Open-source publishing platform focused on professional blogging, newsletters, and paid memberships. Clean, fast, and built for content creators.
Our take
Ghost is the best platform for writers and publishers who want to own their audience. Built-in newsletters, paid memberships, and 0% transaction fees mean you keep all your subscription revenue — a stark contrast to platforms like Substack that take a cut. The Markdown-based editor is clean but won't satisfy anyone wanting drag-and-drop visual design. Theming requires some technical comfort. Self-hosting is free but demands server management skills. The managed Ghost(Pro) service is fair value but gets expensive at the Business tier. Best for serious bloggers, newsletter writers, and publishers who prioritise content and audience ownership over visual design.
Pricing
Self-hosted
Free- • Full platform
- • Self-managed
- • Open source
Starter
$18/mo- • Managed hosting
- • 1,000 members
- • 1 staff user
- • Built-in newsletters
Publisher
$35/mo- • Managed hosting
- • Unlimited members
- • 3 staff users
- • Custom themes
Business
$239/mo- • Managed hosting
- • Unlimited members
- • Unlimited staff
- • Priority support
- • Uptime SLA
Pricing verified 2026-03-17
Ratings
Overall score: 76/100 (composite of the above ratings)
Features
core
ecommerce
advanced
integrations
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Founded: 2013
HQ: Singapore
Company size: 11-50
Last updated: 2026-03-17