Software Alternatives & Startups

Ghost VS Hidden Bar

Compare Ghost VS Hidden Bar and see what are their differences

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.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source Paid Free trial $36 / Monthly (100k views/month, 2 users)
Hidden Bar

A ultra-light MacOS utility that helps hide menu bar icons.

Rating
0 reviews
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Ghost should be more popular than Hidden Bar. It has been mentioned 197 times since March 2021.

social mentions
197 vs 34
Blogging popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
240+ vs 166

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Ghost
Hidden Bar
Website ghost.org github.com
Pricing
Open source Paid Free trial $36 / Monthly (100k views/month, 2 users) Official pricing
—
Company Startup from the United Kingdom —
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Ghost 5 features
Hidden Bar 5 features
  • 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

  • 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.
  • Free and Open Source
    Hidden Bar is free to use and its source code is available on GitHub for anyone to inspect, modify, and contribute to. This promotes transparency and community-driven improvement.
  • Minimalist Design
    The app has a simple, minimalist design that integrates seamlessly with the macOS user interface without being obtrusive.
  • Improves Productivity
    By hiding unnecessary menu bar icons, Hidden Bar helps users focus on their tasks without being distracted by clutter.
  • Lightweight
    The application is lightweight and uses minimal system resources, ensuring that it won't slow down your machine.
  • Customizable
    Users can easily configure which icons to hide and which to display, allowing for a tailored experience.

Possible disadvantages

  • Limited to macOS
    Hidden Bar is only available for macOS, which limits its usability to Apple computer users.
  • Manual Updates
    As a GitHub project, updates may not be as frequent or automatic as those of apps available on the Mac App Store.
  • Basic Functionality
    While it effectively hides menu bar icons, it lacks additional advanced features that some paid alternatives might offer.
  • Potential Compatibility Issues
    With frequent macOS updates, there is a potential for compatibility issues, which may require manual intervention from the user or the community to resolve.
  • Dependence on Community
    As an open-source project, Hidden Bar relies heavily on community contributions. If the community loses interest, the app could become outdated or unsupported.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Ghost
Hidden Bar

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

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Hidden Bar is considered good by many users due to its functionality, simplicity, and open-source nature, which provides transparency and community-driven development.

Why this product is good

  • Hidden Bar is a popular macOS menu bar management tool that allows users to hide or group icons on the menubar. It is open-source, lightweight, and provides an easy way to declutter the menu bar, making it particularly useful for users who have many apps running simultaneously. Hidden Bar offers simple customization options and runs seamlessly in the background. Its ease of use and effectiveness for organizing icons has led to positive feedback from its user base.

Recommended for

    Hidden Bar is recommended for macOS users who want to keep their menu bar organized and clutter-free, especially those who manage multiple applications and system indicators. It is ideal for individuals who appreciate straightforward tools with minimalistic design and end-users who value open-source software.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Ghost 2 videos + Add
Hidden Bar 3 videos + Add

Why I Moved My Blog From WordPress to Ghost

More videos

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

THE DECEASED HIDDEN BAR REVIEW @Petaling Street

More videos

  • - 6 hidden bars in Taipei
  • - Top 6 Hidden BAR (Bangkok/Thailand) [SUBTITLE]

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Ghost
Hidden Bar
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
CMS
0% 0%
0% 0%
Mac
100% 100%

User comments

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

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

Ghost no reviews yet
Hidden Bar no reviews yet
  • Comparing 9 WordPress alternatives & competitors in 2024
    webflow.com · Dec 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...

  • 19 Best WordPress Alternatives in 2025
    www.pixpa.com · Oct 2024

    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.

  • 7 Best Buy Me a Coffee Alternatives
    wpforms.com · Mar 2024

    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...

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We have no reviews of Hidden Bar yet. Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Ghost 197 mentions
Hidden Bar 34 mentions
  • At 19, founder raises $11M for Ghost, maker of a $3,499 computer for personal AI
    I'm curious...isn't the name `ghost` an infringement between ghost, the app / CMS alternative to WordPress? https://ghost.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 17 days ago
  • 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... - Source: Hacker News / 9 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 / 10 months ago

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  • Tailscale's New macOS Home
    Tame the clutter, by using another menubar app to hide the overflow. Examples: https://github.com/dwarvesf/hidden https://www.macbartender.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago
  • Tailscale's New macOS Home
    I’ve been using this for years. It’s simple and works perfectly: https://github.com/dwarvesf/hidden. - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago
  • Tailscale's New macOS Home
    I had been using Hidden Bar but gonna give Thaw a shot now. Looks a bit more full featured and under active development! https://github.com/dwarvesf/hidden. - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago

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Alternatives to Ghost and Hidden Bar

When comparing Ghost and Hidden Bar, you can also consider the following products.