Ghost vs Substack
Side-by-side comparison to help you pick the right tool.
| Ghost | Substack | |
|---|---|---|
| Tagline | Open-source publishing platform for independent creators. | Newsletter platform where writers monetise directly with paid subscriptions. |
| Category | Writing Content | Writing Content |
| Pricing | Freemium | Freemium |
| Skill Level | Intermediate | Beginner |
| Platforms | Web, Browser, Api Headless | Web, Browser, Ios, Android |
| Use Cases | Solo Indie, Content Creation, Side Project | Content Creation, Solo Indie, Portfolio Showcase |
| Traits | Self Hostable, Good Api, Active Development, Open Source | Has Free Tier, Fast To Set Up |
| Best For | Best for writers and creators who want to build a paid newsletter or membership site without platform revenue cuts. | Best for independent writers and journalists who want to build an audience and earn recurring revenue without running their own publishing stack. |
Ghost
Ghost is an open-source headless CMS and newsletter platform built for independent creators and publishers, available as a managed Ghost Pro service or self-hosted on your own server via Node.js or Docker. It handles paid memberships and subscriptions directly, keeping 100% of revenue minus payment processor fees. Email newsletters are built in, with a Mailgun integration for high deliverability. The Handlebars-based theme system and JSON API make it flexible for custom publishing setups. Ghost Pro's pricing is based on member count, not a flat fee. It is the platform of choice for writers, podcasters, and content businesses who want a professional publishing stack without relying on Substack's platform terms.
View detailsSubstack
Substack is a newsletter publishing platform available on web, iOS, and Android that allows writers to send free and paid email newsletters directly to subscribers. Substack handles payments and subscription management, letting writers keep 90% of paid subscription revenue while the platform takes a 10% cut. Each publication gets a web archive, a podcast feed, a recommendation network, and a Notes feature for short-form posts. Growing an audience benefits from Substack's discovery features, which surface new publications to readers interested in similar topics. Substack is used by independent journalists, essayists, researchers, and niche experts who want to build a direct audience relationship and earn recurring revenue without managing their own publishing infrastructure or newsletter platform.
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