The self-hosted version is free but (like with WordPress) does require a domain name and hosting.
Who Would Like Ghost
Ghost would work well for people who are looking for a simple, free blog site that’s specifically geared towards blogging. While WordPress began as a blogging platform, it has evolved into much more than that.
Ghost is still solely focused on blogging—not on general website production or eCommerce.
John O’Nolan, founder of Ghost, has shared, “If you want a simple website with eCommerce that you use to run your business, give Squarespace a try. If you want to participate in a social network b2b email lists poland sharing and re-posting and lots of cats, maybe Tumblr would be a better fit for you. On the other hand, if you’re looking to develop your own fully-fledged website or application with every imaginable bell and whistle, WordPress might be ideal.”
He continues, “If you want to have a simple but powerful independent publication, something that’s focused on the writing experience and giving you the freedom to be in complete control of your content, then you might find Ghost interesting.”
General Information About Ghost
Ghost exists as a free blogging site, primarily because John O’Nolan wanted to create something like WordPress that was solely for writers while being more minimalistic and easier to navigate.
Ghost is a non-profit that is still in its infancy and still gaining its footing as a free blogging platform. While I certainly wouldn’t recommend Ghost over WordPress as a free blogging site at this point, I would keep an eye out for what they’re doing.
It also seems that they’re planning on changing the direction of their platform in the upcoming months.
Here’s an excerpt from Ghost’s 2018 inside look:
“We spent a very long time trying to compete on convenience and simplicity. This was our biggest mistake and the hardest lesson to learn – because user feedback told us that this was what was most important… But it ended up being still not simple enough for the average user, and not powerful or flexible enough for the professional user — the worst of both worlds.