Ghost
by Ghost Foundation
The professional publishing platform
7.3
/ 10
Overall Score
Ghost scores 7.3/10 overall. The professional publishing platform. Best for: Professional publishers who want full ownership. Starting at $18/month. Last verified Mar 20, 2026.
Score Breakdown
How we score →Scores are editorial assessments on a 1–10 scale. Overall score uses a weighted formula: Value (25%), Power (20%), Transparency (20%), Ease (15%), Setup (10%), Migration (10%). Full methodology
Switching Intelligence
Sasanova ExclusiveMigration Difficulty
Implementation Complexity
MediumWhat triggers people to switch AWAY
- Need marketing automation
- Need simpler setup
- Need mobile app for readers
What blocks people from leaving
- Custom theme investment
- Self-hosted infrastructure
- Member/subscriber data
Data Export & Portability
Full JSON export, Ghost API, subscriber CSV
Best For
- Professional publishers who want full ownership
- Developers who want a customizable open-source platform
- Creators who want memberships without a revenue cut
Avoid If
- You want the simplest setup possible
- You need marketing automation
- You're not comfortable with some technical setup
Features
Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | Billing | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $18/mo | $180/yr | flat | 1,000 members, 1 staff user, basic features |
| PublisherPopular | $35/mo | $348/yr | flat | Unlimited members, 3 staff, paid subscriptions, custom themes, newsletters |
| Business | $239/mo | $2388/yr | flat | Unlimited members, unlimited staff, priority support, advanced integrations |
Pricing Calculator
Estimate your monthly cost for Ghost. Click a plan to select it.
Estimates based on published pricing. Usage-based plans are approximated. Verify with vendor for exact quotes.
Integrations
Alternatives
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Ghost vs Substack
Ghost wins for full ownership and no revenue cut. Substack wins for simplicity and built-in network discovery.
Ghost vs beehiiv
Ghost is an open-source publishing platform with full ownership and custom themes. beehiiv is a hosted newsletter platform with built-in growth and monetization tools.
Ghost vs Mailchimp
Mailchimp is better for traditional email marketing with drag-and-drop templates and e-commerce integrations. Ghost is better for independent publishers wanting full ownership, custom themes, and membership revenue with zero platform fees.
Ghost vs Kit (ConvertKit)
Kit excels for creators selling courses and digital products alongside email with built-in commerce. Ghost is an open-source publishing platform with custom themes, full data ownership, and membership billing at 0% platform fee.
Ghost vs Brevo
Brevo is a multi-channel marketing platform (email + SMS + WhatsApp) ideal for e-commerce and transactional email. Ghost is an open-source publishing platform for content creators wanting full ownership, memberships, and custom design.
Ghost vs ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign wins for complex marketing automation with conditional workflows, CRM pipeline, and lead scoring. Ghost wins for publishers wanting an open-source content platform with membership billing, custom themes, and zero platform fees.
Ghost vs Buttondown
Ghost is a full publishing platform with custom themes, membership tiers, and SEO tools starting at $9/mo (or free self-hosted). Buttondown is a simpler Markdown newsletter tool at $9/mo that lacks Ghost's website, theming, and content management capabilities.
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