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Ghost alternatives: 6 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Ghost: no discovery network to bring in readers, and starter plan lacks custom themes and paid subscriptions. We ranked 6 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Ghost, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Substack currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Substack logoSubstackFree plan + paidNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 466.5
2beehiiv logobeehiivFree plan + paidNoWeb4 of 462.6
3Buttondown logoButtondownFree plan + paidNoWeb4 of 459.6
4Memberful logoMemberfulPaidNoWeb4 of 457.2
5WriteFreely logoWriteFreelyOpen sourceYesSelf-hosted4 of 455.3
6Hashnode logoHashnodeFree plan + paidNoWeb4 of 453.6
  1. Substack logo

    1. SubstackTop pick

    Best for: Writers who want built-in discovery and paid subscriptions without running any tech themselves

    Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Ghost

    Zero setup and a built-in reader network, if you can accept less control and a revenue cut.

    Pros

    • Built-in reader network and recommendations help new writers grow
    • Free to start, with paid subscriptions switched on in minutes
    • Podcasts, video and chat live alongside the newsletter
    • Easy imports from Mailchimp, Ghost, WordPress and others

    Cons

    • 10% cut of paid revenue gets costly for big publications
    • Limited control over design and site structure
    • Your publication sits inside Substack's brand and app
    Visit Substack Compare with GhostDetails and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Substack a good Ghost alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    Yes, free to start
    Checked Oct 25, 2026substack.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Revenue share
    Writers keep 90% of paid revenue, minus card fees
    Checked Oct 25, 2026substack.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Paid subscriptions
    5 million+ across the platform
    Checked Oct 25, 2026substack.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Imports
    Mailchimp, beehiiv, Ghost, WordPress, Medium and more
    Checked Oct 25, 2026substack.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. beehiiv logo

    2. beehiiv

    Best for: Newsletter operators who want ads, referrals and growth tools without a revenue share

    Free plan + paidWeb

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Ghost

    More growth tooling, like referrals and an ad network, on a hosted newsletter platform.

    Pros

    • No percentage taken from paid subscriptions
    • Built-in ad network and referral programme
    • Generous free plan for a new newsletter
    • Strong analytics, segmentation and A/B testing

    Cons

    • Monthly cost rises steeply with subscriber count
    • No reader app or network as strong as Substack's
    • Removing beehiiv branding requires the Pro plan
    Visit beehiiv Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is beehiiv a good Ghost alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    Up to 2,500 subscribers
    Checked Oct 25, 2026beehiiv.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    $49/month (Lite, billed yearly)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026beehiiv.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Pro plan
    $95/month, billed yearly
    Checked Oct 25, 2026beehiiv.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Paid subscription fee
    0% take rate
    Checked Oct 25, 2026beehiiv.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Buttondown logo

    3. Buttondown

    Best for: Independent writers and developers who want a simple, affordable, privacy-first newsletter

    Free plan + paidWeb

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Ghost

    Simpler, cheaper newsletter-first tool if you don't need a full website.

    Pros

    • Markdown editor and a solid API
    • No extra fee on paid subscriptions beyond card processing
    • Pay only for the add-ons you need
    • Independent, profitable company with no investor pressure

    Cons

    • Many features are paid add-ons, which adds up
    • No discovery network or ad marketplace
    • Limited design control compared with Ghost or beehiiv
    Visit Buttondown Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Buttondown a good Ghost alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    First 100 subscribers
    Checked Oct 25, 2026buttondown.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Paid subscriptions add-on
    $9/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026buttondown.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Paid subscription fee
    None beyond card fees
    Checked Oct 25, 2026buttondown.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Founded
    2017
    Checked Oct 25, 2026buttondown.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Memberful logo

    4. Memberful

    Best for: Creators and publishers adding paid memberships to their own WordPress or custom site

    PaidWeb

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Ghost

    Adds paid memberships to a site you already run, such as WordPress.

