

What is Ghost?
Blogging became widely popular last decade, and as a result, there are many blogging platforms on the market. Ghost is one of them. It’s a free and open source blogging platform based on the server-side JavaScript Node.js execution engine.
Ghost is developed and tailored for blogging, without all the features and options of a full-blown CMS needed to create complex websites.
The Ghost Kickstarter Campaign
The Ghost blogging platform was initially released on October 14, 2013, by the UK-based nonprofit Ghost Foundation.
Actually, Ghost project founder John O’Nolan (former deputy lead of the WordPress UI team) started a successful Kickstarter campaign to raise funding for the project because he found using WordPress as a blogging platform was becoming too complex.
Quick Overview of Ghost
Being a very young platform, Ghost benefits from the modern Node.js execution engine which makes it a very fast blogging solution.
Ghost is currently available for download in version 0.7.5.

You can download the Ghost platform, install it on your hosting server, and use it for free.
The Ghost Foundation also offers its own paid hosting service called Ghost(Pro) as an alternative for users who don’t want to install and configure Ghost manually on their servers. All profits generated from paid Ghost hosting are used to fund further development and infrastructure related to the Ghost project.
Why Choose Ghost(Pro) Hosting?
Ghost(Pro) hosting is a turnkey blogging solution for users who don’t want to mess around with their servers and install or configure Ghost on their own. Four hosting plans are available.
All four hosting plans offer:
- Unlimited transfers and storage
- Automatic updates and backup
- SSL support
- Global CDN and security protection
- Support for all themes and apps

Ghost Plan Basics
- The Starter hosting plan offers 25,000 views per month
- The top Business hosting plan offers 1 million views per month
- Ghost(Pro) hosting plans also include 24/7 customer support
- Ghost(Pro) hosting offers a 14-day free trial option, so you can try it before you make a purchase

How to Install Ghost
Ghost requires the Node.js execution engine to run, so install the latest version of Node.js first.
Ghost is available as a zip download, so the user needs to extract the downloaded files, go to the Node command prompt, and start Ghost from there.
Installation on Windows, Mac, Linux Platforms
Detailed installation instructions are available online for Windows, Mac, and Linux platforms. Installation and launching require npm (Node Package Manager).
Using Ghost as a public web server isn’t advised, so you’ll need to use server software such as Apache, Nginx, or IIS to deliver its content.
Install Ghost on Your Host
Getting Ghost up and running on your hosting package manually can be tricky. Your hosting server needs to have Node.js already installed or allow you SSH terminal access to install Node.js.
The basic installation steps for Ghost are:
- Download the latest version of Ghost
- Unzip the file into your web directory
- Run the installation script
- Launch Ghost using npm
- Verify that it’s running on your website
- Edit (at least) your URL and mail settings in the configuration file
- Set Ghost up to run on your web server
Upgrading Ghost is a manual process. You’ll need to check periodically for new releases to make sure that you have the most secure and bug-free version.

Features of Ghost Blogging Platform
- Easy to use: Ghost focuses on blogging and publishing, so it is easier to use and navigate than a fully-fledged CMS like WordPress. Managing and browsing through content is made easy through panes, similar to the way you use your email.
- Split-screen editor: Ghost features a powerful split-screen markdown editor with live preview, so typing and formatting the content is made easy.
- Simple interface: The user interface is very straightforward; the design is clean, elegant, and minimalist.
- SEO: Search engine optimization (SEO) features are built-in and fully supported in Ghost.
- Themes and extras: Ghost supports different themes, Disqus comments, Google Custom Search, and Google Analytics.
- User roles: If you have a blogging team, you can assign Admin, Editor, and Author roles to members. As the blog’s creator, you have the unique Owner role. This role system is simple compared to many other blogging platforms, making it less flexible but easy to manage.
Feature | Supported? |
---|---|
WYSIWYG editing | N |
Markup editing | Y |
SEO | Y |
Team management | Y |
AMP pages | Y |
Custom post types | N |
Native comment support | N |
Tags | Y |
RSS feeds | Y |
Scheduled posting | Y |
Themes | Y |
Plugins | N |
With Ghost(Pro) hosting, your blog can be up and running in minutes, because you needn’t worry about configuration.

