Constant Contact vs Ghost
Constant Contact is a all-in-one marketing platform while Ghost is a newsletter platform. Constant Contact has been around since 1995, giving it a 18-year head start over Ghost (founded 2013). Constant Contact is the more affordable option at $12/mo — that's $6 less than Ghost's $18/mo entry point. Ghost offers a free plan (Self-hosted open-source version is completely free; no free tier on Ghost(Pro)), while Constant Contact does not. Constant Contact has the edge with marketing automation, A/B testing, landing pages.
Quick Verdict
Constant Contact wins on price, deliverability.
Ghost wins on integrations, free tier.
Best for most users: Constant Contact (small businesses).
Constant Contact
Small business marketing made easy
Constant Contact is one of the most established email marketing platforms, particularly strong for small businesses and nonprofits. Its event marketing capabilities and social media integration set it apart, though its automation features lag behind newer competitors.
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 | Constant Contact | Ghost |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.1/5 | 4.1/5 |
| Starting Price | $12/mo | $18/mo |
| Free Plan | No free plan | Self-hosted open-source version is completely free; no free tier on Ghost(Pro) |
| Founded | 1995 | 2013 |
| Email Templates | 300 | 50 |
| Integrations | 300 | 1,000 |
| Deliverability Rate | 97% | 95% |
| Marketing Automation | ✓ | ✕ |
| A/B Testing | ✓ | ✕ |
| Landing Pages | ✓ | ✕ |
| Segmentation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Drag & Drop Editor | ✓ | ✕ |
| SMS Marketing | ✓ | ✕ |
| Ecommerce Features | ✓ | ✓ |
| API Access | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multi-Language | ✕ | ✓ |
| Web Push Notifications | ✕ | ✕ |
| Live Chat | ✓ | ✕ |
| Advanced Analytics | ✓ | ✓ |
Constant Contact: Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Longest 60-day free trial in the industry
- +Excellent event marketing features
- +300+ templates and integrations
- +Strong brand recognition and trust
- +Social media posting included
Cons
- −No free plan
- −Automation is basic on lower tiers
- −Gets expensive with larger lists
- −Interface feels outdated in places
- −Limited advanced features
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
Constant Contact and Ghost are closely matched — both score within 0.0 points of each other in our overall rating. Your decision should come down to specific needs rather than overall quality. On deliverability, Constant Contact reports 97% compared to 95% for Ghost — a meaningful difference if inbox placement is critical for your campaigns.
| Criterion | Weight | Constant Contact | Ghost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | 30% | $12/mo | $18/mo |
| Deliverability | 25% | 97% | 95% |
| Rating | 25% | 4.1/5 | 4.1/5 |
| Integrations | 10% | 300 | 1000 |
| Free Tier | 10% | No | Yes |
Weights determine how much each criterion counts toward the final score. See full methodology
Choose Constant Contact if…
- + You want lower starting costs ($12/mo)
- + You need SMS marketing
- + You need marketing automation
- + You need built-in landing pages
Choose Ghost if…
- + You need a free plan to get started
- + You're a independent publishers and bloggers
- + You're a newsletter creators who want zero platform fees