Benchmark Email vs Ghost
Benchmark Email is a email marketing platform while Ghost is a newsletter platform. Benchmark Email has been around since 2004, giving it a 9-year head start over Ghost (founded 2013). Ghost is the more affordable option at $18/mo, which is $1 less than Benchmark Email's $19/mo entry point. Both offer free plans to get started. Benchmark Email stands out with marketing automation and A/B testing, while Ghost offers ecommerce integrations.
Quick Verdict
Benchmark Email wins on rating, integrations.
Ghost wins on price, deliverability.
Best for most users: Ghost (independent publishers and bloggers).
Benchmark Email
Straightforward email marketing with all features on every plan
Benchmark Email is a multilingual email marketing platform founded in 2004 that takes an all-features-included approach, giving every user access to automation, A/B testing, and analytics regardless of plan tier. Available in 9 languages with global support, it appeals to international teams and nonprofits, though its significantly below-average deliverability rate (47.1% in third-party testing) is a serious concern that undermines its otherwise user-friendly design.
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 | Benchmark Email | Ghost |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3/5 | 4.1/5 |
| Starting Price | $19/mo | $18/mo |
| Free Plan | 500 contacts, 2,500 emails/month, 1 user | Self-hosted open-source version is completely free; no free tier on Ghost(Pro) |
| Founded | 2004 | 2013 |
| Email Templates | 200 | 50 |
| Integrations | 1,500 | 1,000 |
| Deliverability Rate | 47.1% | 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 | No | Yes |
| API Access | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-Language | Yes | Yes |
| Web Push Notifications | No | No |
| Live Chat | Yes | No |
| Advanced Analytics | Yes | Yes |
Benchmark Email: Pros & Cons
Pros
- + All features included on every plan including free -- no feature gating between tiers
- + Available in 9 languages with live customer support in each, making it ideal for international teams
- + Intuitive drag-and-drop editor with mobile-optimized templates and device previews
- + Generous free plan with 500 contacts and 2,500 emails per month including AI content generation
- + Simple contact-based pricing that scales predictably without hidden charges for features
Cons
- − Extremely poor deliverability rate of 47.1% in EmailToolTester's January 2024 independent test, consistently ranking near the bottom
- − Segmentation is limited to within individual lists only -- cannot create cross-list segments for flexible targeting
- − Fewer than 30 pre-designed email templates despite marketing claims of 200+, limiting design variety
- − Slow product development cycle with features lagging behind competitors in automation and ecommerce capabilities
- − No migration support for non-enterprise customers when switching from another email platform
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
Benchmark Email edges ahead with a 4.3/5 rating compared to Ghost's 4.1/5. The gap comes mainly from ease of use (4.9 vs 3.9) and support (4.7 vs 3.9). On deliverability, Ghost reports 95% compared to 47.1% for Benchmark Email — a meaningful difference if inbox placement is critical for your campaigns.
| Criterion | Weight | Benchmark Email | Ghost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | 30% | $19/mo | $18/mo Winner |
| Deliverability | 25% | 47.1% | 95% Winner |
| Rating | 25% | 4.3/5 Winner | 4.1/5 |
| Integrations | 10% | 1500 Winner | 1000 |
| Free Tier | 10% | Yes | Yes |
Weights determine how much each criterion counts toward the final score. See full methodology
Choose Benchmark Email if…
- + You need marketing automation
- + You need built-in landing pages
- + You need A/B testing
- + You're a beginners
Choose Ghost if…
- + You want lower starting costs ($18/mo)
- + You need ecommerce integrations
- + You're a independent publishers and bloggers
- + You're a newsletter creators who want zero platform fees