CMS & e-commerce

Ghost VPS HostingSelf-Hosted Publishing and Newsletters

Ghost's recommended self-hosting stack is Ubuntu, NGINX, MySQL 8 and a supported Node.js version, managed by Ghost-CLI. We install exactly that on a hardened KVM VPS, so you publish and send newsletters from a server you own.

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Full root & SSH NVMe storage Daily backups Anti-DDoS 99.9% uptime SLA 11 locations

  • Root and SSH access

    Ghost-CLI, themes and server config.

  • NVMe storage

    Fast content and image delivery.

  • Dedicated IPv4 and IPv6

    Your publication on your own IP.

  • Daily backups

    Automatic backup of the previous 24 hours.

Why a VPS

Why Self-Host Ghost on a VPS

Hosted Ghost plans are priced by audience size. Self-hosting runs the same open-source Ghost for a flat server cost.

  1. A flat cost as your audience grows

    Your hosting price does not change with the number of members or subscribers.

  2. The recommended stack

    Ghost-CLI expects Ubuntu, NGINX, MySQL 8 and a supported Node.js version, and that is what we install.

  3. Themes and integrations without limits

    Custom themes, webhooks and integrations, with your own server-side tools.

  4. Your data on your server

    Posts, members and images in a location you choose.

The stack

How Self-Hosted Ghost Runs

NGINX in front of a Node.js Ghost process, managed by Ghost-CLI, with MySQL behind it.

Request from a browser or app (HTTPS)

  1. Reverse proxy

    NGINX

    HTTPS and static assets, proxying to Ghost on localhost.

  2. Application

    Ghost (Node.js)

    Admin, API and theme rendering, run by systemd.

  3. Tooling

    Ghost-CLI

    Installs, updates and restarts Ghost and sets up SSL.

  4. Database

    MySQL 8

    Posts, members and settings.

  5. Email

    Mailgun for newsletters

    Bulk newsletter sending; other mail via any SMTP provider.

Worth knowing

  • Ghost runs as its own system user; run ghost commands as a sudo user from the install directory.
  • Newsletters need a Mailgun account, which Ghost uses for bulk email.
  • Update with ghost update, and roll back with ghost update --rollback if needed.
  • Ghost needs at least 1 GB of RAM; every plan has 4 GB or more.
What you can run

What You Can Run

  • Blogs and publications

    Fast, clean publishing with built-in SEO.

  • Paid newsletters

    Memberships and subscriptions with Stripe.

  • Company blogs and changelogs

    Product news and engineering blogs.

  • Documentation and knowledge bases

    Tag-organised content with search.

  • Headless Ghost

    The Content API behind a Next.js or Nuxt front end.

  • Several publications

    Multiple Ghost installs on one server.

VPS Plans

VPS Plans for Ghost

VPS-1 runs a Ghost publication comfortably. Choose VPS-2 for several sites or a large media library.

VPS-1

Small websites, APIs, bots and development servers.

₹1,008 /mo
Get Started
  • 2 vCores
  • 4 GB RAM
  • 40 GB NVMe
  • 500 Mbps
  • Full root and SSH access
  • Free initial stack installation
  • Server hardening and firewall setup
  • Daily backup of the previous 24 hours
  • Unlimited traffic *
  • Anti-DDoS protection
  • Dedicated IPv4 and IPv6
  • KVM virtualisation
Most Popular

VPS-2

Production apps, WordPress and online stores.

₹1,906 /mo
Get Started
  • 4 vCores
  • 8 GB RAM
  • 75 GB NVMe
  • 1 Gbps
  • Full root and SSH access
  • Free initial stack installation
  • Server hardening and firewall setup
  • Daily backup of the previous 24 hours
  • Unlimited traffic *
  • Anti-DDoS protection
  • Dedicated IPv4 and IPv6
  • KVM virtualisation

VPS-3

Busy stores, SaaS products and several projects.

₹2,748 /mo
Get Started
  • 6 vCores
  • 12 GB RAM
  • 100 GB NVMe
  • 2 Gbps
  • Full root and SSH access
  • Free initial stack installation
  • Server hardening and firewall setup
  • Daily backup of the previous 24 hours
  • Unlimited traffic *
  • Anti-DDoS protection
  • Dedicated IPv4 and IPv6
  • KVM virtualisation

VPS-4

High-traffic apps, large databases and agencies.

₹5,274 /mo
Get Started
  • 8 vCores
  • 24 GB RAM
  • 200 GB NVMe
  • 3 Gbps
  • Full root and SSH access
  • Free initial stack installation
  • Server hardening and firewall setup
  • Daily backup of the previous 24 hours
  • Unlimited traffic *
  • Anti-DDoS protection
  • Dedicated IPv4 and IPv6
  • KVM virtualisation

* Unlimited traffic in Europe and North America. In Mumbai, Singapore and Sydney a monthly allowance applies (VPS-1 500 GB, VPS-2/VPS-3 1 TB, VPS-4 3 TB), then speed is limited to 10 Mbps until the next month.

Sizing guide

Which Plan for Your Ghost Site

Ghost is efficient; traffic, the number of sites and the media library decide the plan.

