What a Ghost hosting platform is
Ghost is a publishing app for articles, email newsletters and paid members. The writing screen is the product. Memberships and newsletters ship with it, so a creator does not bolt those on as plugins.
It fits an Indian newsletter, a single-author blog, or a small newsroom that charges readers. It is a poor fit for a shop, a course site, or a brochure with many page types. Those jobs stay on WordPress.
- Articles, newsletters and paid members in one app.
- Node.js, not PHP, so the process has to stay running.
- Open-source software. The host, whether Ghost(Pro) or a VPS, is a separate bill.
Ghost server requirements on a Linux VPS
Ghost-CLI expects a current Ubuntu LTS server, Node.js 22 LTS and MySQL 8. Older MariaDB does not satisfy Ghost. Nginx serves the site, and systemd keeps the Node process alive after a reboot.
You also need a domain you control and a TLS certificate. Certbot can issue the Let's Encrypt certificate during ghost install. The install needs sudo. A panel that hides the service manager will stop Ghost-CLI. An image built around Python and PostgreSQL is the wrong base for this app.
- Ubuntu LTS, a sudo user and systemd.
- Node.js 22 LTS, installed with nvm in the steps below.
- MySQL 8, not an older MariaDB.
- Nginx and a TLS certificate on your domain.
Why shared hosting fails for Ghost
Shared hosting is built for PHP. Process limits, the panel and one-click installers assume Apache or LiteSpeed plus PHP. Ghost-CLI expects to write an Nginx config, pin a Node version and register a systemd service.
MySQL 8 is often missing on those plans. A Node process that must stay up gets killed or capped. The install then fails in Ghost-CLI, or it looks fine until the server recycles and the site dies.
A Softaculous-style Ghost button is only a trial. Check the Node and MySQL versions behind it before readers depend on it. The working home is a Linux VPS you administer, such as WebJi VPS hosting.
Ghost(Pro) prices versus an Indian VPS
People searching for a Ghost hosting platform in India are choosing among three bills. The rows are not interchangeable.
| Route | Who runs Ghost | Price seen on 30 Oct 2026 | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ghost(Pro) | The Ghost team | USD, billed yearly, slider at 1,000 members: Starter $16/mo, Publisher $29/mo, Business $199/mo. Custom is quoted. | You want Ghost to run members and newsletters, and a dollar card is fine. |
| Linux VPS and Ghost-CLI | You or your developer | No public WebJi Ghost price. Email support@webji.services. The quote is INR, before 18% GST. | You want an Indian invoice and root access. |
| Shared PHP, L-Basic | The hosting panel | ₹300 a month before 18% GST. WebJi shared Linux, not a Ghost plan. | The site is WordPress or PHP. It will not run Ghost. |
On 30 October 2026, with the member slider set to an audience of up to 1,000, Ghost(Pro) pricing showed Starter at $16 a month, Publisher at $29 a month and Business at $199 a month, each billed yearly. The Business row listed 10,000 members. Custom was a quote. Those dollars belong to Ghost. WebJi does not convert them into rupees.
The same day, MilesWeb's Ghost VPS page listed an intro price of ₹549 a month for 1 vCPU, 4 GB RAM and 50 GB NVMe, renewing at ₹949 a month. That price is theirs. WebJi does not publish a Ghost VPS rupee price and does not claim to cost less. Go4hosting's Ghost page showed no rupee figure.
WebJi is not Ghost, and not those companies. Questions about a Ghost(Pro) subscription stay with Ghost. A WebJi quote covers only the Linux VPS.
How to install Ghost with Ghost-CLI
On a fresh Ubuntu LTS VPS, use this order. Finish one step and confirm it worked, then start the next.
- Create a non-root sudo user and update the system. You are done when that user can sudo.
- Install MySQL 8. Create a database and a user limited to that database. You are done when that user can log in to MySQL.
- Install Node 22 LTS with nvm. You are done when node -v prints a v22 release.
