Software Alternatives & Startups

Ghost VS Narrative

Compare Ghost VS Narrative 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.

Ghost Landing page
Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source Paid Free trial $36 / Monthly (100k views/month, 2 users)
Narrative

Ambient Photo Diary

Narrative Landing page
Rating
0 reviews

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Ghost seems to be a lot more popular than Narrative. While we know about 196 links to Ghost, we've tracked only 6 mentions of Narrative.

social mentions
196 vs 6
Blogging popularity
99% vs 1%
alternatives listed
240+ vs 97

Base details

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

Ghost
Narrative
Website ghost.org getnarrative.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
Narrative 4 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.
  • Ease of Use
    Narrative provides a user-friendly interface that simplifies the process of creating and presenting visual stories, making it accessible even to users with limited technical knowledge.
  • Visual Storytelling
    The platform offers tools designed specifically for visual storytelling, allowing users to create compelling narratives that can be more engaging for audiences.
  • Collaboration Features
    Narrative allows for easy collaboration among team members, facilitating smooth communication and content creation workflows.
  • Integration Capabilities
    Narrative integrates well with other tools and platforms, providing users with the flexibility to manage content and analytics efficiently.

Possible disadvantages

  • Cost
    Depending on the plan and features needed, Narrative can be relatively expensive for individual users or small teams.
  • Learning Curve
    While generally user-friendly, some users might find certain advanced features require a learning period to use effectively.
  • Customization Limitations
    There may be limitations in design customization capabilities, which might be a concern for users with specific branding requirements.
  • Performance Issues
    Some users have reported performance issues, especially with large media files or complex projects, which could hinder efficiency.

Analysis

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

Ghost
Narrative

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

No analysis of Narrative yet.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Ghost 2 videos + Add
Narrative 3 videos + Add

Why I Moved My Blog From WordPress to Ghost

More videos

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

Narrative vs systematic vs scoping review | What’s the difference?

More videos

  • Tutorial - How to conduct a Narrative Literature Review
  • Review - Writing an Effective Narrative Review

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
Narrative
99% 99%
1% 1%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
CMS
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

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

Log in or Post with

Reviews and articles

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

Ghost no reviews yet
Narrative 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...

View more

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

Social recommendations and mentions

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

Ghost 196 mentions
Narrative 6 mentions
  • 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 / 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 / 9 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... - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago

View more

  • Not Carrying a Camera – Cultivating memories instead of snapshots
    The point of the Narrative Clip (https://getnarrative.com) was to let people both live in the moment AND capture it. It was launched at the height of the life-logger/wearable conjunction 10 years ago, but it's still an interesting idea... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • The Humane AI Pin Launches Its Campaign to Replace Phones
    Good exploration of the clip/pin/brooch form-factor that was previously explored by the Narrative Clip (http://getnarrative.com/). Can it be worn on a necklace? That seems more convenient than attaching it to different pieces of clothes... - Source: Hacker News / almost 3 years ago
  • Daily Photojournal Battery Life
    The wearability of the Go and the new timed capture modes gives it great potential as a daily photojournal (like the http://getnarrative.com/ photo clip). Source: almost 3 years ago

View more

Alternatives to Ghost and Narrative

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