Substack vs Ghost
Two publishing platforms with paid memberships at the core. One offers the network, the other full ownership.
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Substack
Start publishing in five minutes. Pay 10% if you charge.
Ghost
Own your publication with open source and 0% fees on memberships.
Prices last checked on
| Feature | Substack | Ghost |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 4.2 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 |
| Price | Free | From $18/mo |
| Free plan | ||
| Best for | Paid newsletters, zero setup | Independent publishers |
| Category | For creators | For creators |
| Provider | Substack Inc. | Ghost Foundation |
| Visit Substack | Visit Ghost |
Our verdict
Substack gives you a free start, zero setup, and a discovery network that can bootstrap an audience, in exchange for 10% of your paid revenue and limited control. Ghost flips that.
You get open source, a complete website plus newsletter, 0% fees, and everything under your own flag, from $18 a month hosted or free self-hosted. For testing an idea, Substack is fine. For anyone building a serious publication, Ghost's ownership and economics win.
“The fastest way from zero to a paid newsletter, with a real discovery network behind it. But the 10% cut of paid revenue stings once you grow, and the platform owns the relationship with your readers.”Editorial team, on Substack
“A full publishing platform with newsletters built in, open source, and 0% fees on paid memberships. For writers who want to own their website and their list, the most independent option there is.”Editorial team, on Ghost
Frequently asked questions
Substack or Ghost: which should I build on?
For a serious publication, Ghost. It is open source, gives you a full website plus newsletter, takes 0% of your membership revenue and puts everything under your own flag. Substack is the better place to test an idea, because there is no setup, no cost until you charge and a discovery network that can bootstrap an audience for you.
What does Ghost cost compared to Substack?
Ghost's hosted Starter plan is $18 a month, $216 a year billed annually, and it covers up to 500 members. Substack is free until you charge readers, then keeps 10% of subscription revenue plus payment fees (US dollars, checked August 2026). Note that paid memberships on Ghost need a higher plan than Starter, so budget above that entry price.
Do I need to be technical to run Ghost?
Not for the hosted plan, but expect more setup than Substack, where you sign up and publish the same afternoon. Ghost is also free to self-host if you are technical, which means running and maintaining the server yourself. Most writers who want ownership without sysadmin work take the hosted plan and treat the fee as the price of that.
What do I lose by leaving Substack?
The network. Substack's recommendations between publications drive real growth, and Ghost has no built-in discovery network to replace it, so acquisition becomes your job. You gain the other side of that trade: 0% on memberships instead of 10%, a full website, and a subscriber relationship that lives with you rather than on someone else's platform.