Ghost vs Payload
Ghost is an open-source traditional CMS that you can host yourself or run on the vendor's cloud. Payload is an open-source headless CMS that you can host yourself or run on the vendor's cloud. The table below sets them side by side on 28 features. They get a different status on 15.
- Ghost Traditional · Open source · 10 of 28 built in
- Payload Headless · Open source · 13 of 28 built in
Sources checked: Ghost on 29 Sept 2026, Payload on 29 Sept 2026. Plans and releases can change after those dates.
WAYF is an official Payload partner and top contributor. Every platform in the table is classified by the same published definitions, and each answer lists the vendor page it came from.
Feature comparison
Built inPaid tierPlugin or add-onLimitedNot available
| Platform |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| What it is | Open-source Node.js publishing platform with built-in newsletters, memberships and paid subscriptions. Self-hosted or run on Ghost(Pro). | Open-source TypeScript headless CMS and app framework that installs into a Next.js app and stores content in your own database. |
| Edition compared The product and release each column describes. | Ghost 6, self-hosted open source and Ghost(Pro) Version 6.65.0, released 22 Sept 2026 | Payload 3, MIT-licensed open-source core Version 3.90.2, released 23 Sept 2026 |
| Vendor | Ghost Foundation (non-profit) ghost.org | Figma (acquired Payload in June 2025) payloadcms.com |
| Licence | Open source MIT | Open source MIT |
| Hosting | Self-hosting Vendor cloud Ghost(Pro) Starter allows only the default theme and no custom integrations. | Self-hosting Vendor cloud Payload Cloud is paused for new projects. Payload offers hosting to enterprise customers. |
| Built with | Node.js, JavaScript, Handlebars themes | TypeScript, Node.js, Next.js, React |
| Database | MySQL | PostgreSQL, MongoDB, SQLite |
| Pricing Public list prices only. Hosting and implementation are extra everywhere. | Free to start Free to self-host. Ghost(Pro) Starter $18, Publisher $29, Business $199 per month, billed yearly. | Free to start Free to self-host. Enterprise licence, support and hosting on request. |
| Content modelling | ||
| Content model in code You define content types in files in your repository, review them like any other code and apply them from there. Imperative migration scripts alone count as limited. | Not available Fixed model of posts, pages, tags and members. | Built in Collections, globals and fields are TypeScript config. 2 |
| Content model in the UI Admins can create and change content types and fields in the admin interface without writing code. | Not available | Not available No schema builder in the admin. |
| Reusable blocks Editors compose pages from reusable, typed components or blocks, and can reorder them. | Built in Fixed set of editor cards plus reusable snippets. 10 | Built in Blocks field. |
| Localization Editors translate content per locale inside the CMS, by field or by entry, without a separate site for each language. | Not available One content language per site. | Built in Field-level localization. |
| Image transformations The CMS resizes, crops or converts images on request, through URL parameters or generated sizes, with no external service. | Built in Ghost generates theme-defined image sizes automatically. 5 | Built in Generates configured image sizes on upload, with crop and focal point. 11 |
| APIs and delivery | ||
| REST API A documented REST or JSON HTTP API returns content. | Built in Content API and Admin API. 12 | Built in |
| GraphQL API The vendor or an official module provides a GraphQL API for content. | Not available | Built in |
| Webhooks The CMS can call an external URL when content is created, changed or published. | Built in Via custom integrations. Not available on Ghost(Pro) Starter. 42 | Not available No webhook settings. Call URLs from afterChange hooks in code. 17 |
| Renders the website The CMS itself renders and serves the public pages through themes or templates. Headless-only products answer no. | Built in Handlebars themes. | Not available Runs inside your Next.js app. You build the pages. |
| Editorial workflow | ||
| Drafts Editors save changes as a draft and publish them later. The live version stays untouched until then. | Limited Edits to a published post go live on Update. No pending draft. 13 | Built in 10 |
| Scheduled publishing An editor can set a future date and time for content to publish or unpublish. | Built in Scheduled publishing only. | Built in Scheduled publish and unpublish run through the jobs queue. 10 |
| Version history The CMS keeps earlier versions of an entry, and editors can compare or restore them. | Built in Post history with one-click restore. 6 | Built in Opt-in per collection or global. 10 |
| Preview Editors can see unpublished content rendered as it will appear on the site before publishing. | Built in | Built in |
| Visual editing Editors can click on the rendered page and edit content in place or in a side panel next to it. | Not available The admin toolbar on the live site links to the editor. 9 | Not available Payload lists the Enterprise Visual Editor as coming soon. 37 |
| Approval workflows Content moves through review stages you configure, such as draft, review and approved, with permissions per stage. | Limited Contributors draft and Editors publish. No configurable stages. 7 | Paid tier Enterprise publishing workflows. 39 |
