Ghost vs Grav
Ghost publishes posts, memberships, and newsletters from a self-hosted CMS. A flat-file CMS that stores content in Markdown, with no database. Compare the capabilities you need, then check hosting, licensing and maintenance. This pair is shown for browsing but is not indexed (not among the leading projects of a shared category).
| Attribute | Ghost | Grav |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Ghost publishes posts, memberships, and newsletters from a self-hosted CMS. | A flat-file CMS that stores content in Markdown, with no database. |
| Documented capabilities | Post publishing, Membership management, Email newsletters | Flat-file content in Markdown, Twig templating and YAML configuration, Plugins and themes installed from the CLI, Built-in caching |
| Best-fit workflow | Ghost publishes posts, memberships, and newsletters from a self-hosted CMS. | Small sites and docs where content lives in files under version control. |
| Check before choosing | Check current installation requirements and edition limits in the linked repository. | There is no database, so plan backups around the user folder. |
| Deployment options | See repository installation guide | ZIP package, Composer |
| GitHub stars | 55,543 | 15,688 |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Docker noted | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| Cloud / hosted | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| Primary language | TypeScript | PHP |
| Last commit | 2026-10-15 | 2026-10-15 |
| Difficulty | Not assessed | Easy |
| Content source | Editorial catalog entry | Editorial catalog entry |
| Metadata checked | 2026-10-16 | Check the current repository |
| Forks | 12k | 1.4k |
| Star growth | +63 (2026-10-04 to 2026-10-16) | Not recorded |
| Alternative to | Not recorded | Not recorded |
This comparison uses recorded capabilities, not hands-on performance tests. A capability missing from one record does not mean that product lacks it. Confirm edition, version and current pricing in the official documentation.
When to consider Ghost
Ghost publishes posts, memberships, and newsletters from a self-hosted CMS.
Check current installation requirements and edition limits in the linked repository.
Ghost documentation and sourceWhen to consider Grav
Small sites and docs where content lives in files under version control.
There is no database, so plan backups around the user folder.
Grav documentation and sourceGhost vs Grav questions
- What is Ghost?
- Ghost publishes posts, memberships, and newsletters from a self-hosted CMS.
- What is Grav?
- A flat-file CMS that stores content in Markdown, with no database.
- Can you self-host Ghost and Grav?
- Both can be self-hosted.
- What licenses do Ghost and Grav use?
- Ghost uses the MIT license. Grav uses the MIT license.
- Which has more GitHub stars, Ghost or Grav?
- Ghost has 56k stars and Grav has 16k. Stars show attention; check recent commits and releases for maintenance.
- What languages are Ghost and Grav written in?
- Ghost is mainly written in TypeScript. Grav is mainly written in PHP.