The Ghost logo is the visual identity of Ghost, the open-source publishing platform run by the nonprofit Ghost Foundation.
It pairs a lowercase “ghost” wordmark with an orb, a ring of overlapping translucent ribbons.
Ghost sits among a new generation of tech company logos that prioritize function over decoration, and its orb is one of the few that is more texture than shape.
What is the Ghost Logo?
The Ghost logo is a combination mark: the lowercase word “ghost” in a rounded sans-serif beside the orb, a ring made of layered, see-through ribbons. Ghost was founded in April 2013 by John O’Nolan and Hannah Wolfe, and no designer or agency has been publicly credited for the current logo.
| Symbol | The orb: a ring of overlapping translucent ribbons |
| Designer/agency | Not publicly credited |
| Current version since | Date not published by Ghost |
| Colors (hex) | Ghost Green #30CF43, Dark Grey #15171A, Mid Grey #7C8B9A, Light Grey #CED4D9, White #FFFFFF |
| Typeface | Not named by Ghost; a lowercase humanist sans-serif |
| Previous major version | — |
How Has the Ghost Logo Evolved Over Time?
Ghost’s logo history is thinly documented. The platform’s concept was first floated by John O’Nolan in a November 2012 blog post, the first public version followed in October 2013, and the logo file on Wikimedia Commons was first uploaded in December 2013. None of these sources describes how the 2013 mark looked or who made it.
What can be confirmed is the current kit: Ghost’s brand page offers a dark logo, a white logo and the standalone orb. Earlier descriptions of this logo, such as a text-lines icon, a Times New Roman-style wordmark or a 2021 orb rebrand, could not be traced to Ghost or to any reliable source, so they are not repeated here.
Is There an Old Ghost Logo?
An earlier version of the Ghost logo may well have existed, since the platform has been around since 2013, but Ghost has not published an archive of past logos and no source describes one. No 2024-2026 logo change has been announced, so the ring-and-wordmark logo is the current one as of 2026.
What Do the Design Elements of the Ghost Logo Mean?
Ghost has not published an official explanation of the symbol, so what follows is a reading of the design, not a brand statement.
The orb is built from several thin ribbons that overlap and shift in opacity, so the edge looks soft and slightly uneven. That suits the name: it reads as a form you can see through. It also stops the logo from illustrating “writing” or “publishing” and leaves a shape you recognize rather than decode.
The lowercase wordmark has a friendly, rounded feel that matches a platform aimed at independent writers.
Why Did Ghost Choose These Specific Colors?
Ghost does not explain its color choices. What it publishes is a palette: Ghost Green as the accent, a near-black, two greys and white. The official dark logo is black and grey, so the green belongs to buttons, links and highlights in the product rather than to the logo itself. The orb can also take other colors, such as the purple gradient version used on dark backgrounds in Ghost’s marketing.
Green is unusual among publishing tools, where Substack uses orange. The color psychology of green points to growth, but Ghost has not said that was the intent.
What Typography Style Is Used in the Ghost Logo?
The wordmark is set entirely in lowercase in a humanist sans-serif with open, rounded forms and even stroke weight. Ghost does not name the typeface, and it looks custom or modified, so there is no exact free match to recommend. A friendly humanist sans such as Open Sans comes close in feel but will not match the letter shapes.
What Are the Ghost Logo Colors?
Ghost’s brand page lists five colors, described as light backgrounds and tinted greys accented with Ghost Green:
- Ghost Green: #30CF43 (RGB 48, 207, 67)
- Dark Grey: #15171A (RGB 21, 23, 26)
- Mid Grey: #7C8B9A (RGB 124, 139, 154)
- Light Grey: #CED4D9 (RGB 206, 212, 217)
- White: #FFFFFF
Ghost publishes no Pantone or CMYK values, so none are given here.
How Does the Ghost Logo Compare to Competitor Logos?
Ghost competes with Substack, Beehiiv and WordPress. Substack puts a bookmark symbol on an orange tile, beehiiv uses a beehive icon, and WordPress uses a circled W. Ghost is the only one of the group with an abstract, textured symbol and no container around it.
| Platform | Logo Type | Symbol |
| Ghost | Combination mark | Translucent ring (orb) |
| Substack | Icon and wordmark | Bookmark on orange |
| Beehiiv | Icon and wordmark | Beehive |
| WordPress | Emblem | Circled W |
| Webflow | Icon and wordmark | W mark |
How Does the Ghost Logo Fit Into the Overall Brand Identity?
