At a glance
| Ghost(Pro) | Substack | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Starter $18, Publisher $29, Business $199 /mo (billed yearly) | Free to publish |
| Paid subscriptions | Publisher and up, 0% Ghost fee | 10% of revenue |
| Payment processing | Stripe fees | Stripe 2.9% + $0.30 + 0.7% Billing |
| Members included | 1,000 (Starter, Publisher), 10,000 (Business) | Unlimited |
| Branding | Your own theme and domain | Substack design; $50 custom domain |
| Open-source / self-host | Yes | No |
Official sources, checked Nov 2026. Ghost (Ghost(Pro)) · Substack. Prices in USD unless shown otherwise. Vendors change pricing, so confirm on their site before buying.
The cost crossover
With paid revenue, Ghost Publisher often costs less than Substack once you pass a modest number of paying readers. Ghost’s price rises with your member count, so check its pricing page for larger lists.
Ownership and design
Ghost is a full publishing platform, custom themes, your domain, members and newsletters in one, and it’s open-source. Substack gives you a clean, consistent reading experience and a built-in audience network, but less control over look and data flows.
Ghost (Ghost(Pro))
Best for brand ownershipFrom $18/mo billed yearly; 0% transaction fees on paid plans
- 0% Ghost fee on paid subscriptions
- White-label branding on every plan
- Open-source, you can self-host
- No free hosted plan
- Paid subscriptions need Publisher or higher
- Member limits mean price rises as you grow
Substack
Best for network effectsFree to publish; 10% of paid-subscription revenue
- No monthly bill at any list size
- Built-in discovery network and app
- Simple model, no plans or tiers to choose
- 10% of paid revenue grows with you, it never caps
- Stripe fees are on top of the 10%
- Custom domain is a $50 add-on
Ghost if you think like a publisher; Substack if you think like a writer
Ghost suits independent media brands who want their own site, design and 0% revenue share. Substack suits writers who want to start free and lean on a discovery network.
More Substack alternativesSubstack fees explained
Frequently asked questions
Is Ghost cheaper than Substack?
For paid newsletters, often yes. Ghost Publisher is $29/mo billed yearly with 0% Ghost fees (for up to 1,000 members), while Substack takes 10% plus Stripe fees.
Does Ghost have a free plan?
Ghost(Pro) has no free hosted plan, but Ghost is open-source and can be self-hosted.
Can Ghost Starter take paid subscriptions?
No, paid subscriptions need Publisher or higher (checked Nov 2026).
Keep comparing
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