Ghost Button Design: 16 Best Practices and Examples

Ghost buttons, characterized by a transparent rectangular background and simple text, are frequently used alongside solid buttons to signify secondary or less urgent call-to-actions. They play a pivotal role in crafting clean, accessible, and sophisticated interfaces.

But how familiar are you with ghost button design? What key principles or tips should you follow to create an effective ghost button for your web or app design? Is it necessary to pair every solid button in your interface with a ghost button?

This ultimate guide will walk you through everything you need to know about ghost button design. You'll discover actionable best practices, learn essential design rules, and explore 16 inspiring examples to spark your creativity.

Plus, you can test all the tips and best practices shared here using our free prototyping tool.

What Are Ghost Buttons?

Ghost buttons are transparent or semi-transparent buttons outlined with a thin border and contain simple text. Because of its special "appearance", people also call it as “empty”, “naked” or “hollow” buttons. They’re often used in modern UI/UX designs to create a clean and minimalistic look. Their unobtrusive appearance makes them ideal for secondary actions where the focus needs to remain on the primary content.

What are ghost buttons

Key Characteristics:

• Transparent or Semi-Transparent Background: Ghost buttons blend into the design, often relying on the surrounding elements to define their presence. For instance, a website promoting a minimalist fashion brand might use a ghost button over a clean, high-contrast hero image to complement the brand’s aesthetic.
• Thin, Contrasting Border: The border often ensures the button is still visible without being overpowering. For example, Apple’s website frequently uses ghost buttons on their product pages, maintaining focus on the product imagery.
• Simple Typography: Clear and concise text such as "Learn More" or "Get Started" reinforces their secondary role.

Common Uses:

• Secondary Calls-to-Action (CTAs): Ghost buttons often serve to de-emphasize actions that are less critical but still important, such as “Read More.” Example: A tech blog using a ghost button to direct readers to additional resources.
• Hero Sections: They work well on hero images, keeping the focus on the primary visual. Example: A travel website showcasing a scenic landscape with a ghost button labeled “Explore Destinations.”
• Navigation: Minimalist menus or overlays often utilize ghost buttons for navigation without cluttering the interface.

Pros and Cons of Ghost Buttons

Before incorporating ghost buttons into your design, it’s essential to understand their advantages and potential drawbacks.

Advantages:

• Aesthetic Appeal: Ghost buttons enhance the overall aesthetic of a design, especially when used in minimalist interfaces. For example: A portfolio site showcasing photography can use ghost buttons to subtly encourage viewers to “View Portfolio” without drawing attention away from the visuals.
• Focus on Content: By blending with the background, ghost buttons allow the primary content, such as images or bold headlines, to remain the focal point.
• Versatility: Ghost buttons adapt to various industries and styles. Example: E-commerce sites like Zara use ghost buttons on product pages for options like “Add to Wishlist.”
• Encourages Exploration: Subtle CTAs can entice users to explore further without pressure. Example: An art gallery site might use “Discover More” as a ghost button to showcase exhibitions.
• Easy to design: With a hollow rectangle and plain texts, it is quite simple to design an ghost button, freeing up more time and space for more important content on the interface.

Disadvantages:

• Visibility Challenges: Ghost buttons can be hard to notice, especially on busy or low-contrast backgrounds. Example: A ghost button over a patterned background might confuse users unless additional hover effects or borders are applied.
• User Perception: They may be mistaken for inactive elements. Solution: Include dynamic hover states to signal interactivity.
• Accessibility Concerns: Without proper sizing and contrast, ghost buttons may fail to meet accessibility standards. On a healthcare website, ensuring clear visibility and accessible text size is crucial for user engagement.

Ghost Buttons vs. Outlined Buttons vs. Solid Buttons

Solid Buttons are some buttons with a solid background color that stand out prominently, which is perfect for primary CTAs like “Buy Now” or “Sign Up” where visibility and urgency are critical, strongly encouraging users to take actions immediately.

Outlined Buttons are some buttons with a visible border and no background fill, offering a balance between subtlety and emphasis. It is suitable for secondary actions requiring moderate emphasis, such as “Cancel” or “More Options”, all without distracting from the primary focus.

Ghost Buttons are some transparent buttons with a thin outline, blending into the background for an elegant look. It is best for secondary actions in minimalistic designs, such as “Learn More” or “View Portfolio.”

When to Use Ghost Buttons?

