ghost vs framer
Ghost vs Framer — features, pricing, and which to choose for your SEO workflow in 2026.
Quick Verdict
Ghost and Framer serve very different audiences despite both being CMS platforms. Ghost is purpose-built for content creators, publishers, and bloggers who need a lean publishing platform with excellent SEO fundamentals and newsletter integration. Framer targets designers and agencies who want visual website building without sacrificing technical performance.
The core difference comes down to content strategy versus design flexibility. Ghost excels at structured content publishing with built-in membership systems, while Framer prioritizes visual design freedom with AI-powered development features.
Feature Comparison
Ghost delivers a focused feature set centered on publishing: automatic XML sitemaps, clean URL structures, meta tag management, and structured data markup. Its editor is markdown-based with a clean interface that keeps writers focused on content. The platform includes native newsletter functionality, membership tiers, and subscription management — features that most content sites eventually need. Framer takes a completely different approach with its visual canvas editor and AI-powered code generation. You design your site visually, and Framer converts it to clean, performant HTML/CSS/JavaScript. It includes SEO controls like meta tags, alt text management, and page speed optimization, but these feel secondary to the design-first workflow. Framer's strength is creating unique layouts and interactions that would be difficult in traditional CMSs. For content-heavy sites, Ghost's structured approach wins. For design-driven sites with less frequent content updates, Framer's flexibility is valuable.
Pricing Comparison
Framer starts free for basic sites, then jumps to $5/month for custom domains and $15/month for CMS features. Ghost begins at $9/month but includes everything most publishers need: unlimited posts, newsletter functionality, and member management. Ghost's pricing scales to $25/month for growing publications and custom enterprise pricing for large operations. The value equation depends on your needs. Framer's free tier is genuinely useful for simple sites, making it the clear budget winner. However, Ghost's $9 starting price includes features that would cost significantly more to replicate with third-party newsletter and membership tools.
Best For
Ghost is the better choice for content creators, bloggers, online magazines, and membership sites. If you publish regularly, need newsletter integration, or plan to monetize through subscriptions, Ghost's focused feature set will save time and money. The platform's SEO optimization is also more comprehensive for content-driven strategies. Framer works best for agencies, portfolio sites, and businesses prioritizing unique design over frequent content updates. If you need custom layouts, complex animations, or want to hand off a site that clients can easily update without technical knowledge, Framer's visual approach is superior.
The Verdict
Choose Ghost if content is your primary focus — it's specifically built for publishers and handles the entire content-to-revenue pipeline better than any visual builder. Choose Framer if design differentiation matters more than publishing workflow, or if you're building sites where visual impact trumps content volume. Most SEO-focused businesses will get better long-term results with Ghost's content-first approach.