Bludit 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.
Bludit
Simple flat-file CMS for fast websites and blogs
VS
Ghost
Professional publishing platform for blogs and newsletters
| Feature | Bludit | Ghost |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 83 · Excellent | 100 · Excellent |
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | PHP | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,469 | ★ 55,413 |
| First released | 2015 | 2013 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Wix | WordPress, Substack, Medium |
What are Bludit and Ghost?
Bludit
Bludit is a lightweight flat-file CMS that stores content in JSON files, requiring no database. It is aimed at users who want a quick, simple website or blog without complex setup.
- No database needed
- Plugin and theme support
- Markdown editor
- Quick installation
Ghost
Ghost is a powerful open-source publishing platform built on Node.js, designed for professional bloggers, publications, and creators. It includes native membership, subscription, and email newsletter features alongside a fast, modern editor.
- Built-in membership and paid subscriptions
- Native email newsletters
- Fast modern editor
- SEO-optimized by default
Bludit vs Ghost: key differences
Bludit is written in PHP, while Ghost is built with TypeScript. Bludit is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Ghost. Ghost is the more established project (first released 2013), while Bludit arrived in 2015. Ghost has the considerably larger community, at 55,413 GitHub stars versus 1,469.
Why pick each one
Choose Bludit if…
- Very easy to set up
- Easy to back up
Watch out for
- Not suited to large sites
- Smaller ecosystem
Choose Ghost if…
- Excellent for newsletters and memberships
- Clean, fast publishing experience
Watch out for
- Plugin ecosystem smaller than WordPress
- MySQL recommended for production
Frequently asked questions
Is Bludit or Ghost better?
Neither is universally better. Ghost has the larger community, while Bludit is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Bludit and Ghost free and open-source?
Yes. Bludit is licensed under MIT and Ghost under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Bludit and Ghost with Docker?
Bludit: yes. Ghost: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Bludit or Ghost?
Bludit has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Ghost. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.