Ghost buttons are ideal in specific contexts where their subtle design complements the user interface and enhances usability without overwhelming the layout. Here are the key scenarios where ghost buttons work best:

1. Secondary Call-to-Actions (CTAs)

Ghost buttons are perfect for secondary actions that are less critical compared to primary CTAs. For instance, in a form submission, the "Submit" button might be solid, while the "Reset" or "Cancel" button is a ghost button.

2. Minimalist or Clean Designs

When designing a minimalist interface, ghost buttons can help maintain a clean and modern look by blending seamlessly into the background while still being functional.

Ghost buttons can perfectly blend with minimal style websites

3. Supporting Primary Buttons

Ghost buttons can accompany solid buttons, offering users additional but less emphasized choices. For example, a "Learn More" ghost button paired with a solid "Sign Up" button allows for hierarchy in decision-making.

Source

Ghost buttons without solid background colors have less visual appeal than primary buttons, subtly guiding visitors to click the primary buttons for more details.

4. Background-First Design

If the interface heavily relies on engaging visuals like hero images or video backgrounds, ghost buttons can stand out without detracting from the visual content.

Ghost buttons never distracts users' attention from the hero image background

5. Guided User Experiences

Ghost buttons work well for actions that guide users through the interface, such as "Skip," "Preview," or "View Demo." These actions are important but not as urgent as others.

For example, the below storytelling website adopts a dashed "Skip" ghost button while telling a story, and allows users to skip if they are in a hurry or don't want to hear about the story:

Loro Piana Workshop of Wonders

6. Onboarding or Walkthroughs

In onboarding sequences or walkthroughs, ghost buttons can emphasize optional steps or less critical actions like "Skip Tutorial" while keeping the focus on primary steps.

7.Encouraging users to click the solid button

Ghost buttons for CTAs are strategically placed in areas with lower visual emphasis, such as footers, sidebars, or overlays. By being less visually dominant, they subtly guide users' attention toward the solid button, making the primary call-to-action more compelling and likely to be clicked.

Ghost Button Design Best Practices

1. Maintain Clear Contrast against the background

When designing ghost buttons, always test how they appear against different backgrounds. Ensure the border and text colors stand out clearly to avoid blending in too much.

For example, against a white background, using a dark gray border with bold text can create a clean and balanced look.

2. Design with different button states

Ghost buttons are less visually prominent, so providing clear visual feedback with different button states helps users easily recognize them as interactive elements and decide whether to click. Ghost buttons can provide different visual feedback through the following states:

• General state: The default state when visitors first enter the website and haven’t taken any action yet.
• Hover state: The state when visitors hover over the button.
• Pressed state: The state when visitors click the button.

Different states with varying visual styles help users identify the button's functionality and interactivity.

Source

Design with different button states

3.Pair with solid buttons if necessary

When used alongside solid buttons, ghost buttons should complement rather than compete. Assign ghost buttons to secondary actions and use visual hierarchy (e.g., size, color intensity) to distinguish between primary and secondary CTAs.

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Try pairing a ghost button with a solid button to create clear visual contrast, helping the solid button stand out as the primary call to action.

4.Avoid Overusing Ghost Buttons

Using too many ghost buttons can dilute their impact and confuse users. Limit their use to appropriate scenarios, such as in secondary CTAs or minimalist designs.

5.Test in Real Contexts

Test ghost buttons on different devices and screen sizes to ensure they remain functional and visually effective across all platforms.

6. Focus on Button Sizes for Clickability:

Ensure that ghost buttons are large enough to be easily clickable, especially on mobile devices. Adequate spacing around the buttons prevents accidental clicks and improves the overall user experience.

7. Blend with Visual Hierarchy

Incorporate ghost buttons into the overall visual hierarchy. Use size, spacing, and positioning to ensure they contribute to a seamless user experience without overshadowing the main actions.

8.Match Design with Brand Aesthetic:

Customize ghost buttons to align with the overall design language of your brand. For example, a luxury brand might use metallic or subtle gradient borders to evoke sophistication, while a tech startup could employ a sleek monochrome look.

9.Leverage Iconography

If appropriate, consider pairing ghost buttons with subtle icons to clarify their purpose or make them more engaging. Icons can give users an immediate visual cue of the action they are about to take.

10.Perfect with flat design

Ghost buttons work exceptionally well with flat design, as their minimalist style complements the clean, simple aesthetics typical of flat design.

The minimal ghost buttons seem to work perfectly with flat design

30 Inspiring Ghost Button Design Examples

1.Landing Page Hero UI Design

Landing Page Hero UI Design

This landing page example uses a ghost button, even without the commonly-used "outlined rectangle," to highlight the primary button, "Get it now." If users are interested, they can still notice the "Watch the Video" button beside it and click for a video tutorial.

