Ghost vs Sender
Ghost is a newsletter platform while Sender is a email marketing platform. Sender is the more affordable option at $10/mo — that's $8 less per month than Ghost's $18/mo entry point. Both offer free plans to get started. Ghost stands out with advanced analytics, while Sender offers marketing automation and SMS marketing.
Quick Verdict
Ghost wins on integrations.
Sender wins on price, deliverability, rating.
Best for most users: Sender (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.
Sender
Affordable email and SMS marketing
Sender offers one of the most generous free plans in email marketing, combined with built-in SMS capabilities. It's an excellent choice for budget-conscious businesses that need both email and SMS marketing without breaking the bank.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Ghost | Sender |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.1/5 | 4.7/5 |
| Starting Price | $18/mo | $10/mo |
| Free Plan | Self-hosted open-source version is completely free; no free tier on Ghost(Pro) | 2,500 subscribers |
| Founded | 2013 | 2012 |
| Email Templates | 50 | 50 |
| Integrations | 1,000 | 50 |
| Deliverability Rate | 95% | 97% |
| 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
Sender: Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Extremely generous free plan (2,500 subs, 15,000 emails)
- +Built-in SMS marketing on all plans
- +Very affordable paid plans
- +Ecommerce integrations for abandoned cart
- +No credit card required for free plan
Cons
- −No A/B testing
- −No landing page builder
- −Smaller integration ecosystem
- −Less well-known brand
- −Limited advanced features
The Verdict
Sender edges ahead with a 4.7/5 rating compared to Ghost's 4.1/5. The gap comes mainly from ease of use (4.8 vs 3.9) and support (4.8 vs 3.9). On deliverability, Sender reports 97% compared to 95% for Ghost — a meaningful difference if inbox placement is critical for your campaigns.
| Criterion | Weight | Ghost | Sender |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | 30% | $18/mo | $10/mo |
| Deliverability | 25% | 95% | 97% |
| Rating | 25% | 4.1/5 | 4.7/5 |
| Integrations | 10% | 1000 | 50 |
| Free Tier | 10% | Yes | Yes |
Weights determine how much each criterion counts toward the final score. See full methodology
Choose Ghost if…
- + You need advanced analytics
- + You're a independent publishers and bloggers
- + You're a newsletter creators who want zero platform fees
Choose Sender if…
- + You want lower starting costs ($10/mo)
- + You need SMS marketing
- + You need marketing automation
- + You're a small businesses