Ghost is the choice for publishers who want to own the site, the archive, the member list and the payment relationship, and pay no platform cut of their revenue. It's a real CMS, a newsletter sender and a membership system in one open-source package. It also asks more of you than Substack does, so it suits creators building something durable more than writers still testing an idea.
We assessed Ghost alongside the rest of our newsletters & email reviews, including ActiveCampaign, MailerLite and Substack, so the score below is relative to that field.
What it does well
Ownership is the whole pitch, and Ghost backs it up. Paid memberships run through your own Stripe account, and Ghost's pricing page lists 0% Ghost transaction fees on its paid plans. Ghost's export tools cover content as JSON, members with labels and subscription status as CSV, post analytics as CSV, and themes as zip files. Because the software is open source, you can even take the code with you and self-host.
It's a website first. Ghost's pricing page lists meta tags, structured data, XML sitemaps and canonical URLs on every plan, plus a custom domain on all Ghost(Pro) plans. That makes it stronger for search than newsletter-first tools, which matters if you want posts to keep bringing in readers after the email goes out.
Growth features have improved. Ghost lists Recommendations, a listing in its Ghost Explore directory, and ActivityPub distribution to the social web. Its pricing page also lists managed deliverability, with bounce management and reputation monitoring, on all plans.
Where it falls short
It's closer to running WordPress than running Substack. Custom themes are code (HTML and CSS), not a drag-and-drop builder, and anything beyond the core, like advanced automations or a course area, means wiring up integrations yourself.
Starter is limited. It stops at 1,000 members and one staff user, uses official themes only, and can't take paid subscriptions. Zapier and custom integrations also start on Publisher.
There's no reader network on the scale of Substack's, and no ad network or sponsorship marketplace. You bring the audience.
Pricing in practice
Ghost(Pro) prices are USD:
- Starter: $15 a month billed yearly ($180/yr), or $18 month-to-month. 1,000 members, no paid subscriptions.
- Publisher: $29 a month billed yearly, or $35 month-to-month, at 1,000 members. Three staff users, custom themes, paid subscriptions. The price rises with members: $88 a month billed yearly ($1,056/yr) at 10,000 members.
- Business: $199 a month billed yearly, or $239 month-to-month, up to 10,000 members. 15 staff users and priority support.
- Custom: contact Ghost. Unlimited staff and members and a 99.9% uptime SLA.
- Self-hosted: the software is free; you pay for your own server and email sending.
Example (assumptions: Publisher at 1,000 members, billed yearly, 200 members paying $5 a month): Ghost costs $348 a year and takes 0% of the $12,000 in annual subscription revenue. Stripe's card fees still apply. A platform keeping 10% would take $1,200.
Who should pick it (and who shouldn't)
Pick Ghost if you want a publication with a real website, paid memberships through your own Stripe account, and no revenue share. Skip it if you want a free hosted plan, a drag-and-drop page builder, or a built-in discovery network to grow from zero.
Alternatives worth comparing
- beehiiv leans harder into growth and ad monetization. See beehiiv vs Ghost.
- Substack is free to start and has a reader network, but keeps 10% of paid revenue.
- Kit fits creators whose newsletter sells their own products.
- Our best newsletter platforms roundup compares them on fees, free plans and exports.
What changed (Oct 7, 2026)
- Plan names, prices and limits now match Ghost's official pricing page as checked on Oct 7, 2026.
- We updated the summary (verdict, best-for or avoid-if lines) to reflect the current product.
- We revised the pros and cons to match current features and pricing.
SOURCES (CHECKED OCT 19, 2026)
| Claim | Source URL | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Plans, prices and plan limits in the pricing table | https://ghost.org/pricing/ | 2026-10-19 |
| Official price table behind the page's monthly/yearly toggle: Starter 180/yr or 18/mo; Publisher 348/yr or 35/mo at 1k members; Business 2388/yr or 239/mo up to | https://ghost.org/js/pricing.min.js | 2026-10-19 |
| Official product site | https://ghost.org | 2026-10-19 |
| PLAN | PRICE | WHAT YOU GET |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $15 /mo billed yearly ($180/yr) or $18 month-to-month | 1,000 members, 1 staff user, official theme only, no paid subscriptions |
| Publisher | $29 /mo billed yearly or $35 month-to-month (1,000 members) | 3 staff users, custom themes, paid subscriptions, 0% Ghost transaction fees |
| Business | $199 /mo billed yearly or $239 month-to-month (up to 10,000 members) | 15 staff users, priority support |
| Custom | contact Ghost | unlimited staff and members, 99.9% uptime SLA |
Publishers who want to own everything.
Skip it if you want a drag-and-drop page builder or a free hosted plan; Ghost(Pro) starts at $15/mo billed yearly, and paid memberships need the Publisher plan or higher. — if that's a dealbreaker, see every newsletters & email tool we've reviewed.
- Is Ghost worth it in 2026?
The serious-business choice for serious-business publishers. We rate it 8.5/10, and it's the strongest pick for publishers who want to own everything.
- How much does Ghost cost?
Ghost(Pro) lists Starter at $15/mo, Publisher at $29/mo and Business at $199/mo when billed yearly (for 1,000 members; prices rise with member count), plus a Custom plan. Self-hosting the open-source software is also an option. List prices change often, so confirm with the vendor before you buy.
- What are the downsides of Ghost?
You manage the integrations yourself. Theme system is HTML/CSS, not drag-drop.
- How did BestCreates review Ghost?
Editorially reviewed: An editorial evaluation of verified product information, official documentation, pricing and features, informed by Carlos Gil's professional experience. Available demos and screenshots may inform the review; documented product use is required for a hands-on label. The score is relative to the other tools we cover in this category.
The serious-business choice for serious-business publishers.
Editorially reviewed. An editorial evaluation of verified product information, official documentation, pricing and features, informed by Carlos Gil's professional experience. Available demos and screenshots may inform the review; documented product use is required for a hands-on label. Read our review standards.
BestCreates is written and edited by Carlos Gil. Every tool is assessed against the same documented framework — the jobs creators hire it for, ease of use, pricing accuracy, support and integrations — and each review states in the open how it was assessed.
LAST UPDATED OCT 9, 2026
SIGNED BY CARLOS GIL · FOUNDER & EDITOR, THE BEST NETWORK · OUR DISCLOSURE POLICY