
    BigCommerce: A powerful, open SaaS platform to house product data, images, price data and deliver it to Vercel’s Next.JS framework via the Catalog APIs. - Source: dev.to / over 5 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Ghost and BigCommerce, you can also consider the following products

WordPress - WordPress is web software you can use to create a beautiful website or blog. We like to say that WordPress is both free and priceless at the same time.

Shopify - Shopify is a powerful ecommerce platform that includes everything you need to create an online store and sell online. Try it free for 14 days.

Medium - Welcome to Medium, a place to read, write, and interact with the stories that matter most to you.

WooCommerce - A freely available eCommerce plugin that enables shop facilities on your WordPress website. Functionality enabling extensions & beautiful themes available.

Blogger - Publish your passions, your way. Create a unique and beautiful blog. It’s easy and free.

Magento - Magento is the eCommerce software and platform trusted by the world's leading brands. Grow your online business with Magento.