Ghost vs Keap
Ghost is a newsletter platform while Keap is a all-in-one marketing platform. Keap has been around since 2001, giving it a 12-year head start over Ghost (founded 2013). Ghost is the more affordable option at $18/mo — that's $281 less than Keap's $299/mo entry point. Ghost offers a free plan (Self-hosted open-source version is completely free; no free tier on Ghost(Pro)), while Keap does not. Keap has the edge with marketing automation, A/B testing, landing pages.
Quick Verdict
Ghost wins on price, deliverability, free tier.
Keap wins on rating, integrations.
Best for most users: Ghost (independent publishers and bloggers).
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.
Keap
CRM-powered sales and marketing automation for small businesses
Keap (formerly Infusionsoft, founded 2001, acquired by Thryv in 2024) is a premium all-in-one CRM and marketing automation platform built for sales-driven small businesses that need contact management, email sequences, SMS marketing, invoicing, and appointment scheduling in a single tool. Its strength lies in powerful automation workflows and a dedicated Customer Success Manager, but the $299/month starting price for just 1,500 contacts makes it one of the most expensive options in its category.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Ghost | Keap |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.1/5 | 4.2/5 |
| Starting Price | $18/mo | $299/mo |
| Free Plan | Self-hosted open-source version is completely free; no free tier on Ghost(Pro) | No free plan |
| Founded | 2013 | 2001 |
| Email Templates | 50 | 70 |
| Integrations | 1,000 | 5,000 |
| Deliverability Rate | 95% | 93% |
| 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 | ✓ | ✓ |
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
Keap: Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Powerful drag-and-drop automation builder that handles complex multi-step sales workflows with conditional triggers
- +True all-in-one platform combining CRM, email, SMS, invoicing, payments, and appointment scheduling
- +Dedicated Customer Success Manager included with every plan for hands-on onboarding and support
- +Deep contact management with tagging, segmentation, and centralized views that reduce manual data entry
- +Built-in text marketing with tiered messaging plans and voice minutes integrated directly into automations
Cons
- −Extremely expensive at $299/month for only 1,500 contacts, with costs escalating quickly for additional contacts and users
- −Steep learning curve with complex campaign builder layouts and no undo button, causing frustration during setup
- −Email marketing capabilities feel half-baked compared to dedicated email platforms despite the premium pricing
- −Invoicing feature is rigid and does not support hourly billing or flexible customization
- −Dated mobile experience and slow feature development compared to more agile competitors like GoHighLevel
The Verdict
Ghost and Keap 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, Ghost reports 95% compared to 93% for Keap — a meaningful difference if inbox placement is critical for your campaigns.
| Criterion | Weight | Ghost | Keap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | 30% | $18/mo | $299/mo |
| Deliverability | 25% | 95% | 93% |
| Rating | 25% | 4.1/5 | 4.2/5 |
| Integrations | 10% | 1000 | 5000 |
| Free Tier | 10% | Yes | No |
Weights determine how much each criterion counts toward the final score. See full methodology
Choose Ghost if…
- + You want lower starting costs ($18/mo)
- + 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
Choose Keap if…
- + You need SMS marketing
- + You need marketing automation
- + You need built-in landing pages
- + You need A/B testing