Best Self Hosted Alternatives to Ghost

WriteFreely is a lightweight publishing platform for creating blogs or hosting a community of writers. It focuses on a clean reading and writing experience, while providing the essentials for running a modern publication—from multi-user instances to optional federation.

Key Features

• Distraction-free editor with Markdown support
• Single-user blogs or multi-user “instance” mode with admin controls
• Optional federation support (ActivityPub) to follow and be followed from the fediverse
• Customizable themes and branding (including custom domains)
• Draft/publish workflow with post organization (collections/blogs)
• Import/export and API/CLI tooling for administration and automation

Use Cases

• Personal blog with a minimal UI and Markdown-first writing
• Community writing instance for a team, group, or small publication
• Federated “micro-publication” that can interact with fediverse accounts

Limitations and Considerations

• Designed for minimalism; advanced CMS workflows (page builders, complex roles, rich plugins) are intentionally limited

WriteFreely is well-suited for writers and small communities that want a focused publishing experience without a full traditional CMS. It balances simplicity with practical admin features and optional federation for broader reach.