    Pros

    • White-label checkout and member area under your brand
    • Deep WordPress, Discord and email tool integrations
    • Private podcast feeds and gift subscriptions built in

    Cons

    • Monthly fee plus a transaction percentage
    • You bring your own audience; there is no marketplace
    • Needs a Stripe account
    Visit Memberful Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Memberful a good Ghost alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Standard plan
    $49/month + 4.9% transaction fee
    Checked Oct 25, 2026memberful.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    Free until you go live
    Checked Oct 25, 2026memberful.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Owner
    Patreon
    Checked Oct 25, 2026memberful.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Members powered
    1 million+
    Checked Oct 25, 2026memberful.com(opens source in a new tab)
  5. WriteFreely logo

    5. WriteFreely

    Best for: Self-hosters who want a lightweight blog or writing community that federates with Mastodon

    Open sourceSelf-hostableSelf-hosted

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Ghost

    A much lighter open-source blog engine for writers who don't need memberships.

    Pros

    • Single Go binary that runs on very modest hardware
    • Federates with Mastodon and the fediverse
    • Supports multi-user writing communities

    Cons

    • No memberships, payments or built-in newsletters
    • Limited theming compared with Ghost or WordPress
    • You maintain the server yourself
    Visit WriteFreely Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is WriteFreely a good Ghost alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Open source
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026writefreely.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Language
    Go, single binary
    Checked Oct 25, 2026writefreely.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Federation
    ActivityPub
    Checked Oct 25, 2026writefreely.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Managed hosting
    Write.as from $6/month (yearly)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026writefreely.org(opens source in a new tab)
  6. Hashnode logo

    6. Hashnode

    Best for: Developers and technical writers who want a free blog with Markdown and easy export

    Free plan + paidWeb

    53.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Ghost

    Free hosted blog with a custom domain option, aimed at developers.

    Pros

    • Free blog with unlimited posts
    • Markdown editor and export of every post
    • GraphQL API for a custom front end

    Cons

    • Custom domain requires the paid Pro plan
    • No real paid subscription or membership tools
    • Company attention is split across other products
    Visit Hashnode Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.357
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Hashnode a good Ghost alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    Yes, unlimited articles
    Checked Oct 25, 2026hashnode.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Pro plan
    $5/month or $50/year
    Checked Oct 25, 2026hashnode.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Export
    Every post exports as Markdown
    Checked Oct 25, 2026hashnode.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Blogs created
    1.3M+
    Checked Oct 25, 2026hashnode.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Ghost alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Substack logo

Best Ghost alternative for most people

Substack

Zero setup and a built-in reader network, if you can accept less control and a revenue cut.

WriteFreely logo

Best Ghost alternative for a free option

WriteFreely

A much lighter open-source blog engine for writers who don't need memberships.

beehiiv logo

Best Ghost alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

beehiiv

More growth tooling, like referrals and an ad network, on a hosted newsletter platform.

WriteFreely logo

Best Ghost alternative for open source

WriteFreely

A much lighter open-source blog engine for writers who don't need memberships.

WriteFreely logo

Best Ghost alternative for self-hosting

WriteFreely

A much lighter open-source blog engine for writers who don't need memberships.

Substack logo

Best Ghost alternative for iPhone and Android

Substack

Zero setup and a built-in reader network, if you can accept less control and a revenue cut.

Buttondown logo

Best Ghost alternative for working in the browser

Buttondown

Simpler, cheaper newsletter-first tool if you don't need a full website.

Ghost alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Ghost?

Substack ranks first right now. Zero setup and a built-in reader network, if you can accept less control and a revenue cut. beehiiv and Buttondown follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Ghost?

Yes. Substack (free plan + paid), beehiiv (free plan + paid), Buttondown (free plan + paid) and WriteFreely (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Ghost?

Yes: WriteFreely. WriteFreely can also be self-hosted.

Why do people switch from Ghost?

The complaints we hear most: no discovery network to bring in readers; starter plan lacks custom themes and paid subscriptions; self-hosting needs a server and some sysadmin work.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Ghost, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.