Ghost vs Substack

Updated October 2026 · AppBreakup editorial

Ghost

An open-source publishing platform for websites, newsletters and paid memberships, hosted or self-hosted.

Open sourceSelf-hostable

Visit Ghost Ghost profile

Substack

A publishing network where writers send newsletters, run paid subscriptions and get discovered through a shared app.

Free plan + paid

Visit Substack Substack profile

The short answer

Substack is the easier start: free, with a reader app and recommendation network that help new writers grow, in exchange for 10% of paid revenue. Ghost is an open-source publishing platform for people who want their own branded site, domain and data, with 0% taken from memberships and the option to self-host. The real choice is built-in discovery versus independence and design control.

Ghost or Substack: our take

Ghost and Substack both combine a website, an email newsletter and paid subscriptions, but they come from different ideas. Substack is a platform with a network around it: readers subscribe through its app, see posts in the Notes feed and get recommendations for other publications. That discovery is its biggest advantage, and it also handles podcasts, video and chat. Ghost is a non-profit-backed, open-source publishing system. It gives each publisher a fast, fully themeable site with strong SEO defaults, a large marketplace of themes and integrations, and a membership system wired to the publisher's own Stripe account. There is no discovery network, so finding readers is entirely up to the publisher.

Costs work differently. Substack is free to start and keeps 10% of paid subscription revenue plus card fees. Ghost takes no cut on either its managed Ghost(Pro) service or self-hosted installs; Ghost(Pro) starts at $18 a month on the Starter plan and $29 a month on Publisher, both billed yearly, and is priced by audience size. Starter lacks custom themes and paid subscriptions, so a paid newsletter on Ghost(Pro) needs at least Publisher. Self-hosting is free but needs a Linux server with Ubuntu or Docker and someone to maintain it.

Ownership is the other big gap. On Ghost the publication lives on its own domain and, if self-hosted, on its own server. On Substack it sits inside Substack's brand and app, with limited design options, although Substack does import from Ghost and other tools if a writer wants to try it.

Choose Substack for a writer-led newsletter where reach and zero setup matter more than design. Choose Ghost for an independent media brand, a larger paid publication, or anyone who wants an open-source stack they control.

Choose Ghost if…

Independent publishers who want their own branded site, newsletter and memberships
You want open-source software
You need to host it on your own servers
You need Self-hosted, which Substack doesn't list
No transaction fees from Ghost on paid memberships

Choose Substack if…

Writers who want built-in discovery and paid subscriptions without running any tech themselves
You need iOS and Android, which Ghost doesn't list
Built-in reader network and recommendations help new writers grow
Free to start, with paid subscriptions switched on in minutes

What is Ghost?

Ghost is a non-profit-backed, open-source publishing platform that combines a fast website, an email newsletter and a membership system with free and paid tiers. Publishers connect their own Stripe account, and Ghost takes no cut of subscription revenue on either self-hosted installs or its managed Ghost(Pro) service. Themes are fully customisable, there is a large marketplace of designs and integrations, and the editor handles long-form writing well. Many independent media outlets run on it. Compared with Substack, you get your own brand, domain and data, but no built-in discovery network, so growth is up to you. Self-hosting is free and needs a Linux server; Ghost(Pro) is priced by audience size, with a cheaper Starter plan that lacks custom themes and paid subscriptions. It runs in the browser and on your own server. It suits publishers who want an independent, brandable site with memberships.

What is Substack?

Substack combines a newsletter tool, a website for each publication and a reader app with its own social feed, called Notes. Writers can start for free, publish posts by email and on the web, host podcasts and video, and turn on paid subscriptions when they are ready. Its biggest draw is the network: readers who already use the Substack app can find and subscribe to a new publication through recommendations, which helps new writers grow faster than they would on a standalone tool. The trade-offs are control and cost at scale. Design options are limited compared with Ghost or beehiiv, and the platform keeps a 10% share of paid subscription revenue on top of card fees, which becomes expensive for large paid publications. There is no fee for free newsletters. It runs in the browser, with iOS and Android apps for both writers and readers. It suits writers who value audience growth and simplicity over branding and ownership of the stack.

Side by side

Attribute	Ghost	Substack
Pricing	Open source	Free plan + paid
Open source	Yes	No
Self-hostable	Yes	No
Platforms	Web, Self-hosted	Web, iOS, Android
Best for	Independent publishers who want their own branded site, newsletter and memberships	Writers who want built-in discovery and paid subscriptions without running any tech themselves
Status	Active	Active