The logo is the entry point to a restrained product identity: Ghost Green accents, a dark grey for text and a grey scale for dense admin screens. On dark backgrounds the orb can appear in a purple gradient, as in the dashboard image above.
The standalone orb works as an avatar or favicon where the wordmark would be too small. The same clean, purposeful look shows up in other tools such as Linear, Figma, Notion Calendar, Framer and Loom.
How Should the Ghost Logo Be Used?
Ghost offers the dark logo, the white logo and the orb on its developer documentation Logos page. Its guidelines state that using the brand materials means accepting Ghost’s Terms of Service and Trademark Policy, that the Ghost Foundation owns the marks, and that Ghost may review or end use at any time.
As general trademark practice, refer to Ghost honestly, for example to say a site is built on it, and do not use the logo in your own product or company name or to suggest an endorsement. Check Ghost’s Trademark Policy for anything commercial.
FAQ on the Ghost Logo
What does the Ghost logo look like?
The Ghost logo is a lowercase “ghost” wordmark in a rounded sans-serif, set next to an orb: a ring made of overlapping translucent ribbons. In Ghost’s official dark logo the ring is rendered in black and grey.
Who designed the Ghost logo?
No designer or agency has been publicly credited. Ghost’s own brand page names the Ghost Foundation as the owner of the marks but gives no designer, and no claim about a named designer could be confirmed.
When was the Ghost logo introduced?
Ghost was founded in April 2013 by John O’Nolan and Hannah Wolfe, and the first public version of the platform shipped in October 2013. Ghost does not publish a date for the current orb logo.
What are the Ghost logo colors?
Ghost’s brand page lists five colors: Ghost Green #30CF43, Dark Grey #15171A, Mid Grey #7C8B9A, Light Grey #CED4D9 and White #FFFFFF. The official dark logo itself is black and grey, with Ghost Green used as the accent across the product.
What font does the Ghost logo use?
Ghost does not name the typeface. The wordmark is a lowercase humanist sans-serif with rounded terminals. It appears to be custom or modified, so no exact free match can be named.
What does the Ghost logo symbolize?
Ghost has not published an official explanation. The translucent, layered ring fits the name, since it looks like a thin, see-through form, but that reading is an interpretation, not a brand statement.
What is the Ghost orb?
The orb is the ring symbol from the logo, supplied by Ghost as a separate file next to the dark and white logos. Ghost’s brand page lists it as the “Ghost orb logo”.
Where can I download the official Ghost logo?
Ghost’s developer documentation has a Logos page with the dark Ghost logo, the Ghost orb logo and the white Ghost logo, plus the color palette.
Can I use the Ghost logo on my website?
Ghost’s brand page says that using its brand materials means accepting its Terms of Service, Trademark Policy and brand guidelines, and that Ghost may review or end any use. Read the Trademark Policy before using the logo, and avoid using it in your own product or company name.
Is Ghost a company or a nonprofit?
Ghost is run by the Ghost Foundation, a nonprofit. Ghost’s about page says it can never be bought or sold and is funded by its managed hosting service, Ghost(Pro).
Conclusion
The Ghost logo is a lowercase wordmark and a ring of translucent ribbons, backed by a small palette of one green and four neutrals. Ghost has not credited a designer, dated the orb or named the typeface, so the details above stick to what its brand page and about page confirm.
The shape works because it is recognizable without being literal, and it suits a platform that positions itself as an independent, nonprofit alternative to larger publishing tools.
Sources
- Ghost Developer Docs, Logos – https://docs.ghost.org/logos
- Ghost, About – https://ghost.org/about/
- Wikipedia, Ghost (blogging platform) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_(blogging_platform)
- Wikipedia, File:Ghost-Logo.svg – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ghost-Logo.svg
Renowned for his expertise in logo design and visual branding, Bogdan has developed a multitude of logos for various clients.
His skills extend to creating posters, vector illustrations, business cards, and brochures. Additionally, Bogdan's UI kits were featured on marketplaces like Visual Hierarchy and UI8.
He also wrote in the past years on sites like Design Your Way, WebDesignerDepot, WPDean, Designmodo, Speckyboy, Slider Revolution, and more.
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Bogdan Sandu is a seasoned designer who has been designing websites since 2008. Renowned for his expertise in logo design and visual branding, Bogdan has developed a multitude of logos for various clients. His skills extend to creating posters, vector illustrations, business cards, and brochures. Additionally, Bogdan's UI kits were featured on marketplaces like Visual Hierarchy and UI8. He also wrote in the past years on sites like Design Your Way, WebDesignerDepot, WPDean, Designmodo, Speckyboy, Slider Revolution, and more.
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