What is the difference between Ghost and Bubble?

Ghost is best for Bloggers and publishers who want a clean CMS, while Bubble is best for Non-developers wanting to build full web applications. Ghost starts at $9/mo and Bubble starts at Free.

Is Ghost or Bubble cheaper?

Ghost starts at $9/mo and is free. Bubble starts at Free with a free tier.

Is there a free alternative to Bubble?

Both Ghost and Bubble offer free tiers.

Ghost vs Bubble

Ghost is open-source publishing platform focused on professional blogging with membership and newsletter features, while Bubble is no-code platform for building fully functional web applications with databases and logic. Ghost is open source and can be self-hosted, giving you full control over your data. Ghost is built for bloggers and publishers who want a clean cms, whereas Bubble targets non-developers wanting to build full web applications.

At a glance

	Ghost	Bubble
Best for	Bloggers and publishers who want a clean CMS	Non-developers wanting to build full web applications
Starting price	$9/mo	Free
Free tier	✓	✓
Open source	✓	—
Free tier available	✓	✓
Open source	✓	—
Database	—	✓
Memberships	✓	—
Newsletters	✓	—
No-Code	—	✓
Plugins	—	✓
Publishing	✓	—
SEO	✓	—
Workflows	—	✓

Ghost

Strengths

Open source and transparent
Includes Publishing as a core feature, purpose-built for website builder workflows
Fully open-source — you can self-host, audit the code, and avoid vendor lock-in
The core product is free with no paywalled essentials

Weaknesses

May lack some advanced features
Self-hosting is free but requires server maintenance and DevOps knowledge
Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
Performance and SEO control is limited compared to custom-coded sites

Try Ghost → Full review

Bubble

Strengths

Includes No-Code as a core feature, purpose-built for website builder workflows
Includes Database as a core feature, purpose-built for website builder workflows
Free for learning — generous enough for most small teams to get real work done
Established product with 14+ years on the market and a mature ecosystem

Weaknesses

Free plan exists but key features are locked behind the paid upgrade
Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
Performance and SEO control is limited compared to custom-coded sites
Limited team/admin features if your organization eventually scales up

Try Bubble → Full review

The bottom line

Pricing: Both Ghost and Bubble are free. You can try both without spending a dollar.

Feature gaps: Ghost offers Memberships, Newsletters and Publishing that Bubble lacks. Bubble brings Database, No-Code and Plugins that Ghost does not have.

Team fit: Ghost is geared toward individual users and small setups, while Bubble is aimed at small teams teams. Pick the one that matches where your team is today and where it is headed — migrating tools later is always painful.

Open source: Ghost is open source, meaning you can self-host, audit the code, and avoid vendor lock-in. Bubble is proprietary — you are trusting the vendor with your data and uptime.

Where each tool shines: Ghost's biggest strengths are: open source and transparent. includes publishing as a core feature, purpose-built for website builder workflows. Bubble's biggest strengths are: includes no-code as a core feature, purpose-built for website builder workflows. includes database as a core feature, purpose-built for website builder workflows.

Watch out for: With Ghost, users commonly note that may lack some advanced features. With Bubble, the main complaint is that free plan exists but key features are locked behind the paid upgrade.

Choose Ghost if...

You need a tool built for bloggers and publishers who want a clean cms
You need self-hosting, data sovereignty, or the ability to audit source code
You specifically need Memberships and Newsletters
You care about includes publishing as a core feature, purpose-built for website builder workflows
Your team size fits the individuals profile Ghost is designed for

Choose Bubble if...

You need a tool built for non-developers wanting to build full web applications
You specifically need Database and No-Code
You care about includes database as a core feature, purpose-built for website builder workflows
Your team size fits the small teams profile Bubble is designed for
The free tier works for you: free for learning