AWeber vs Ghost
AWeber is a email marketing platform while Ghost is a newsletter platform. AWeber has been around since 1998, giving it a 15-year head start over Ghost (founded 2013). AWeber is the more affordable option at $15/mo, which is $3 less than Ghost's $18/mo entry point. Both offer free plans to get started. AWeber has the edge with marketing automation, A/B testing, landing pages.
Quick Verdict
AWeber wins on price, deliverability, rating.
Ghost wins on integrations.
Best for most users: AWeber (small businesses).
AWeber
Powerfully simple email marketing
AWeber is one of the original email marketing platforms, serving small businesses since 1998. It offers the largest template library (600+) and an impressive integration ecosystem. While its automation isn't as advanced as newer competitors, its reliability and excellent affiliate program make it a solid choice.
Ghost
Open-source publishing platform with built-in newsletters and memberships
Ghost is an independent, open-source publishing platform built for professional content creators who want full control over their audience and revenue. It combines a beautiful writing editor, built-in newsletters via Mailgun, and native membership/subscription billing with zero platform fees. Available as a free self-hosted solution or as managed Ghost(Pro) hosting starting at $18/month.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | AWeber | Ghost |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.2/5 | 4.1/5 |
| Starting Price | $15/mo | $18/mo |
| Free Plan | 500 subscribers, 3,000 emails/month | Self-hosted open-source version is completely free; no free tier on Ghost(Pro) |
| Founded | 1998 | 2013 |
| Email Templates | 600 | 50 |
| Integrations | 750 | 1,000 |
| Deliverability Rate | 97.8% | 95% |
| Marketing Automation | Yes | No |
| A/B Testing | Yes | No |
| Landing Pages | Yes | No |
| Segmentation | Yes | Yes |
| Drag & Drop Editor | Yes | No |
| SMS Marketing | No | No |
| Ecommerce Features | Yes | Yes |
| API Access | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-Language | No | Yes |
| Web Push Notifications | Yes | No |
| Live Chat | Yes | No |
| Advanced Analytics | Yes | Yes |
AWeber: Pros & Cons
Pros
- + 600+ email templates (largest library)
- + 750+ integrations
- + Established and reliable (since 1998)
- + Free plan available
- + Excellent affiliate program (up to 50% recurring)
Cons
- − Interface feels dated compared to newer tools
- − Automation capabilities lag behind competitors
- − Free plan is limited
- − Lite plan restricts automations to 3
- − No SMS marketing
Ghost: Pros & Cons
Pros
- + Completely open-source with self-hosting option at zero cost
- + Built-in membership and paid subscription system with 0% platform fees on revenue
- + Distraction-free professional editor optimized for long-form writing
- + Significantly faster page load times compared to WordPress, boosting SEO and reader engagement
- + Native newsletter delivery integrated directly into the publishing workflow
Cons
- − Newsletter emails are limited to Mailgun as the sending provider, which is no longer free
- − No plugin ecosystem or marketplace unlike WordPress — limited extensibility
- − Analytics are basic and only show the last 90 days on the dashboard
- − No drag-and-drop email builder or A/B testing for email campaigns
- − Starter plan limited to only 1 staff user and 1 newsletter with no paid subscription support
The Verdict
AWeber and Ghost are closely matched — both score within 0.1 points of each other in our overall rating. Your decision should come down to specific needs rather than overall quality. On deliverability, AWeber reports 97.8% compared to 95% for Ghost — a meaningful difference if inbox placement is critical for your campaigns.
| Criterion | Weight | AWeber | Ghost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | 30% | $15/mo Winner | $18/mo |
| Deliverability | 25% | 97.8% Winner | 95% |
| Rating | 25% | 4.2/5 Winner | 4.1/5 |
| Integrations | 10% | 750 | 1000 Winner |
| Free Tier | 10% | Yes | Yes |
Weights determine how much each criterion counts toward the final score. See full methodology
Choose AWeber if…
- + You want lower starting costs ($15/mo)
- + You need marketing automation
- + You need built-in landing pages
- + You need A/B testing
Choose Ghost if…
- + You're a independent publishers and bloggers
- + You're a newsletter creators who want zero platform fees
- + Completely open-source with self-hosting option at zero cost