FastAPI 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?
FastAPI
Custom Web app to run a FastAPI program written in Python
VS
Ghost
Professional publishing platform for blogs and newsletters
| Feature | FastAPI | Ghost |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | GPL-3.0-or-later | MIT |
| Language | Shell | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 50 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3 | ★ 54,707 |
| First released | 2023 | 2013 |
| Replaces | — | WordPress, Substack, Medium |
Why pick each one
Choose FastAPI if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0-or-later license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in Shell
- Tiny footprint — runs in 50 MB RAM
Choose Ghost if…
- Excellent for newsletters and memberships
- Clean, fast publishing experience
Frequently asked questions
Is FastAPI or Ghost better?
Neither is universally better. Ghost has the larger community, while FastAPI is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are FastAPI and Ghost free and open-source?
Yes. FastAPI is licensed under GPL-3.0-or-later and Ghost under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run FastAPI and Ghost with Docker?
FastAPI: check the project docs for container support. Ghost: yes.