How Ghost and Shopify compare
Ghost is what serious independent publishing looks like. A fast, beautifully themed site, newsletters sent from your own domain, paid memberships with zero platform fees, comments, and a clean editor, all open source and portable. Ghost(Pro) hosting removes the ops, and the whole thing respects the writer and the reader.
Shopify is what you use when the store is the business. World-class checkout, inventory and shipping, taxes, POS, thousands of apps, Shopify Email, Shopify Inbox, and a theme store make it the standard for merchants of every size. It scales from one product to a warehouse without changing platforms.
Where they are different
Ghost
- Ghost monetises by membership.
- Ghost sends email and stops.
- Ghost is publishing-first.
Shopify
- Shopify's blog and pages serve the store.
- Shopify Inbox handles chat.
- Shopify doesn't manage scheduling natively.
Choose Ghost when writing is the business and you want paid subscriptions with no platform cut, on open-source software.
Choose Shopify when you sell products at volume and need inventory, shipping, tax, and apps.
Compare features
What's on Ghost and Shopify
A check means that capability is available. Ghost and Shopify are marked only when the offer is comparable, not the same product.
Site and brand
- Workspace siteGhost: IncludedShopify: Included
- Custom domainGhost: IncludedShopify: Included
- Theme and fontsGhost: IncludedShopify: Included
Public content
- BlogGhost: IncludedShopify: Included
- Reader engagementGhost: IncludedShopify: Included
- Showcase pagesGhost: IncludedShopify: Included
- Shop pagesGhost: Not includedShopify: Included
Reach and quality
- SEOGhost: IncludedShopify: Included
Audience and email
- AudienceGhost: IncludedShopify: Included
- Email on your domainGhost: IncludedShopify: Not included
- Marketing emailsGhost: IncludedShopify: Included
- Campaign workflowsGhost: Not includedShopify: Included
Messaging
- Built-in chatGhost: Not includedShopify: Included
- Messaging CenterGhost: Not includedShopify: Included
Commerce
- Shop paymentsGhost: Not includedShopify: Included
- Orders and fulfillmentGhost: Not includedShopify: Included
Team
- Admin usersGhost: IncludedShopify: Included
- Per-admin permissionsGhost: IncludedShopify: Included
- AI AssistantGhost: Not includedShopify: Included
* Note: This table does not capture every feature of Ghost or Shopify, and is not intended as a comprehensive list. We keep this page current, but Ghost or Shopify may add or remove features that are not shown here.
Ghost vs Shopify pricing
Compare plans, prices, and what it costs to get started.
Ghost
Current plans and prices
See what Ghost charges on their pricing page.
Shopify
Current plans and prices
See what Shopify charges on their pricing page.
Cardel: An alternative to
Ghost and Shopify
You don't pay until you publish.
Cardel provides a home for your craft. Share and sell your work, grow your audience, and bring your community together on a site of your own.
Common questions
Is Cardel an alternative to Ghost or Shopify?
Cardel is a home for your craft: a site of your own with a blog, newsletter, shop, community, and one inbox. It can replace Ghost or Shopify when you want your work, audience, and sales in one place. The feature list on this page shows where Ghost and Shopify are marked.
Can I use Cardel with Ghost or Shopify?
Yes. Cardel pages can link out to other products, so you can keep Ghost or Shopify for what it does best and bring the rest of your work to Cardel.
How much does Cardel cost compared with Ghost and Shopify?
You don't pay for Cardel until you publish. Choose Starter, Pro, or Studio when your site goes live. Ghost and Shopify set their own prices, so check their pricing pages on this page for current plans.
How do I switch from Ghost or Shopify to Cardel?
Start with Build Your Site, set up your home, and bring your work over at your own pace. You do not have to move everything on day one.