| Content releases Editors group changes across several entries and publish them together as one release. | Not available | Not available |
| Real-time co-editing Two or more editors can work on the same entry at once and see each other's changes live. | Not available | Not available Document locking only. Payload lists enterprise multi-player editing as coming soon. 12320 |
| Access and governance | ||
| Custom roles Admins define their own roles with granular permissions instead of picking from a fixed set. | Not available Fixed staff roles. 7 | Limited Roles are access-control functions written in code. No role editor in the admin. 18 |
| Field-level permissions Admins can restrict access to single fields, on top of content types and entries. | Not available | Built in Field-level access functions. 18 |
| Single sign-on Editors can sign in through SAML or OpenID Connect against a company identity provider. | Paid tier Ghost(Pro) Custom plan only. Not in self-hosted Ghost. 2 | Paid tier Enterprise licence, SAML and OAuth 2.0. 35 |
| Audit log The CMS logs who changed what and when across the whole installation, and admins can review the log. | Built in History log of staff actions. 8 | Paid tier Enterprise audit logs. 6 |
| Platform and extensibility | ||
| Multiple sites One installation or account can manage several separate websites or brands with shared users. | Not available | Plugin or add-on Official multi-tenant plugin. 15 |
| Extensible admin UI Developers can add their own components, views or fields to the editing interface. | Not available The admin app has no extension points. | Built in Custom React components, views and fields. |
| Plugin marketplace The vendor runs an official directory or marketplace of installable extensions. | Limited Theme marketplace only. Ghost has no plugin system. 2 | Limited Docs list official plugins. Community plugin directories are third-party. 13 |
| Form builder Editors can build and publish forms and collect submissions without code. | Not available Member signup forms only. | Plugin or add-on Official Form Builder plugin. 16 |
| Site member accounts The platform handles sign-up and login for public site users or members, separate from editors. | Built in Members with free and paid tiers. 3 | Built in Any auth-enabled collection can hold site users. |
| AI writing assistant A first-party AI feature in the editing interface generates, rewrites or translates content. | Not available | Paid tier Enterprise AI writing assistant. Payload lists AI translation and image generation as coming soon. 8 |
| Official MCP server The vendor publishes a Model Context Protocol server so AI agents can read or write content. | Not available Community MCP servers only. 11 | Plugin or add-on Official open-source MCP plugin. 14 |
Ghost sources
Checked 29 Sept 2026. Ghost 6, self-hosted open source and Ghost(Pro).
- Ghost releases on GitHub
- Ghost(Pro) pricing
- Ghost 6.0 changelog
- Webhooks (Ghost docs)
- Theme assets and responsive images (Ghost docs)
- Post history (changelog)
- Staff users (Ghost docs)
- History log (Ghost help)
- Your new admin toolbar (changelog)
- Intro to the editor (Ghost help)
- MFYDev/ghost-mcp on GitHub
- A new Ghost Admin API (changelog)
- Add option to save changes in published posts (Ghost Forum)
Payload sources
Checked 29 Sept 2026. Payload 3, MIT-licensed open-source core.
- payload on the npm registry
- Get started with Payload
- Payload for Enterprise
- Payload Cloud update: Payload has joined Figma
- Payload enterprise SSO
- Payload enterprise audit logs
- Payload Visual Editor
- Payload enterprise AI
- Payload publishing workflows
- Payload docs: Drafts
- Payload docs: Uploads
- Payload docs: Document locking
- Payload docs: Plugins
- Payload docs: MCP plugin
- Payload docs: Multi-tenant plugin
- Payload docs: Form Builder plugin
- GitHub discussion: Webhooks?
- Payload docs: Access control
- Figma blog: Welcoming Payload to the Figma team
- Payload multi-player editing
Considering more platforms? Compare Ghost and Payload with the rest of your shortlist in the CMS comparison tool.
Where they differ
Ghost and Payload get a different status on 15 of the 28 features and the same status on 13. Ghost has 10 built in on its baseline edition, Payload has 13. Two matching statuses can still name different paid tiers or limits, so read the notes in the table before treating a row as equal.
Built in on Ghost, a different answer on Payload 3
- Webhooks Ghost: Built in. Payload: Not available.
- Renders the website Ghost: Built in. Payload: Not available.
- Audit log Ghost: Built in. Payload: Paid tier.
Built in on Payload, a different answer on Ghost 6
- Content model in code Ghost: Not available. Payload: Built in.
- Localization Ghost: Not available. Payload: Built in.
- GraphQL API Ghost: Not available. Payload: Built in.
- Drafts Ghost: Limited. Payload: Built in.
- Field-level permissions Ghost: Not available. Payload: Built in.
- Extensible admin UI Ghost: Not available. Payload: Built in.
Built in on neither, with different answers 6
- Approval workflows Ghost: Limited. Payload: Paid tier.
- Custom roles Ghost: Not available. Payload: Limited.
- Multiple sites Ghost: Not available. Payload: Plugin or add-on.
- Form builder Ghost: Not available. Payload: Plugin or add-on.
- AI writing assistant Ghost: Not available. Payload: Paid tier.
- Official MCP server Ghost: Not available. Payload: Plugin or add-on.
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Payload against other platforms
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