Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Ghost VS Semplice

Compare Ghost VS Semplice 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.

Semplice logo Semplice

With Semplice you can build fully responsive case studies & custom branded project pages with just a few clicks.
  • Ghost Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-10-10
  • Semplice Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-09-30

Ghost

Website
ghost.org
$ Details
paid Free Trial $36.0 / Monthly (100k views/month, 2 users)

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.

Semplice features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Semplice offers a highly intuitive and user-friendly interface that allows designers to create stunning portfolios without needing extensive technical skills. It operates as a WordPress plugin and integrates seamlessly with the WordPress dashboard, making it accessible for those familiar with WordPress.
  • Highly Customizable
    Semplice provides a high level of customization, allowing users to have complete control over the design process. Users can utilize the built-in editor to adjust layouts, typography, and other design elements to match their brand identity and aesthetic.
  • Portfolio Focused
    Semplice is specifically designed for creatives looking to build an impressive portfolio. It offers a range of templates and design options specifically tailored for showcasing creative work, making it ideal for artists, designers, and photographers.
  • Responsive Design
    Portfolios created with Semplice are responsive, ensuring that they look great on all devices. This is crucial for maintaining a professional appearance and accessibility, regardless of whether viewers are using desktops, tablets, or smartphones.
  • No Coding Required
    With Semplice, users can build and customize their portfolios without needing to write any code. This empowers non-developers to create professional-quality web pages with ease.

Possible disadvantages of Semplice

  • WordPress Dependency
    Semplice is a WordPress plugin, so you need to have a WordPress website to use it. This may not be ideal for users who prefer other content management systems or who do not want to work within the WordPress platform.
  • Premium Cost
    Semplice is not free; it requires a one-time purchase which might be considered expensive for hobbyists or those on a tight budget. Potential users need to ensure that the investment is justified by their needs and the features offered.
  • Limited Audience
    While Semplice excels in creating portfolios, it might not be the best solution for users looking to build other types of websites, such as e-commerce or blogs, as it is primarily focused on showcasing visual content.
  • Learning Curve for Beginners
    Even though Semplice doesn’t require coding skills, beginners may face a learning curve while familiarizing themselves with all the features and customization options, especially if they are new to WordPress.
  • Performance Overheads
    As with many feature-rich tools, over-customization or using various resource-heavy designs may affect the site's performance, potentially leading to slower loading times.

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

Ghost videos

Why I Moved My Blog From WordPress to Ghost

More videos:

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

Semplice videos

How to build a Wordpress website with Semplice

More videos:

  • Review - Design Digest: Libraries, AR Guidelines, Interface Type, Semplice 4, Sketch to After Effects

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Ghost and Semplice)
Blogging
100 100%
0% 0
Website Builder
88 88%
12% 12
CMS
97 97%
3% 3
Blogging Platform
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

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

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

Semplice Reviews

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

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Ghost seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 189 times since March 2021. 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 (189)

  • Project of the Week: Ghost 👻
    Ghost is a leading open-source publishing platform designed for modern creators, journalists, and businesses. Founded in 2013 as a non-profit organization, Ghost has grown to become a powerful alternative to traditional blogging platforms, with over 49,000 GitHub stars and a thriving ecosystem of themes and integrations. The platform focuses on providing beautiful, fast, and professional publishing tools, enabling... - Source: dev.to / 4 days ago
  • Save Hours Managing Ghost with These Python Scripts
    I run the blog at Developer-Service.blog with a self-hosted Ghost instance. - Source: dev.to / 27 days ago
  • Indie Hacking with Open Source Tools: Innovating on a Budget
    Modern publishing tools like Ghost accommodate sleek content presentation. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • Indie Hacking Success Stories with Open Source Licenses
    Ghost: This open source blogging platform, available at Ghost, was kickstarted by a simple yet powerful idea—empowering writers with an elegant, customizable tool. The project’s MIT licensing has fostered a thriving community that collaborates to push the platform forward. Ghost’s journey demonstrates that when developers and users work together, innovation thrives. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • Learning in public
    The other big option is to post blogs or notes. It's pretty simple to start a blog right here on Dev.to, or on Hashnode, two blogging platforms specifically for coding. There's also a great community platform on Codedex.io where you can write blog posts, although you do need to complete a few lessons to "unlock" the community features. In these cases, there's already an audience and community on the site, so it's... - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
View more

Semplice mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Semplice yet. Tracking of Semplice recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Ghost and Semplice, 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.

WiX - Create a free website with Wix.com. Customize with Wix' website builder, no coding skills needed. Choose a design, begin customizing and be online today

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

SquareSpace - Squarespace is the easiest way for anyone to create an exceptional website. Pages, galleries, blogs, e-commerce, domains, hosting, analytics, 24/7 support - all included.

Carrd - Simple, responsive one-page site creator.

Drupal - Drupal - the leading open-source CMS for ambitious digital experiences that reach your audience across multiple channels. Because we all have different needs, Drupal allows you to create a unique space in a world of cookie-cutter solutions.