Flodesk vs Ghost
Flodesk is a email marketing platform while Ghost is a newsletter platform. Ghost has been around since 2013, giving it a 6-year head start over Flodesk (founded 2019). Ghost starts at $18/mo versus $38/mo for Flodesk. Both offer free plans to get started. Flodesk stands out with marketing automation and landing pages, while Ghost offers advanced analytics and API access.
Quick Verdict
Flodesk wins on deliverability, rating.
Ghost wins on price, integrations.
Best for most users: Flodesk (designers).
Flodesk
Design emails people love to get
Flodesk is a design-first email marketing platform known for its stunning templates and flat-rate pricing model. It's particularly popular among creative professionals who prioritize visual design over advanced marketing features. The unlimited subscriber pricing makes it excellent value for growing lists.
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 | Flodesk | Ghost |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.6/5 | 4.1/5 |
| Starting Price | $38/mo | $18/mo |
| Free Plan | Free list-building tools (forms, landing pages, audience tools); email sending requires paid plan | Self-hosted open-source version is completely free; no free tier on Ghost(Pro) |
| Founded | 2019 | 2013 |
| Email Templates | 40 | 50 |
| Integrations | 20 | 1,000 |
| Deliverability Rate | 96% | 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 | ✕ | ✓ |
Flodesk: Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Beautiful, design-focused email templates
- +Flat-rate pricing regardless of list size
- +Unlimited subscribers on all plans
- +Simple and intuitive interface
- +Built-in checkout and digital product sales
Cons
- −No A/B testing
- −No API access
- −Very limited integrations
- −No SMS marketing
- −Basic automation compared to competitors
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
Flodesk edges ahead with a 4.6/5 rating compared to Ghost's 4.1/5. The gap comes mainly from ease of use (5 vs 3.9) and support (4.4 vs 3.9). On deliverability, Flodesk reports 96% compared to 95% for Ghost — a meaningful difference if inbox placement is critical for your campaigns.
| Criterion | Weight | Flodesk | Ghost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | 30% | $38/mo | $18/mo |
| Deliverability | 25% | 96% | 95% |
| Rating | 25% | 4.6/5 | 4.1/5 |
| Integrations | 10% | 20 | 1000 |
| Free Tier | 10% | Yes | Yes |
Weights determine how much each criterion counts toward the final score. See full methodology
Choose Flodesk if…
- + You need marketing automation
- + You need built-in landing pages
- + You're a designers
- + You're a creatives
Choose Ghost if…
- + You want lower starting costs ($18/mo)
- + You need API access for custom integrations
- + You need advanced analytics
- + You're a independent publishers and bloggers