Ghost vs Mailmodo
Ghost is a newsletter platform while Mailmodo is a email marketing platform. Ghost has been around since 2013, giving it a 7-year head start over Mailmodo (founded 2020). Ghost is the more affordable option at $18/mo — that's $31 less than Mailmodo's $49/mo entry point. Both offer free plans to get started. Mailmodo has the edge with marketing automation, A/B testing, a drag-and-drop editor.
Quick Verdict
Ghost wins on price, integrations.
Mailmodo wins on rating.
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.
Mailmodo
Interactive AMP email marketing with in-email forms and surveys
Mailmodo is the pioneering interactive email marketing platform that uses AMP technology to let recipients fill forms, take surveys, book meetings, and make purchases directly inside emails without clicking through to a landing page. With AI-powered template generation and a drag-and-drop editor, it makes interactive email creation accessible to marketers seeking 2-3x higher engagement rates, starting at $49/month.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Ghost | Mailmodo |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.1/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Starting Price | $18/mo | $49/mo |
| Free Plan | Self-hosted open-source version is completely free; no free tier on Ghost(Pro) | Limited sending credits, 1 active journey, 500 active contacts per journey |
| Founded | 2013 | 2020 |
| Email Templates | 50 | 100 |
| Integrations | 1,000 | 40 |
| Deliverability Rate | 95% | 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 | ✓ | ✓ |
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
Mailmodo: Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Interactive AMP emails allow recipients to fill forms, book meetings, and make purchases directly inside the email without leaving their inbox
- +Drag-and-drop editor with AI-powered template generation makes creating interactive emails accessible to non-technical marketers
- +Proven to increase engagement — interactive emails report 2-3x higher click rates than traditional HTML emails
- +AMP support extended to Apple Mail through innovative workarounds beyond just Gmail and Yahoo
- +21-day free trial gives ample time to test interactive email capabilities before committing
Cons
- −AMP email support is limited to Gmail, Yahoo, Mail.ru, and Apple Mail — Outlook and other clients fall back to HTML
- −Starting at $49/month for just 2,500 contacts makes it expensive compared to traditional email platforms
- −Relatively new platform (founded 2020) with a smaller feature set than established competitors
- −No SMS marketing or multichannel capabilities — email only
- −Learning curve for understanding AMP email limitations and designing for fallback HTML rendering
The Verdict
Mailmodo edges ahead with a 4.5/5 rating compared to Ghost's 4.1/5. The gap comes mainly from ease of use (4.7 vs 3.9) and support (4.7 vs 3.9).
| Criterion | Weight | Ghost | Mailmodo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | 30% | $18/mo | $49/mo |
| Deliverability | 25% | 95% | 95% |
| Rating | 25% | 4.1/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Integrations | 10% | 1000 | 40 |
| Free Tier | 10% | Yes | Yes |
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're a independent publishers and bloggers
- + You're a newsletter creators who want zero platform fees
Choose Mailmodo if…
- + You need marketing automation
- + You need A/B testing
- + You're a marketers seeking higher engagement
- + You're a ecommerce brands