Ghost vs Moosend
Ghost is a newsletter platform while Moosend is a email marketing platform. Moosend is the more affordable option at $9/mo, which is $9 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 Moosend does not. Moosend has the edge with marketing automation, A/B testing, landing pages.
Quick Verdict
Ghost wins on integrations, free tier.
Moosend wins on price, deliverability, rating.
Best for most users: Moosend (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.
Moosend
All-in-one email marketing and automation
Moosend is a budget-friendly email marketing platform that punches above its weight class. Despite its low price point, it offers solid automation, transactional emails, and landing pages. Its generous lifetime recurring affiliate program at 40% makes it attractive for affiliate marketers.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Ghost | Moosend |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.1/5 | 4.7/5 |
| Starting Price | $18/mo | $9/mo |
| Free Plan | Self-hosted open-source version is completely free; no free tier on Ghost(Pro) | No free plan |
| Founded | 2013 | 2011 |
| Email Templates | 50 | 80 |
| Integrations | 1,000 | 100 |
| Deliverability Rate | 95% | 98% |
| Marketing Automation | No | Yes |
| A/B Testing | No | Yes |
| Landing Pages | No | Yes |
| Segmentation | Yes | Yes |
| Drag & Drop Editor | No | Yes |
| SMS Marketing | No | No |
| Ecommerce Features | Yes | Yes |
| API Access | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-Language | Yes | No |
| Web Push Notifications | No | No |
| Live Chat | No | No |
| Advanced Analytics | Yes | Yes |
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
Moosend: Pros & Cons
Pros
- + Very affordable starting at $9/month
- + Unlimited emails on all plans
- + Solid automation for the price
- + 40% lifetime recurring affiliate program
- + Built-in transactional email support
Cons
- − No free plan (30-day trial only)
- − Smaller integration ecosystem
- − No SMS marketing
- − Brand less well-known
- − Enterprise pricing not transparent
The Verdict
Moosend edges ahead with a 4.7/5 rating compared to Ghost's 4.1/5. The gap comes mainly from ease of use (4.7 vs 3.9) and deliverability (4.7 vs 4). On deliverability, Moosend reports 98% compared to 95% for Ghost — a meaningful difference if inbox placement is critical for your campaigns.
| Criterion | Weight | Ghost | Moosend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | 30% | $18/mo | $9/mo Winner |
| Deliverability | 25% | 95% | 98% Winner |
| Rating | 25% | 4.1/5 | 4.7/5 Winner |
| Integrations | 10% | 1000 Winner | 100 |
| Free Tier | 10% | Yes Winner | No |
Weights determine how much each criterion counts toward the final score. See full methodology
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
Choose Moosend if…
- + You want lower starting costs ($9/mo)
- + You need marketing automation
- + You need built-in landing pages
- + You need A/B testing