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Medium VS Ghost

Compare Medium VS Ghost and see what are their differences

Medium

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

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
Alternatives Is it good?
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)
Alternatives Is it good?
Umso
The Website Builder for Startups sponsored

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Medium seems to be a lot more popular than Ghost. While we know about 3143 links to Medium, we've tracked only 196 mentions of Ghost.

social mentions
3,143 vs 196
Blogging popularity
71% vs 29%

Base details

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

Medium
Ghost
Website medium.com ghost.org
Pricing
Open source
Open source Paid Free trial $36 / Monthly (100k views/month, 2 users) Official pricing
Company Startup from the United States Startup from the United Kingdom
Listed in
Blogging Blogging Platform CMS Blogging Tools +1
Blogging CMS Blogging Platform Website Builder +1

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Medium 5 features
Ghost 5 features
  • User-Friendly Interface
    Medium offers an easy-to-use interface that makes it simple for anyone to start writing and publishing content without any technical knowledge.
  • Built-in Audience
    The platform has a large and active user base, so new content has the potential to reach a wide audience quickly.
  • Publishing Tools
    Medium provides versatile publishing tools that support text, images, and various media formats, which helps in creating rich and engaging content.
  • SEO Benefits
    Articles posted on Medium tend to rank well in search engine results, thanks to the platform's high domain authority.
  • Community and Interaction
    Medium encourages reader engagement through comments, claps, and highlights, fostering a sense of community among writers and readers.

Possible disadvantages

  • Monetization
    While Medium has a Partner Program, it may not be as lucrative as other methods of monetization available on independent blogging platforms.
  • Control and Customization
    Medium offers limited customization options compared to dedicated blog platforms like WordPress, restricting how you can brand and personalize your blog.
  • Content Ownership
    By publishing on Medium, you agree to their terms and conditions, which may include giving up some control over how your content is used and distributed.
  • Paywall Issues
    Some articles are placed behind a paywall, which might limit the reach of your content if you want it to be freely accessible to everyone.
  • Dependency on Platform
    Relying solely on Medium means that any changes to the platform's policies or algorithms can directly impact your reach and engagement.
  • 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.

Analysis

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

Medium
Ghost

Overall verdict

  • Medium can be considered a good platform for those who enjoy a wide array of content and appreciate quality writing on diverse subjects. However, the value of Medium depends on individual preferences and whether the topics and writing styles align with what the reader is looking for.

Why this product is good

  • Medium offers a diverse range of articles from both professional and amateur writers, providing readers with numerous perspectives on various topics. Its clean user interface and ease of use make it an appealing platform for both writers and readers. The platform also supports monetization for writers, allowing them to earn from their content.

Recommended for

    Medium is recommended for avid readers seeking a variety of topics ranging from personal development to technology. It's also ideal for writers looking to publish their work to a broad audience and potentially earn revenue through the platform's Partner Program.

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

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Medium 5 videos + Add
Ghost 2 videos + Add

Medium Review - with Tom Vasel

More videos

  • - Starting a blog on Medium.com? Watch this FIRST.
  • - The Medium Review
  • - The Medium - Before You Buy
  • - I recommend: The Medium (Review)

Why I Moved My Blog From WordPress to Ghost

More videos

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

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
Medium
Ghost
71% 71%
Blogging
29% 29%
72% 72%
Blogging Platform
28% 28%
43% 43%
CMS
57% 57%
100% 100%
Productivity
0% 0%

User comments

Share your experience with using Medium and Ghost. 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.

Medium no reviews yet
Ghost no reviews yet

View more

  • 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

Social recommendations and mentions

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

Medium 3143 mentions
Ghost 196 mentions
  • An official website of the United States government
    >This is an example of an LLM being used to search a massive database of scattered text and files. That isn't how LLMs work. LLMs are statistical language models, not search engines[0,1]. They can be prompted to call external software to... - Source: Hacker News / 1 day ago
  • V Language Review (2023)
    [10]: https://medium.com/@connect.hashblock/v-language-simplicity-made-sexy-63f50b28b33c. - Source: Hacker News / 11 days ago
  • Musk, the Movie
    "a lot of good technical instincts" Like when he wanted to abandon UNIX for Windows NT at PayPal? [1] [1] https://medium.com/@Jason__Li/why-paypal-engineers-fought-against-windows-the-technical-battle-that-defined-a-company-7a8211ddb7e2. - Source: Hacker News / 3 days ago

View more

  • 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 / 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

Alternatives to Medium and Ghost

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

  • DEV.to

    Where software engineers connect, build their resumes, and grow.

    Compare DEV.to to Medium or Ghost:

    DEV.to vs Medium DEV.to vs Ghost
  • 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.

    Compare WordPress to Medium or Ghost:

    WordPress vs Medium WordPress vs Ghost
  • 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.

    Compare Drupal to Medium or Ghost:

    Drupal vs Medium Drupal vs Ghost
  • Blogger

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

    Compare Blogger to Medium or Ghost:

    Blogger vs Medium Blogger vs Ghost
  • Tumblr

    A feature rich and free blog hosting platform offering professional and fully customizable templates, bookmarklets, photos, mobile apps, and social network integration.

    Compare Tumblr to Medium or Ghost:

    Tumblr vs Medium Tumblr vs Ghost
  • Hashnode

    A friendly and inclusive Q&A network for coders

    Compare Hashnode to Medium or Ghost:

    Hashnode vs Medium Hashnode vs Ghost
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