Ghost
Polotno
| Feature | Ghost | Polotno |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $9/mo | Free / from $20.99/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 | 4 / 5 |
| Best For | bloggers, publishers, newsletter-creators, indie-media | developers, saas-builders, budget-designers, quick-design-needs |
| Founded | 2013 | 2021 |
| Editor | ✓ | ✗ |
| Memberships | ✓ | ✗ |
| Newsletter | ✓ | ✗ |
| Seo | ✓ | ✗ |
| Themes | ✓ | ✗ |
| Native Analytics | ✓ | ✗ |
| Templates | ✗ | ✓ |
| Ai Image Generation | ✗ | ✓ |
| Background Removal | ✗ | ✓ |
| Sdk Embedding | ✗ | ✓ |
| Text Effects | ✗ | ✓ |
| Export Options | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Ghost Pros
- Fast and clean
- Built-in memberships
- Newsletter included
- Open source
✗ Ghost Cons
- Limited themes
- No page builder
- Requires technical knowledge
✓ Polotno Pros
- No account required to start
- SDK for embedding in your own app
- AI background removal and generation
- Clean and fast interface
✗ Polotno Cons
- Smaller template library than Canva
- Limited brand kit features
- Community-driven content
The Verdict
Ghost is built for bloggers and publishers, with a focus on editor and memberships. Polotno targets developers and saas builders and leads with templates and ai-image-generation.
On pricing, Ghost is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $9/mo compared to $20.99/mo for Polotno. That $11.989999999999998/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.
Ghost edges out on user ratings (4.4 vs 4). While both are well-regarded, that gap reflects real differences in user satisfaction worth considering.
Bottom line: Ghost has a slight overall edge — but if no account required to start matters most to you, Polotno may still be the right call.