Software Alternatives & Startups

Ghost VS Vellum

Compare Ghost VS Vellum 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)
Vellum

Create ebooks for every platform: Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, and more.

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 seems to be a lot more popular than Vellum. While we know about 197 links to Ghost, we've tracked only 1 mention of Vellum.

social mentions
197 vs 1
Blogging popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
240+ vs 138

Base details

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

Ghost
Vellum
Website ghost.org vellum.pub
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
Vellum 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.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    Vellum offers a clean and intuitive design interface that makes it easy for authors to format and publish their ebooks without a steep learning curve.
  • High-Quality Output
    The software produces professional-looking ebooks with elegant formatting and styling, which enhances the appearance of the published work.
  • Multi-format Support
    Vellum allows users to create ebooks in multiple formats, such as ePub and Kindle, enabling distribution across various platforms like Amazon KDP, Apple Books, and more.
  • Customizable Styles
    Authors can customize the look of their ebooks with various styles and layout options to suit their personal tastes and branding.
  • Time-Saving Features
    Automated features like chapter creation and page break insertion save authors time compared to manual formatting.

Possible disadvantages

  • Mac-Only Software
    Vellum is only available for macOS, which limits access for authors who use Windows or other operating systems.
  • High Cost
    The one-time purchase cost of Vellum can be high for independent authors, especially for those who only plan to publish a few books.
  • Limited Editing Tools
    Vellum is primarily a formatting tool and offers limited text editing capabilities, which means users may need other software for comprehensive editing.
  • No Built-in Distribution
    While Vellum facilitates the creation of ebooks, it does not provide built-in distribution or publishing services, requiring authors to handle this separately.
  • Internet Activation Required
    Users need to have an internet connection for software activation and certain updates, which might be inconvenient if connectivity is an issue.

Analysis

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

Ghost
Vellum

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 Vellum yet.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Ghost 2 videos + Add
Vellum 6 videos + Add

Why I Moved My Blog From WordPress to Ghost

More videos

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

Book Cover Art & Interiors - Review of Vellum & Book Design Template

More videos

  • - How to Use Vellum
  • - Beautiful Ebooks with Vellum
  • - DANG this is a GOOD Roguelike! (Vellum Overview)
  • - Vellum Review: Should You Use It For Book Design?
  • - Book Interior Design - Vellum 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
Vellum
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
CMS
0% 0%

User comments

Share your experience with using Ghost and Vellum. 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
Vellum 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 Vellum 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
Vellum 1 mention
  • 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 / 25 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 / 10 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

View more

  • Apple Creator Studio
    In general, Word will allow you to control features like footnotes/endnotes, tables of figures, etc, much better than Pages ever will. If it's mostly literature, you can use something like Vellum (https://vellum.pub/) I don't have a list... - Source: Hacker News / 10 months ago

Alternatives to Ghost and Vellum

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