Looking for a great deal on Ghost hosting?
SiteGround – rated #1 by our readers – provides fast server speeds and excellent Ghost support. Use this discount link to save up to 67% on their plans.

Alternatives to the Ghost Blogging Platform
There are many alternative free blogging platforms available. You can get a WordPress or a Blogger blog for free, but you will have limited options in tweaking or customizing your blog. Weebly and Tumblr also give you free blogs.
On the other hand, Ghost is completely free to use and open source, so you can download and run it on your server within minutes.
Hosted options are available for many blogging software packages, usually as open source software.
Most are full content management systems, more complicated to manage than Ghost.
WordPress and Drupal are two popular choices that come pre-installed with many hosting plans.
Each has its own features and style, and you should compare them to decide which one suits you.
Ghost Pros and Cons
Not sure if Ghost is the right choice for you? Consider the following pros and cons.
Pros of Ghost
- Streamlined open source blogging platform, free for download
- Very fast thanks to Node.js execution engine
- Designed specifically for blogging, easy to use
- Clean and minimalist user interface
- Easy to install and try on your computer, compact download
- Built-in SEO capabilities
- Supports multiple users for Ghost blogs
Cons of Ghost
- Does not run on all hosting platforms
- Ghost is free only if you download it, there’s no free hosting with Ghost(Pro)
- Limited support for PostgreSQL databases
Server Requirements for Ghost
- Ghost requires the Node.js execution engine to run (the latest LTS version is recommended).
- Windows, Linux, and Mac platforms are supported.
- By default, Ghost uses an SQLite database without any configuration required. MySQL databases are supported, while PostgreSQL databases can be used, but support is limited.
- Many traditional hosting plans will not work out of the box.
- Therefore, Ghost is better suited to cloud hosting services or VPS plans.

My Top Recommendations for Ghost Hosting
Our tool at the top of this page will help you sort hosts by specific features.
However, if you want to start your research with the top choices, consider the following hosts.
Digital Ocean
DigitalOcean allows one-click installation of Ghost on its SSD cloud servers. It runs on Ubuntu with the Nginx web server.
DigitalOcean specializes in cloud hosting services for developers.

A broad range of plans are available, trading off between a basic monthly rate and an hourly charge for use of virtual machines.
Ticket support is available 24 hours a day. There’s no phone or chat support.
A2 Hosting
A2 Hosting lets you install Ghost on its SwiftServer and extra-fast Turbo Server platforms, and the knowledge base includes useful advice on managing it.

On both managed and unmanaged hosting accounts, you can install Node.js and npm, which will let you install Ghost.
A2’s features include SSH access, international datacenters, and 99.9% guaranteed uptime.
Support is available at all hours by phone, Skype, ticket, and chat.
SiteGround
SiteGround lets you install Node.js on dedicated servers with root access.
Its dedicated servers all come with managed hosting plans, including ongoing monitoring.
You can choose from several international datacenters.
The servers run CentOS with Apache and Nginx. Phone support, as well as tickets and live chat, are available 24/7.

Finally, you can get hosting on Ghost(Pro). It’s blog hosting only, not full web hosting, but it’s the easiest way to get a Ghost blog running.

Ghost Features Summary
Some final points to remember about the Ghost blogging platform.
- Lean software just for blogging
- Free to download, install, and modify
- Complicated to install but easy to use
- Paid hosting available on Ghost(Pro)

Looking for the right Ghost host?
A2 Hosting scored #1 in our recent speed and performance tests. Right now our readers can save up to 50% on their Ghost plans. Use this discount link to get the deal and start publishing today.
Basil Morrison
September 17, 2019
I am very interested in your offering. I signed up with Canspace hosting, but found their support pathetic. I pressed on and tried to get my intended blog set up on WordPress, but found their system baffling. I am hoping to confirm your opinion that Ghost is suitable even for the feeblest initiate.