A detailed comparison of Ghost and Buttondown to help you choose the right tool for your needs.
Open-source publishing platform for professional blogs and newsletters.
| Plan | Ghost | Buttondown |
|---|---|---|
| Free Tier | ✓ Free (self-hosted) | ✓ Up to 100 subscribers |
| Lowest Paid | $9/mo (hosted) | $9/mo |
| Enterprise | $199/mo | Custom pricing |
| Feature | Ghost | Buttondown |
|---|---|---|
| Blog publishing | ✓ | — |
| Newsletter | ✓ | — |
| Memberships | ✓ | — |
| Payments | ✓ | — |
| SEO tools | ✓ | — |
| Custom themes | ✓ | — |
| API | ✓ | ✓ |
| Self-hosting | ✓ | — |
| Analytics | ✓ | ✓ |
| Custom integrations | ✓ | — |
| Markdown support | — | ✓ |
| Automation | — | ✓ |
| Custom CSS | — | ✓ |
| Paid newsletters | — | ✓ |
| RSS to email | — | ✓ |
| Webhooks | — | ✓ |
| Custom domains | — | ✓ |
| Subscriber management | — | ✓ |
| Open Source | ✓ | ✗ |
| Rating | ⭐ 4.3 | ⭐ 4.3 |
Choose Ghost if: You need professional publishers wanting ownership. Ghost excels with its open source and beautiful design.
Choose Buttondown if: You need technical writers and developers. Buttondown stands out with its simple and clean and markdown support.
Best free option: Both Ghost and Buttondown offer free tiers. Ghost offers "Free (self-hosted)" while Buttondown offers "Up to 100 subscribers".
It depends on your needs. Ghost is better for professional publishers wanting ownership, while Buttondown is better for technical writers and developers. Both are excellent tools rated 4.3 and 4.3 respectively.
Ghost starts at $9/mo (hosted) while Buttondown starts at $9/mo. Both offer free tiers.
Most tools offer import/export features to help you migrate. We recommend trying Buttondown's free tier before fully committing to a switch.
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