Ghost
Memos
| Feature | Ghost | Memos |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $9/mo | Free / from $0/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 |
| Best For | bloggers, publishers, newsletter-creators, indie-media | self-hosters, quick-note-takers, journaling, privacy-focused-users |
| Founded | 2013 | 2022 |
| Editor | ✓ | ✗ |
| Memberships | ✓ | ✗ |
| Newsletter | ✓ | ✗ |
| Seo | ✓ | ✗ |
| Themes | ✓ | ✗ |
| Native Analytics | ✓ | ✗ |
| Markdown | ✗ | ✓ |
| Tags | ✗ | ✓ |
| Search | ✗ | ✓ |
| Api | ✗ | ✓ |
| Docker Deployment | ✗ | ✓ |
| Embed Resources | ✗ | ✓ |
| Timeline View | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Ghost Pros
- Fast and clean
- Built-in memberships
- Newsletter included
- Open source
✗ Ghost Cons
- Limited themes
- No page builder
- Requires technical knowledge
✓ Memos Pros
- Completely free and open-source
- Lightweight and fast (single binary deployment)
- Twitter-like quick note interface
- Full data ownership with self-hosting
✗ Memos Cons
- No real-time collaboration features
- Limited organizational tools (no folders/hierarchy)
- Self-hosting required (no managed cloud option)
The Verdict
Ghost is built for bloggers and publishers, with a focus on editor and memberships. Memos targets self hosters and quick note takers and leads with markdown and tags.
On pricing, Memos is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $0/mo compared to $9/mo for Ghost. That $9/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Feature-wise, Memos offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Ghost takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.