Recommended VPS plan for each Ghost workload
Workload Start with Why
One publication VPS-1 2 vCores · 4 GB RAM Ghost, MySQL and NGINX with room to spare.
Large publication with heavy traffic VPS-2 4 vCores · 8 GB RAM More headroom for traffic spikes.
Several publications VPS-3 6 vCores · 12 GB RAM Separate installs, each with its own process.
Agency or network of sites VPS-4 8 vCores · 24 GB RAM 24 GB RAM and 200 GB NVMe.

A starting point, not a limit: every plan upgrades in place, keeping your data, IP address and configuration.

Managed Ghost or Self-Hosted?

Managed hosting removes all maintenance. Self-hosting gives you a flat cost and full control.

Feature Managed Ghost hosting Ghost VPS
Pricing Tiers by audience size Flat monthly plan
Updates Automatic ghost update, when you choose
Themes and integrations Within plan limits Anything
Newsletter sending Included Your own Mailgun account
Server administration Handled for you Yours, after our free setup
Best for Writers who want no maintenance Publishers who want control and flat costs
See Plans
After handover

Working With Ghost-CLI

Run these as your sudo user from the Ghost install directory.

  1. Check status

    Shows the version, URL and process state.

  2. Update Ghost

    Downloads, installs and restarts the new version.

  3. Back up content

    Exports content and members to a zip.

  4. Read the logs

    The first place to look when something breaks.

# 1. Check status

cd /var/www/ghost && ghost status

# 2. Update Ghost

ghost update

# 3. Back up content

ghost backup

# 4. Read the logs

ghost log

Example shell commands; adjust paths, names and versions to your project.

Example commands; adjust names, paths and versions to your project. Deploying and maintaining your application is yours to do (or ask us for a quote).

Free one-time setup

Installed and Secured Before You Log In

The VPS is unmanaged: after handover the server is yours to run. Before that, our engineers do the first setup once, free, so you start from a hardened server with Ghost in place.

  1. Choose a plan and location

    Pick the resources you need and the datacentre closest to your users.

  2. Tell us your Ghost setup

    Versions, database and domain: at order or right after.

  3. We install and secure it

    Server hardened, Ghost installed and tested, HTTPS on your domain.

  4. You take over with root

    SSH access to a working server, ready for your code and data.

Your Ghost stack

  • Ubuntu LTS with NGINX
  • MySQL 8 with a database for Ghost
  • A Node.js version Ghost supports
  • Ghost installed with Ghost-CLI on your domain, with HTTPS
  • Ghost running as a systemd service

Yours to run after handover

  • Ongoing server administration
  • Application maintenance and updates
  • Debugging your code
  • Migrating existing sites or data

Not included in the free setup, but we can quote for it. No control panel by default: CloudPanel, HestiaCP or Virtualmin on request at no cost; cPanel and Plesk need their own licence.

Under the hood

Platform Specs and Locations

The same KVM platform on every plan; only the CPU, RAM, storage and port speed change.

VPS platform specifications
Virtualisation KVM with reserved vCores and RAM
Storage NVMe SSD on every plan
Network Dedicated IPv4 and IPv6, 500 Mbps to 3 Gbps per plan
Operating systems Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04 and 22.04 LTS · Debian 13, 12 and 11 · AlmaLinux · Rocky Linux · Fedora · FreeBSD
Access Full root over SSH, key-based login
Backups Automatic daily backup of the previous 24 hours; snapshots and longer retention on request
Protection Always-on anti-DDoS mitigation
Availability 99.9% uptime SLA

Secured before we hand it over

  • Non-root sudo user created for daily work
  • SSH key login, password login for root disabled
  • Firewall (UFW) open only for the ports you use
  • Fail2ban blocking repeated login attempts
  • Automatic security updates enabled
  • Free Let's Encrypt SSL on your domain
  • Timezone, swap and hostname configured

Asia-Pacific

  • Mumbai
  • Singapore
  • Sydney

Europe

  • London
  • Limburg
  • Roubaix
  • Gravelines
  • Strasbourg
  • Milan
  • Warsaw

North America

  • Beauharnois

Availability per location changes with demand; we confirm your location before setup. In Mumbai, Singapore and Sydney each plan includes a monthly traffic allowance (VPS-1 500 GB, VPS-2 and VPS-3 1 TB, VPS-4 3 TB); beyond it, speed is limited to 10 Mbps until the next month.

Who it's for

Who a Ghost VPS Suits

  • Writers and publishers

    Growing audiences without growing hosting bills.

  • Companies with a blog

    A fast, focused blog on your own server.

  • Agencies

    Several Ghost sites for clients on one server.

Running it well

Security and Performance for Ghost

Security

  • Keep Ghost updated with ghost update.
  • Give staff accounts only the roles they need.
  • Keep MySQL bound to localhost.
  • Install only themes and integrations you trust.

Performance

  • Ghost resizes images automatically; upload sensible originals.
  • Cache static assets with long headers in NGINX.
  • Keep Node.js within Ghost's supported range.
  • Put a CDN in front if most readers are far from the server.
Ghost VPS FAQs

Questions Before You Deploy

Not covered here? Ask an engineer before you order.

Publish From Your Own Server

Choose a plan and we hand over Ghost installed with Ghost-CLI, MySQL 8 and HTTPS.

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