Backdrop CMS vs Ghost
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted content management systems options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Backdrop CMS
Comprehensive CMS forked from Drupal for smaller sites
VS
Ghost
Professional publishing platform for blogs and newsletters
| Feature | Backdrop CMS | Ghost |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | GPL-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | PHP | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,044 | ★ 54,707 |
| First released | 2015 | 2013 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Drupal | WordPress, Substack, Medium |
Why pick each one
Choose Ghost if…
- Excellent for newsletters and memberships
- Clean, fast publishing experience
Frequently asked questions
Is Backdrop CMS or Ghost better?
Neither is universally better. Ghost has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Backdrop CMS and Ghost free and open-source?
Yes. Backdrop CMS is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Ghost under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Backdrop CMS and Ghost with Docker?
Backdrop CMS: yes. Ghost: yes.