If you're thinking of launching your new website with Ghost, you probably want it to look great – to have that certain something. Now, a quick Google search might show you different theme marketplaces. But I want to introduce you to some of the best Ghost CMS theme developers I have found – and which of their themes I personally like the most.
Use this list as an overview – a starting point to explore the [sea?] of Ghost CMS themes out there.
My Personal Tips for Finding great Ghost CMS themes
When looking for a great Ghost CMS theme, I usually judge by first impression. Do I actually like the look of what I see? As a web designer myself, I want to see modern design that is functional. No unnecessary bling-bling. But other than that, there are a few more indicators on whether the theme you found is a good choice.
- Does the theme have all the features you need? Ghost has grown over the last 10 years and over time many features were added. Make sure that the theme you're considering actually implements what you need. A theme that was created and optimised for Ghost 3.0 will not be able to use all the newest features of Ghost memberships, for example.
- Does the theme have a proper documentation? Nothing is worse than seeing a great theme demo and not being able to replicate it. Good theme developers will always provide documentation for the themes they publish.
- Does the developer provide support? When everything fails, you don't want to be left stranded. Make sure that your theme includes at least 12 months of support, so you can ask the developer any questions that might come up.
1. Bright Themes
Bright Themes is one of my all-time favourite Ghost CMS theme developers. Every single theme is a joy to look at. They serve all kinds of purposes – from magazines and blogs, to photography portfolios or newsletter sites.
Bright Themes also publishes an extensive documentation and change log for every theme they put out.
- Price for a single theme starts at $149, a yearly ($239) or lifetime ($499) plan are available, with access to all themes.
- All themes are regularly updated.
- Bright Themes provides great tutorials on their blog.
- Custom themes are possible as well.
2. Iris Themes
Iris Themes is another great theme development agency, best known for their Macaw and Siskin themes. There are currently (December 2023) six themes available, mostly focussing on newsletter and blogging themes.
Every theme comes with documentation, free updates, and support. And if you happen to need more than that, Iris Themes also provides on-demand services to make your Ghost site truly yours.
- Prices for a single theme are usually $99. There is one free theme available, as well as an annual theme bundle for $199.
- Every theme comes with 6 months of technical support, which can be extended to 12 months.
- Iris Themes also has a great blog with handy tutorials for your Ghost CMS site.
3. Hedwik
Hedwik is a new designer duo on the Ghost CMS themes market. I personally fell in love with their style, when I saw their post on Reddit recently.
Currently (end of January 2024), there is only one theme available, Elrond, but more in already in progress.
This is definitely a theme development studio you should keep your eyes on in 2024!
- Prices start at $99 for a single theme. Since there aren't many themes available yet, no bundle is offered.
- Custom themes are available for very reasonable prices as well.
- As expected, everything is well documented and support is easily accessible.
4. Fueko
Fueko is one of the longest standing theme designers for Ghost – I remember using their Nurui theme years ago for one of my blogs.
Fueko currently has 13 themes available, split up into some more unusual categories like fashion, technology, or some handy multipurpose themes.
- Prices for Fueko's Ghost CMS themes are between $49 and $89, making them one of the more affordable options, while still delivering incredible quality.
- All themes are well-documented and receive updates.
- Their themes are some of the bestsellers on Themeforest's Ghost marketplace.
5. Aspire Themes
Aspire Themes currently has 11 Ghost themes on offer, focussing on on blogging, newsletters, podcast, portfolio, and news websites. Their Tripoli theme is powering some awesome niche news sites – so you might have already stumbled upon it in the wild.
Aspire Themes regularly shares some real-life websites built with their themes on their blog – definitely worth checking out.
- All themes are priced at $149, with a bundle available for $249.
- The themes are well-documented and support is included as well.
- Ahmad, the guy behind Aspire Themes, is also active in the Ghost forum
6. Visioun
Visioun offers both free and paid Ghost CMS themes, mostly focussing on classic blog and magazine style sites, as well as newsletter pages.
They currently have nine themes available all of which support Ghost 5 features, as well as membership tiers.
- Prices for paid themes range from $39 to $74, and two of their themes are free. A yearly subscription to access their library is available for $99, and a lifetime license for $399.
- Visioun also offers support for their themes, as well as documentation for the themes' features.
- You can also hire Visioun for custom work.
7. Super Themes Co.
Super Themes Co. is the Ghost theme agency run by Dan Rowden, a well-known face in the Ghost community. He also runs Gloat, a Ghost hosting provider, and has launched other Ghost-related projects in the past.
Super Themes is probably best known for creating Ali Abdaal's website, which they have then released as a dedicated Ghost CMS theme.
- Prices range between $19 to $149. There is also a theme developer kit available for $249, for anyone who wants to get into theme development themselves.
- All themes are well-documented and Dan also offers an email address for support with the themes.
8. Layered Craft
Layered Craft currently offers seven great Ghost CMS themes, some of which also focus on more niche topics like changelogs, or documentation sites.
Their blog is also full of gems, both related to Ghost CMS specific topics, as well as more general themes like writing great documentation for digital products.
- Prices for Layered Craft's themes range between $49 and $69, with a yearly bundle available for $199.
- Their themes are really well-documented and come with technical support.
- The team behind Layered Craft are certified Ghost experts with over 7 years of experience working with Ghost.
9. Electron Themes
Electron Themes currently has 10 Ghost CMS themes available, most of them focussing on magazine-style blogs. Some of the themes are also available as HTML themes, so they can be used without Ghost or in combination with Ghost as a headless CMS.
The team behind Electron Themes is pretty active on their blog, sharing many tips and tricks regarding Ghost and how to use it.
- All themes are priced at $59. There is no bundle available at Electron Themes.
- The themes are well-documented and Electron Themes also provides support for them.