MailBeez
MailBeez V5 arrives with a redesigned workspace, dark mode and V5-ready modules.
Comparison · Mkt Auto
Ghost vs Craft CMS
A side-by-side editorial comparison of Ghost and Craft CMS — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
Ghost vs Craft CMS: at a glance
What is Ghost?
Ghost lets publishers store their own member details in custom fields.
Ghost now lets publications define custom fields and store member details directly in Ghost. It follows a run of member email automation releases: tier-specific welcome sequences and automation analytics in October, then lifecycle triggers on 4 November that start flows when a paid member changes tier or leaves.
What is Craft CMS?
Craft 6 reaches beta with an AI assistant that edits content through its own MCP tools.
Craft CMS 6.0.0-beta.1 ends the alpha series on the Laravel foundation. It adds Ask AI, a chat panel beside every control panel screen that uses Craft's MCP tools as the signed-in user and proposes changes the user reviews and applies, plus a Ctrl/Cmd+K command palette, a side-by-side Compare screen for drafts, revisions and sites, and copy/paste of field values. The 5.12 stable line gets only single-fix patches.
Ghost vs Craft CMS: editorial side-by-side
Ghost
5.0MKT AUTO
Ghost lets publishers store their own member details in custom fields.
◆ Current state
Ghost now lets publications define custom fields and store member details directly in Ghost. It follows a run of member email automation releases: tier-specific welcome sequences and automation analytics in October, then lifecycle triggers on 4 November that start flows when a paid member changes tier or leaves.
◆ Where it's heading
Ghost is building out its member database so automations have more to act on. Custom fields are the data layer the triggers and sequences have been missing, which points toward segmenting and targeting by publisher-defined attributes.
◆ Prediction
Expect automations or email segments to filter on custom fields next; the entry does not say whether fields can be set through signup forms or the API.
Craft CMS
6.3MKT AUTO
Craft 6 reaches beta with an AI assistant that edits content through its own MCP tools.
◆ Current state
Craft CMS 6.0.0-beta.1 ends the alpha series on the Laravel foundation. It adds Ask AI, a chat panel beside every control panel screen that uses Craft's MCP tools as the signed-in user and proposes changes the user reviews and applies, plus a Ctrl/Cmd+K command palette, a side-by-side Compare screen for drafts, revisions and sites, and copy/paste of field values. The 5.12 stable line gets only single-fix patches.
◆ Where it's heading
The alphas rebuilt the control panel on shared Inertia/Vue components; the beta uses that base to add editor-facing features, with AI assistance and version comparison at the center. Ask AI runs on the same MCP tools and permissions as the user, so Craft is treating AI as another way to operate the control panel rather than a separate content generator.
◆ Prediction
Further 6.0 betas fixing plugin and UI issues are the likely next step, with Ask AI's scope and model settings the area to watch. No release date for 6.0 is visible in the entries.
Alternatives to Ghost and Craft CMS
Other Mkt Auto products tracked by Sparkpulse, ranked by recent ship velocity. Each card links to a full editorial trajectory and lets you pivot into a head-to-head comparison with either Ghost or Craft CMS.
Postiz
Postiz encrypts channel tokens and lets agents send connect links for new channels.
n8n
n8n fixes executions being redacted when they used global credentials, on three lines.
Gumloop
Gumloop 13.6 gives admins one set of rules for every tool an agent touches.
AcyMailing
AcyMailing 11.1.2 closes holes that let strangers read or unsubscribe any subscriber.
Buttondown
Buttondown lets writers reorder editor blocks without a mouse.
See all Ghost alternatives → · See all Craft CMS alternatives →
Recent activity from Ghost and Craft CMS
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 3d agoCraft CMSCraft 6 beta adds Ask AI, a command palette and draft compare ⚡
- 4d agoGhostCustom fields
- 10d agoCraft CMSCraft 5.12.0.1 fixes duplicate icons in icon pickers
- 10d agoGhostLifecycle triggers for automations
- 24d agoGhostStripe Checkout customization
- 1mo agoGhostTier-specific welcome sequences
- 1mo agoCraft CMS5.11.5.1 restores editing of third-party nested elements
- 1mo agoCraft CMSCraft 6 alpha.20 moves more editors onto shared Vue controls
- 1mo agoGhostAutomation analytics
- 1mo agoCraft CMSCraft 6 alpha.19 adds inline editing and exports to indexes
- 2mo agoCraft CMSCraft CMS 6.0.0-alpha.18
- 2mo agoGhostGift subscription improvements
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Ghost and Craft CMS?
They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. Craft CMS is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 6.3 vs 5.0), with 1 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.
Is Ghost better than Craft CMS?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. Craft CMS is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 6.3 vs 5.0), with 1 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other Mkt Auto products to evaluate alongside.
What are the best alternatives to Ghost?
Top Ghost alternatives in Mkt Auto are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Ghost alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/ghost for the full list with editorial commentary on each.
What are the best alternatives to Craft CMS?
Top Craft CMS alternatives in Mkt Auto are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Craft CMS alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/craft-cms for the full list with editorial commentary on each.