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CMS comparison Ghost vs Sitecore

Ghost vs Sitecore

Ghost is an open-source traditional CMS that you can host yourself or run on the vendor's cloud. Sitecore is a closed-source enterprise DXP that runs on the vendor's cloud. The table below sets them side by side on 28 features. They get a different status on 21.

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  • Ghost Traditional · Open source · 10 of 28 built in
  • Sitecore Enterprise DXP · Closed source · 22 of 28 built in

Sources checked: Ghost on 29 Sept 2026, Sitecore 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
Ghost vs Sitecore feature comparison. Columns are the two platforms. Rows are features, grouped by area.
Platform
Ghost Traditional
Sitecore Enterprise DXP
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).Sitecore's SaaS digital experience platform, formerly XM Cloud. Sitecore hosts the CMS. Sites render in a separate front-end app.
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 SitecoreAI, formerly XM Cloud, Sitecore's current flagship SaaS platform SaaS, continuously updated
Vendor Ghost Foundation (non-profit) ghost.org Sitecore sitecore.com
Licence Open source MIT Closed source Proprietary
Hosting Self-hosting Vendor cloud Ghost(Pro) Starter allows only the default theme and no custom integrations. No self-hosting Vendor cloud SitecoreAI is SaaS only. Self-hosting needs Sitecore XP 10.5, a separate product.
Built with Node.js, JavaScript, Handlebars themes.NET, Next.js Content SDK
Database MySQLManaged by Sitecore
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. No free option Pricing 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 Templates serialize to files in the repo with Sitecore Content Serialization. 2
Content model in the UI Admins can create and change content types and fields in the admin interface without writing code. Not available Built in Templates are items edited in the Content Editor.
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 Page builder with reusable components.
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 Language versions per item.
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 Experience Edge media CDN resizes images with query string parameters. 3
APIs and delivery
REST API A documented REST or JSON HTTP API returns content. Built in Content API and Admin API. 12 Built in Content Items REST API since September 2026. Delivery through Experience Edge is GraphQL. 4
GraphQL API The vendor or an official module provides a GraphQL API for content. Not available Built in Experience Edge delivery API. 5
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 Built in Authoring webhooks and Experience Edge publish webhooks. 65
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 Headless. Sites render in a separate app, with built-in Vercel and Netlify integrations. 7
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 Saved changes stay unpublished until pushed to Experience Edge. 11
Scheduled publishing An editor can set a future date and time for content to publish or unpublish. Built in Scheduled publishing only. Limited Publishing restrictions set availability dates. A publish must still run on the date. 89
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 Numbered item versions.
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 Built in Page builder.
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 Built in Item workflows with states and commands. 6
Content releases Editors group changes across several entries and publish them together as one release. Not available Not available No release bundles. Publishing jobs cover items, subitems and related items. 11
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 Limited Page builder saves concurrent edits per field. Others get a reload prompt. No live updates. 10
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 Built in Roles with item access rights. 12
Field-level permissions Admins can restrict access to single fields, on top of content types and entries. Not available Built in Field read and field write access rights. 12
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 Built in SAML or OIDC through the Sitecore Cloud Portal. 13
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 Limited Common Audit Log covers only the Cloud Portal and leaves out SitecoreAI content. Item actions show in CM logs. 1415
Platform and extensibility
Multiple sites One installation or account can manage several separate websites or brands with shared users. Not available Built in Site collections with shared content.
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 Marketplace apps add custom fields, panels and dashboard widgets. 17
Plugin marketplace The vendor runs an official directory or marketplace of installable extensions. Limited Theme marketplace only. Ghost has no plugin system. 2 Built in Sitecore Marketplace. 16
Form builder Editors can build and publish forms and collect submissions without code. Not available Member signup forms only. Built in Built-in Forms with webhook submission handling. 18
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 Not available Developers have to build visitor login in the front-end app.
AI writing assistant A first-party AI feature in the editing interface generates, rewrites or translates content. Not available Built in Content, variant and translation assistants. Brand kits need Stream Premium. 19
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 Built in Sitecore Marketer MCP server. 20

Considering more platforms? Compare Ghost and Sitecore with the rest of your shortlist in the CMS comparison tool.

Where they differ

Ghost and Sitecore get a different status on 21 of the 28 features and the same status on 7. Ghost has 10 built in on its baseline edition, Sitecore has 22. Two matching statuses can still name different paid tiers or limits, so read the notes in the table before treating a row as equal.

Licence
Ghost is open source (MIT). Sitecore is closed source (Proprietary).
Self-hosting
Ghost can be self-hosted. Sitecore cannot be self-hosted.
Free option
Ghost has a free option. Sitecore has no free option.

Built in on Ghost, a different answer on Sitecore 4

  • Renders the website Ghost: Built in. Sitecore: Not available.
  • Scheduled publishing Ghost: Built in. Sitecore: Limited.
  • Audit log Ghost: Built in. Sitecore: Limited.
  • Site member accounts Ghost: Built in. Sitecore: Not available.

Built in on Sitecore, a different answer on Ghost 16

  • Content model in code Ghost: Not available. Sitecore: Built in.
  • Content model in the UI Ghost: Not available. Sitecore: Built in.
  • Localization Ghost: Not available. Sitecore: Built in.
  • GraphQL API Ghost: Not available. Sitecore: Built in.
  • Drafts Ghost: Limited. Sitecore: Built in.
  • Visual editing Ghost: Not available. Sitecore: Built in.
  • Approval workflows Ghost: Limited. Sitecore: Built in.
  • Custom roles Ghost: Not available. Sitecore: Built in.
  • Field-level permissions Ghost: Not available. Sitecore: Built in.
  • Single sign-on Ghost: Paid tier. Sitecore: Built in.
  • Multiple sites Ghost: Not available. Sitecore: Built in.
  • Extensible admin UI Ghost: Not available. Sitecore: Built in.
  • Plugin marketplace Ghost: Limited. Sitecore: Built in.
  • Form builder Ghost: Not available. Sitecore: Built in.
  • AI writing assistant Ghost: Not available. Sitecore: Built in.
  • Official MCP server Ghost: Not available. Sitecore: Built in.

Built in on neither, with different answers 1

  • Real-time co-editing Ghost: Not available. Sitecore: Limited.

More comparisons

Full write-ups with worked examples and costs: Sitecore vs Payload.

Ghost against other platforms

Sitecore against other platforms

Open the CMS comparison tool to put up to six platforms in one table.

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