Ghost vs Mailchimp
Ghost is a newsletter platform while Mailchimp is a all-in-one marketing platform. Mailchimp has been around since 2001, giving it a 12-year head start over Ghost (founded 2013). Mailchimp is the more affordable option at $13/mo — that's $5 less than Ghost's $18/mo entry point. Both offer free plans to get started. Mailchimp has the edge with marketing automation, A/B testing, landing pages.
Quick Verdict
Ghost wins on integrations.
Mailchimp wins on price, deliverability, rating.
Best for most users: Mailchimp (small businesses).
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.
Mailchimp
Turn emails into revenue
Mailchimp is the most widely recognized email marketing platform, used by millions of businesses worldwide. Acquired by Intuit in 2021, it offers a full suite of marketing tools but has become increasingly expensive compared to alternatives.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Ghost | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.1/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Starting Price | $18/mo | $13/mo |
| Free Plan | Self-hosted open-source version is completely free; no free tier on Ghost(Pro) | 250 contacts, 500 emails/month |
| Founded | 2013 | 2001 |
| Email Templates | 50 | 100 |
| Integrations | 1,000 | 300 |
| Deliverability Rate | 95% | 96% |
| 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
Mailchimp: Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Most recognized brand in email marketing
- +Excellent drag-and-drop editor
- +300+ integrations with third-party tools
- +Strong analytics and reporting
- +Good for beginners with guided setup
Cons
- −Free plan severely limited (500 contacts, 1,000 sends)
- −Premium plan is expensive ($350/mo)
- −Charges for unsubscribed contacts
- −Affiliate marketing restricted
- −Deliverability has declined in recent years
The Verdict
Mailchimp edges ahead with a 4.3/5 rating compared to Ghost's 4.1/5. The gap comes mainly from ease of use (4.6 vs 3.9) and feature depth (4.4 vs 4.2). On deliverability, Mailchimp reports 96% compared to 95% for Ghost — a meaningful difference if inbox placement is critical for your campaigns.
| Criterion | Weight | Ghost | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | 30% | $18/mo | $13/mo |
| Deliverability | 25% | 95% | 96% |
| Rating | 25% | 4.1/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Integrations | 10% | 1000 | 300 |
| Free Tier | 10% | Yes | Yes |
Weights determine how much each criterion counts toward the final score. See full methodology
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
Choose Mailchimp if…
- + You want lower starting costs ($13/mo)
- + You need SMS marketing
- + You need marketing automation
- + You need built-in landing pages