3 Best Ghost Pro Alternatives in 2025
Last updated: February 2026 • 10 min read
Ghost Pro is a popular tool for professional publishers and writers. With pricing starting at $9/mo, it can be expensive for many teams. Whether you're looking for a cheaper option, better features, or an open-source solution, we've compiled the 3 best Ghost Pro alternatives to help you find the right fit.
📋 Quick Summary
- Total alternatives: 3
- Free alternatives: 3 (WordPress, Substack, Beehiiv)
- Open-source options: WordPress
- Best overall: WordPress
- Best free: WordPress
Why Look for Ghost Pro Alternatives?
People commonly look for Ghost Pro alternatives for several reasons:
- Cost: At $9/mo, Ghost Pro isn't cheap, especially for small teams and startups.
- Feature gaps: Ghost-only and limited customization are common complaints.
- Simplicity: Some users find Ghost Pro overly complex for their needs and prefer simpler solutions.
- Data ownership: Organizations wanting data sovereignty prefer open-source, self-hosted alternatives.
- Better fit: Different tools excel at different use cases — you may find a tool that's specifically built for your workflow.
📊 Quick Comparison Table
| Tool | Free Tier | Starting Price | Rating | Open Source | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ghost Pro | ✗ No | $9/mo | ⭐ 4.4 | No | Professional publishers and writers |
| WordPress | ✓ Free (self-hosted) | $4/mo (WordPress.com) | ⭐ 4.3 | ✓ Yes | Any type of website — blogs, businesses, e-commerce |
| Substack | ✓ Free (10% of paid subs) | Free (10% cut) | ⭐ 4.3 | No | Writers wanting to monetize a newsletter |
| Beehiiv | ✓ Up to 2,500 subscribers | $39/mo | ⭐ 4.5 | No | Newsletter creators focused on growth |
Detailed Reviews of Each Alternative
WordPress
The world's most popular content management system.
WordPress powers over 40% of all websites on the internet, making it by far the most popular CMS. Available as both a self-hosted solution (WordPress.org) and a hosted platform (WordPress.com), WordPress offers unmatched flexibility through its ecosystem of themes and plugins.
Pros
- ✓ Most popular CMS
- ✓ Massive ecosystem
- ✓ Highly flexible
- ✓ SEO friendly
Cons
- ✗ Requires maintenance
- ✗ Security concerns
- ✗ Can be slow
- ✗ Plugin dependency
Substack
Platform for independent writers to publish and monetize newsletters.
Substack is a publishing platform that makes it simple for writers to start a newsletter, build a community, and make money from subscriptions. It takes a 10% cut of paid subscriptions but charges nothing upfront, making it risk-free for writers to get started.
Pros
- ✓ Free to start
- ✓ Built-in monetization
- ✓ Growing network
- ✓ Simple to use
Cons
- ✗ 10% revenue cut
- ✗ Limited customization
- ✗ No advanced automation
- ✗ Lock-in concerns
Beehiiv
Newsletter platform built for growth.
Beehiiv is a modern newsletter platform built by early Morning Brew team members. It focuses on helping newsletter creators grow their audience with built-in referral programs, monetization tools, and a recommendation network. Beehiiv has quickly become the go-to platform for newsletter-first businesses.
Pros
- ✓ Built for newsletters
- ✓ Growth tools included
- ✓ Monetization options
- ✓ Modern interface
Cons
- ✗ Limited to newsletters
- ✗ Can get expensive
- ✗ Newer platform
- ✗ Limited automation
🏆 Our Recommendations
❓ FAQ
What is the best free alternative to Ghost Pro?
The best free alternative to Ghost Pro is WordPress, which offers Free (self-hosted).
Is there an open-source alternative to Ghost Pro?
Yes! WordPress is open-source alternative to Ghost Pro that you can self-host for free.
What is the cheapest alternative to Ghost Pro?
The cheapest alternatives are the free options: WordPress, Substack, Beehiiv. For paid alternatives, prices start from as low as $4/mo.
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