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CMS comparison Ghost vs Webflow

Ghost vs Webflow

Ghost is an open-source traditional CMS that you can host yourself or run on the vendor's cloud. Webflow is a closed-source site builder that runs on the vendor's cloud. The table below sets them side by side on 28 features. They get a different status on 18.

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  • Ghost Traditional · Open source · 10 of 28 built in
  • Webflow Site builder · Closed source · 15 of 28 built in

Sources checked: Ghost on 29 Sept 2026, Webflow 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 Webflow feature comparison. Columns are the two platforms. Rows are features, grouped by area.
Platform
Ghost Traditional
Webflow Site builder
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).Hosted visual site builder with a built-in CMS, hosting and a Data API. Designers build pages on a canvas. Run by Webflow, Inc.
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 Webflow Site plans, Starter to Enterprise SaaS, continuously updated
Vendor Ghost Foundation (non-profit) ghost.org Webflow, Inc. webflow.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 Publishing to a custom domain requires a paid Site plan.
Built with Node.js, JavaScript, Handlebars themesHosted SaaS, Webflow Cloud for app hosting
Database MySQLManaged by Webflow
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 Starter site. Basic $15, Premium $25 per site per month billed yearly. Team $2,500 per month.
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. Not available The Data API can create collections and fields. No schema files. 3
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
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 Components with properties. Limited seats build pages from designer-approved blocks. 1
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. Plugin or add-on Webflow Localize add-on from $9 per month. The Team plan includes it. 1
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 responsive image sizes automatically. 10
APIs and delivery
REST API A documented REST or JSON HTTP API returns content. Built in Content API and Admin API. 12 Built in Data API. 60 requests per minute on Starter, 120 on Premium. 111
GraphQL API The vendor or an official module provides a GraphQL API for content. Not available Not available
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 Data API webhooks for CMS items, forms and site publishes. 4
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. Built in
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
Scheduled publishing An editor can set a future date and time for content to publish or unpublish. Built in Scheduled publishing only. Paid tier Scheduled CMS item publishing on the Premium Site plan. 1
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 Limited Whole-site backups. Free Starter sites restore only the two most recent. 5
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
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 Design approvals with designated reviewers on Enterprise. 1
Content releases Editors group changes across several entries and publish them together as one release. Not available Limited A site publish ships all staged changes together. No named release bundles. 1
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 Built in Available on every Workspace and Site plan. 6
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 Paid tier Enterprise. 1
Field-level permissions Admins can restrict access to single fields, on top of content types and entries. Not available Not available Enterprise access controls stop at pages and Collections. 1
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. 1
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 Site activity log on Team, audit logs API on Enterprise. 1
Platform and extensibility
Multiple sites One installation or account can manage several separate websites or brands with shared users. Not available Built in A Workspace holds many sites with shared seats. Each site needs its own Site plan. 1
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 Apps can add Designer Extensions to the editor. 12
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 Webflow Apps marketplace. 9
Form builder Editors can build and publish forms and collect submissions without code. Not available Member signup forms only. Built in 50 submissions on Starter, unlimited on paid Site plans. 1
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 Webflow retired User Accounts on 29 January 2026. 8
AI writing assistant A first-party AI feature in the editing interface generates, rewrites or translates content. Not available Paid tier Copy generation needs a paid Site or Workspace plan and uses AI credits. 1
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 Available on all Site plans, including free Starter. 7

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

Where they differ

Ghost and Webflow get a different status on 18 of the 28 features and the same status on 10. Ghost has 10 built in on its baseline edition, Webflow has 15. 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). Webflow is closed source (Proprietary).
Self-hosting
Ghost can be self-hosted. Webflow cannot be self-hosted.

Built in on Ghost, a different answer on Webflow 4

  • Scheduled publishing Ghost: Built in. Webflow: Paid tier.
  • Version history Ghost: Built in. Webflow: Limited.
  • Audit log Ghost: Built in. Webflow: Paid tier.
  • Site member accounts Ghost: Built in. Webflow: Not available.

Built in on Webflow, a different answer on Ghost 9

  • Content model in the UI Ghost: Not available. Webflow: Built in.
  • Drafts Ghost: Limited. Webflow: Built in.
  • Visual editing Ghost: Not available. Webflow: Built in.
  • Real-time co-editing Ghost: Not available. Webflow: Built in.
  • Multiple sites Ghost: Not available. Webflow: Built in.
  • Extensible admin UI Ghost: Not available. Webflow: Built in.
  • Plugin marketplace Ghost: Limited. Webflow: Built in.
  • Form builder Ghost: Not available. Webflow: Built in.
  • Official MCP server Ghost: Not available. Webflow: Built in.

Built in on neither, with different answers 5

  • Localization Ghost: Not available. Webflow: Plugin or add-on.
  • Approval workflows Ghost: Limited. Webflow: Paid tier.
  • Content releases Ghost: Not available. Webflow: Limited.
  • Custom roles Ghost: Not available. Webflow: Paid tier.
  • AI writing assistant Ghost: Not available. Webflow: Paid tier.

More comparisons

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

Ghost against other platforms

Webflow against other platforms

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

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