- Install Nginx. Leave the certificate to Ghost-CLI.
- Install Ghost-CLI with npm install -g ghost-cli@latest.
- Create the site directory and run ghost install. The prompts take the domain, the MySQL login and the admin account, then write Nginx, TLS and the systemd unit.
After install, ghost update applies a new release, ghost doctor checks the box, and ghost ls lists installs. Two publications can share one VPS in separate directories, each with its own domain.
Ghost versus WordPress for Indian publishers
Ghost is the better tool when the business is a newsletter and memberships. The editor stays out of the way, paid members do not need a plugin stack, and a modest VPS is enough when the site is mostly reading.
WordPress is the better tool when the site is also a shop, a course, or a large plugin set. WordPress hosting runs on PHP. WebJi L-Basic shared hosting is ₹300 a month before 18% GST and runs WordPress. It does not run Ghost.
Choose by the product. Both reach the same readers on the mobile web, on WhatsApp and by email.
How to move posts and newsletters into Ghost
Posts move as JSON. On WordPress, Ghost's official plugin exports a ZIP in Ghost's format. In Ghost admin, open Labs, then Import. Ordinary posts, pages, tags and images come across. Shortcodes and complex blocks flatten to text, so reread long pieces after import.
Subscriber lists move as CSV from Mailchimp, Substack and similar tools. Old newsletters do not come with that file. New letters send from Ghost through a transactional email provider. Set SPF and DKIM on the sending domain before the first send.
Keep old URLs with Ghost's redirects.json, mapping each old permalink to the new one. Run both sites until the redirects check out, then change DNS. Moving the server account is covered in the shared-to-VPS migration guide.
A WebJi file migration is free only after terms and approval. It is not an instant Ghost site, and it is not a promise that every plugin block will survive the import.
What WebJi quotes for Ghost on a VPS
WebJi sells the Linux VPS. You, or a developer you hire, install Ghost with Ghost-CLI. This site has no one-click Ghost image, and WebJi is not Ghost(Pro).
Email support@webji.services in Hindi or English. The mailbox is staffed 24/7, and the average first reply is under 60 minutes. The desk sends the VPS price before you pay. The figure is in INR and before 18% GST.
The phone +91-141-4941811 is the Jaipur office number during business hours. Do not use it as the line for a failed Ghost install. The registered office is Shop #27, Ajmer Road, Tagore Nagar, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302021. There is no walk-in branch in any other city.
About 99% of clients are served online across India and overseas. The business dates from 2005. The WebJi® brand dates from 2018, which is also the year the company was incorporated. Ask by email before you pay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I host Ghost on shared hosting in India?
No. Shared plans here are PHP. Ghost needs Node.js, MySQL 8 and a process that stays running. Use a Linux VPS, or Ghost(Pro) if you want the official managed host.
What does Ghost need on the server?
Ubuntu LTS, Node 22 LTS, MySQL 8, Nginx, systemd, a domain and a TLS certificate. Older MariaDB fails Ghost's check. The steps above are the order Ghost-CLI expects.
How much does Ghost hosting cost in India?
On 30 October 2026, Ghost(Pro) at the 1,000-member setting was $16, $29 or $199 a month, billed yearly, in US dollars. WebJi has no public Ghost VPS price. Email support@webji.services for an INR quote before you pay. The price is before 18% GST.
Is Ghost CMS free?
The Ghost software is open source. The server is not free. Ghost(Pro) is a paid hosted plan. A WebJi VPS is a paid Linux server that you install Ghost on.
Is Ghost better than WordPress for a newsletter?
Yes, when the product is writing, email and paid members. No, when you also need a shop, courses or a large plugin set. Those sites belong on WordPress hosting, which is a PHP plan.
Does WebJi install Ghost for me?
No. You get a Linux VPS and you run Ghost-CLI, or your developer does. Support replies by email. A file migration is free only after terms and approval. It is not a built Ghost site.