Ghost vs Substack
Ghost and Substack are both popular choices in the newsletter platform space. Ghost has been around since 2013, giving it a 4-year head start over Substack (founded 2017). Substack starts at free versus $18/mo for Ghost. Both offer free plans to get started. Ghost has the edge with ecommerce integrations, advanced analytics, API access.
Quick Verdict
Ghost wins on integrations.
Substack wins on price, rating.
Best for most users: Substack (independent writers and journalists).
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.
Substack
The newsletter platform where writers build independent media businesses
Substack is the dominant newsletter platform that uniquely combines free publishing tools with a 10% revenue-share model, letting writers launch subscription-based media businesses with zero upfront cost. Beyond newsletters, it has evolved into a full creator ecosystem with podcasts, video, livestreaming, Notes (microblogging), and community Chat, backed by a powerful built-in discovery network that helps writers find audiences organically.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Ghost | Substack |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.1/5 | 4.4/5 |
| Starting Price | $18/mo | Free |
| Free Plan | Self-hosted open-source version is completely free; no free tier on Ghost(Pro) | Unlimited subscribers, unlimited emails, all core features free — Substack only charges when you earn |
| Founded | 2013 | 2017 |
| Email Templates | 50 | 1 |
| Integrations | 1,000 | 0 |
| 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
Substack: Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Completely free to start with no upfront costs — zero barrier to entry with all core publishing features available immediately
- +Built-in audience discovery network with Recommendations and Notes driving organic subscriber growth (users report gaining 1,000+ subscribers through Recommendations alone)
- +True content ownership: creators can export their full subscriber list and content at any time to migrate elsewhere
- +Multimedia platform supporting newsletters, podcasts, video, livestreaming, Notes, and Chat communities in a single integrated experience
- +Strong reader engagement with genuine community interaction through comments, Chat, and Notes — higher engagement rates than typical social media platforms
Cons
- −The 10% platform fee plus Stripe's ~2.9% + $0.30 per transaction creates a 13-16% total take rate that becomes very expensive at scale (e.g., $1,300-$1,600/month on $10K revenue)
- −No email marketing automation, segmentation, A/B testing, or advanced personalization — all subscribers receive identical emails with no conditional logic
- −No public API and zero native third-party integrations — cannot connect to CRMs, e-commerce platforms, Zapier, or other marketing tools
- −Limited design customization with a single standardized template — no drag-and-drop editor, no custom HTML, and minimal branding options
- −Platform can remove content or delete accounts without notice, and customer support is difficult to reach for issue resolution
The Verdict
Substack edges ahead with a 4.4/5 rating compared to Ghost's 4.1/5. The gap comes mainly from value for money (4.9 vs 4.4) and deliverability (4.4 vs 4).
| Criterion | Weight | Ghost | Substack |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | 30% | $18/mo | Free |
| Deliverability | 25% | 95% | 95% |
| Rating | 25% | 4.1/5 | 4.4/5 |
| Integrations | 10% | 1000 | 0 |
| Free Tier | 10% | Yes | Yes |
Weights determine how much each criterion counts toward the final score. See full methodology
Choose Ghost if…
- + You need ecommerce integrations
- + You need API access for custom integrations
- + You need advanced analytics
- + You're a independent publishers and bloggers
Choose Substack if…
- + You want lower starting costs (Free)
- + You're a independent writers and journalists
- + You're a newsletter creators monetizing through paid subscriptions