A detailed comparison of Substack and Ghost to help you choose the right tool for your needs.
Platform for independent writers to publish and monetize newsletters.
Open-source publishing platform for professional blogs and newsletters.
| Plan | Substack | Ghost |
|---|---|---|
| Free Tier | ✓ Free (10% of paid subs) | ✓ Free (self-hosted) |
| Lowest Paid | Free (10% cut) | $9/mo (hosted) |
| Enterprise | N/A | $199/mo |
| Feature | Substack | Ghost |
|---|---|---|
| Newsletter publishing | ✓ | — |
| Paid subscriptions | ✓ | — |
| Podcast hosting | ✓ | — |
| Community features | ✓ | — |
| Custom domains | ✓ | — |
| Analytics | ✓ | ✓ |
| Recommendations | ✓ | — |
| Notes | ✓ | — |
| Mobile app | ✓ | — |
| Archive | ✓ | — |
| Blog publishing | — | ✓ |
| Newsletter | — | ✓ |
| Memberships | — | ✓ |
| Payments | — | ✓ |
| SEO tools | — | ✓ |
| Custom themes | — | ✓ |
| API | — | ✓ |
| Self-hosting | — | ✓ |
| Custom integrations | — | ✓ |
| Open Source | ✗ | ✓ |
| Rating | ⭐ 4.3 | ⭐ 4.3 |
Choose Substack if: You need writers wanting to monetize a newsletter. Substack excels with its free to start and built-in monetization.
Choose Ghost if: You need professional publishers wanting ownership. Ghost stands out with its open source and beautiful design.
Best free option: Both Substack and Ghost offer free tiers. Substack offers "Free (10% of paid subs)" while Ghost offers "Free (self-hosted)".
It depends on your needs. Substack is better for writers wanting to monetize a newsletter, while Ghost is better for professional publishers wanting ownership. Both are excellent tools rated 4.3 and 4.3 respectively.
Substack starts at Free (10% cut) while Ghost starts at $9/mo (hosted). Both offer free tiers.
Most tools offer import/export features to help you migrate. We recommend trying Ghost's free tier before fully committing to a switch.
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