Best CMS Platforms for News Sites
Ghost alternatives
8 tools scored in the same category. 8 score higher than Ghost's 3.9/5.
Ranked by independent composite score, not by payment. Nobody on this page paid to be here.
Before you switch — what Ghost does well
- Open-source platform with advanced customization designed for publishers
- All-in-one platform with website building, publishing, email newsletters, and premium subscriptions
- Hundreds of templates and extensive third-party integrations including PayPal, Slack, and Instagram
And where it was marked down
- Starter plan only offers one newsletter and lacks custom themes and integrations
- Creator and Team plans require a minimum of 1,000 subscribers
- Business plan starts at $249/month for 10,000 subscribers, which is expensive
A modular content experience platform and AI-supported CMS designed for modern digital publishers and media groups.
Scores 0.5 higher than Ghost
An AI-powered headless CMS and digital experience platform designed specifically for modern newsrooms and publishers. (Now: Quint Digital Limited acquired the remaining 30% stake in July 2024 to make Quintype a wholly-owned subsidiary; the company also acquired social analytics firm Listen First Media in March 2024.)
Scores 0.4 higher than Ghost
AI-boosted headless CMS for media, sports and entertainment
Scores 0.3 higher than Ghost
The world’s most popular open-source CMS for flexible publishing, full-site editing, and total content ownership.
Scores 0.3 higher than Ghost
Enterprise headless CMS and digital experience platform for high-volume global media
Scores 0.2 higher than Ghost
Open-source headless newsroom management system for journalists and digital-first news agencies.
Scores 0.2 higher than Ghost
A unified multichannel publishing platform for orchestrating content across print, digital, and mobile channels. (Now: Formerly known as WoodWing Enterprise Aurora; rebranded to WoodWing Studio to align with the company's modular cloud-first strategy.)
Scores 0.1 higher than Ghost
A high-performance headless CMS and digital newsroom operating system tailored for large-scale media companies.
Scores 0.1 higher than Ghost
Common questions
What is the best alternative to Ghost?
On Benchmark Grid's independent scoring, Ring Publishing is the highest-scoring alternative in Best CMS Platforms for News Sites at 4.4/5, against Ghost at 3.9/5. Which is right for you depends on your publication's size, revenue model and vertical.
Why would a publisher move away from Ghost?
Our editors flagged: Starter plan only offers one newsletter and lacks custom themes and integrations; Creator and Team plans require a minimum of 1,000 subscribers; Business plan starts at $249/month for 10,000 subscribers, which is expensive. Whether those matter depends on your setup — many publishers run Ghost successfully despite them.
Are these alternatives ranked by paid placement?
No. Every tool here is ranked by a composite score set by SODP's editorial team across 12 criteria. Vendors cannot pay for inclusion, for a score, or for a position on this page.
