Ghost
Real Geeks
| Feature | Ghost | Real Geeks |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $9/mo | From $299/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.1 / 5 |
| Best For | professional-bloggers, independent-publishers, news-sites, creators | real-estate-agents, small-teams, new-agents, budget-conscious-teams |
| Founded | 2013 | 2007 |
| Publishing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Newsletters | ✓ | ✗ |
| Memberships | ✓ | ✗ |
| Seo | ✓ | ✗ |
| Themes | ✓ | ✗ |
| Integrations | ✓ | ✗ |
| Self Hosting | ✓ | ✗ |
| Idx Website | ✗ | ✓ |
| Crm | ✗ | ✓ |
| Lead Generation | ✗ | ✓ |
| Facebook Ads | ✗ | ✓ |
| Property Valuation | ✗ | ✓ |
| Market Reports | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Ghost Pros
- Open-source and self-hostable (free)
- Native membership and paid subscription support
- Fast and SEO-friendly by default
- Clean writing experience without bloat
✗ Ghost Cons
- Themes require code knowledge to customize
- Smaller plugin ecosystem than WordPress
- Self-hosting requires technical maintenance
✓ Real Geeks Pros
- Affordable IDX websites
- Built-in Facebook ad management
- Good CRM for the price
- Property valuation landing pages
✗ Real Geeks Cons
- Website templates limited
- Less powerful than enterprise solutions
- Add-on costs accumulate
The Verdict
Ghost is built for professional bloggers and independent publishers, with a focus on publishing and newsletters. Real Geeks targets real estate agents and small teams and leads with idx-website and crm.
On pricing, Ghost is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $9/mo compared to $299/mo for Real Geeks. That $290/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Ghost has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. Real Geeks requires a paid subscription from day one.
Ghost edges out on user ratings (4.5 vs 4.1). While both are well-regarded, that gap reflects real differences in user satisfaction worth considering.
Feature-wise, Ghost offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Real Geeks takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Bottom line: Ghost has a slight overall edge — but if affordable idx websites matters most to you, Real Geeks may still be the right call.