Ghost vs Substack
Quick answer: Ghost starts at $15/mo; Substack: see plan details below; Substack lists a free plan. Ghost(Pro) Starter is $15/mo billed yearly ($18 monthly) for 1,000 members, and Publisher, which adds paid subscriptions and custom themes, is $29/mo yearly ($35 monthly); Ghost's pricing page says there are no payment fees. Substack is free to publish and keeps 10% of paid subscription revenue, plus Stripe fees.
Pricing last verified from each vendor's own site.
Verdict: which to choose
- Consider Ghost if: You want your own branded site and themes and a flat monthly price instead of a revenue share.
- Consider Substack if: You want to start free with nothing to set up and accept a 10% share of paid revenue.
Factual summary
- Both are listed under Sales CRMs.
- Directly comparable starting prices are not available for both: Ghost — Ghost(Pro) hosted plans priced by members (shown for 1,000): Starter $15/mo billed yearly ($18 monthly; website, email newsletter, free custom domain); Publisher $29/mo yearly ($35 monthly; 3 staff users, paid subscriptions, custom themes, 8,000+ integrations); Business $199/mo yearly ($239 monthly; 15 staff users, 10,000 members); Custom plans via sales; "no payment fees"; free trial; Substack — Free to publish, no matter how many subscribers; if you turn on paid subscriptions, Substack keeps 10% of each subscription payment, plus Stripe fees (2.9% + $0.30 per US card payment and 0.7% Stripe Billing on recurring payments); optional custom domain one-time $50; no monthly plans.
This is a factual comparison drawn from vendor sites, not a recommendation. Which fits depends on your channels, volume and budget.
| Ghost | Substack | |
|---|---|---|
| Summary | Open-source publishing platform for newsletters, membership sites and paid subscriptions, sold as hosted Ghost(Pro) plans. | Newsletter, podcast and community publishing platform that is free to use and takes 10% of revenue when you charge for subscriptions. |
| Starting price | From $15/mo | See vendor |
| Pricing details | Ghost(Pro) hosted plans priced by members (shown for 1,000): Starter $15/mo billed yearly ($18 monthly; website, email newsletter, free custom domain); Publisher $29/mo yearly ($35 monthly; 3 staff users, paid subscriptions, custom themes, 8,000+ integrations); Business $199/mo yearly ($239 monthly; 15 staff users, 10,000 members); Custom plans via sales; "no payment fees"; free trial | Free to publish, no matter how many subscribers; if you turn on paid subscriptions, Substack keeps 10% of each subscription payment, plus Stripe fees (2.9% + $0.30 per US card payment and 0.7% Stripe Billing on recurring payments); optional custom domain one-time $50; no monthly plans |
| Model | subscription | freemium |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Channels | ||
| Last verified | 2026-11-11 | 2026-11-11 |
FAQ
What is the difference between Ghost and Substack?
Ghost(Pro) Starter is $15/mo billed yearly ($18 monthly) for 1,000 members, and Publisher, which adds paid subscriptions and custom themes, is $29/mo yearly ($35 monthly); Ghost's pricing page says there are no payment fees. Substack is free to publish and keeps 10% of paid subscription revenue, plus Stripe fees.
Which is cheaper, Ghost or Substack?
We can't compare entry prices directly. Ghost: Ghost(Pro) hosted plans priced by members (shown for 1,000): Starter $15/mo billed yearly ($18 monthly; website, email newsletter, free custom domain); Publisher $29/mo yearly ($35 monthly; 3 staff users, paid subscriptions, custom themes, 8,000+ integrations); Business $199/mo yearly ($239 monthly; 15 staff users, 10,000 members); Custom plans via sales; "no payment fees"; free trial. Substack: Free to publish, no matter how many subscribers; if you turn on paid subscriptions, Substack keeps 10% of each subscription payment, plus Stripe fees (2.9% + $0.30 per US card payment and 0.7% Stripe Billing on recurring payments); optional custom domain one-time $50; no monthly plans.
When should I choose Ghost over Substack?
Consider Ghost if: You want your own branded site and themes and a flat monthly price instead of a revenue share. Consider Substack if: You want to start free with nothing to set up and accept a 10% share of paid revenue.
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