2.Gradient Button

Gradient Button

This design concept showcases how to effectively incorporate trendy purple gradients into web button design. Both the solid and ghost buttons feature distinct styles, offering valuable design practices for your consideration.

3.Shoe Store

Shoe store

This shoe store website uses a large number of ghost buttons, some for navigation and others for purchasing and more. You can explore its pages one by one to gain inspiration and learn design rules in action.

4.Automo

Automo

This online website for self-driving vehicles features a minimalist design style and incorporates a series of ghost buttons to encourage user interaction.

5.James Consulting

James Consulting

This consulting website is another example of how to use a ghost button on the landing page to highlight the text and button content against a large hero image background.

6.MCR Construction

MCR Construction

Ghost buttons are also used over a video background to maintain a clean, non-intrusive design while providing clear calls to action that don’t overpower the visual content. Paired with a solid button, this web example offers two call-to-action options to cater to different user needs.

7. 47th cafe

 47th cafe 

When your website features only ghost buttons, placing two on the same line can give them equal visual focus and importance, creating a dynamic, balanced look that sparks interest and enhances user engagement. So, open this website to confirm how it achieves this.

8.Maya Nelson

Maya Nelso

Maya Nelson's portfolio website demonstrates how solid and ghost buttons can be used together to guide users, visually encouraging them to first click one and then click the other, creating a clear, intuitive flow for interactions.

9.Grid website

Grid website

The trendy grid-style website also incorporates ghost buttons to present the navigation system, offering a clean, minimalist way to guide users through the content while maintaining a modern aesthetic.

10.Serenity Health Spa

Serenity Health Spa

This health spa website also demonstrates the rule that a ghost button doesn't have to be rectangular; if possible, it can also take on a circular shape, adding a unique touch to the design while maintaining its minimalist appeal.

11.Anna Ryan

Anna Ryan

Websites with slider landing pages often use ghost buttons to encourage users to click for more details or make a purchase, providing a subtle yet stylish way to drive interaction without overshadowing the main content.

12.The voice project

The voice project

This voice project demonstrates that multiple ghost buttons can be used simultaneously when offering several options or actions. Just remember to make the most important option stand out by using a solid button.

13.Cocktail Website

Cocktail Website

This popup design example for a cocktail website uses two ghost buttons with no visual emphasis, allowing visitors to make a choice based solely on their actual facts without being influenced by visual hierarchy.

14.Gentlerain AI

Gentlerain AI

Gentlerain AI is an award-winning website featuring brilliant water-inspired interaction effects, an interactive footer, unique logo animations, and a bright, optimistic color palette. It smartly combines a ghost button with a text-only button to establish clear visual hierarchy, encouraging users to interact with the intended button.

15.Aludoors

 Aludoors

Aludoors, true to its name, is an online store specializing in doors. Its button designs mimic the look of doorknobs and feature door-opening animations, creating an immersive and unique user experience—even for the ghost buttons.

The site is filled with brilliant design details that captivate visitors from the moment they enter. Be sure to check it out for inspiration and ideas for your own projects.

16.Mochi Online Shoppu

Mochi Online Shoppu

Mochi Online Shoppu is another stylish grid-layout website that combines clean, neat grid arrangements with an eye-catching 80s and 90s vintage design style. Its ghost buttons, featuring zigzagged borders and text, add a unique touch, creating a distinctive and memorable user experience.

Give it a check if you are thinking of creating such a vintage style website for your project.

FAQs about ghost buttons

1. How do ghost buttons affect user experience?

Ghost buttons provide a subtle way to guide users without overwhelming the interface. However, their effectiveness depends on proper contrast, placement, and usability.

2. What elements should be often used with ghost buttons?

Icons: Enhance visual clarity.

Hover Effects: Indicate interactivity.

Contrasting Borders: Improve visibility on complex backgrounds.

3. Are ghost buttons suitable for all types of websites?

While they work well for minimalistic and creative designs, ghost buttons may not suit action-heavy or accessibility-focused websites without additional adjustments.

Conclusion

Ghost buttons are a versatile and elegant addition to any designer’s toolkit. By understanding their strengths, limitations, and best practices, you can integrate them seamlessly into your projects. Whether for secondary CTAs, hero sections, or creative portfolios, ghost buttons offer a balance of functionality and aesthetics when used thoughtfully.

We hope this ultimate guide to ghost buttons—featuring definitions, pros and cons, best practices, and examples—has inspired you to craft more effective buttons for your next design projects.