Ghost is a self-hosted or managed blogging platform optimized for content creators with built-in membership and newsletter features, while ConvertKit is a dedicated email marketing platform designed specifically for creators with advanced automation and audience segmentation. Ghost requires more technical setup but offers greater control, whereas ConvertKit excels in email marketing functionality with minimal configuration.
Ghost vs ConvertKit — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Choose Ghost if you want a content-first platform with native membership/paywall capabilities and control over your publishing infrastructure, or if you're bootstrapping with self-hosting. Choose ConvertKit if email marketing automation and subscriber growth are your primary focus, you want a turnkey solution with zero technical setup, and you plan to scale your email list significantly.
Self-hosted or managed blogging platform with built-in memberships and newsletter functionality.
Creator-focused email marketing platform with advanced automation and audience management.
Structured comparison data for Ghost vs ConvertKit with 183 attributes.
Average Writer Earnings (Partner Program)
Monthly Newsletter Subscriber Allowance (Free Tier)
Monthly Bandwidth Included (Starter Plan)
Creator Plan Monthly Cost (Annual Billing)
Ghost vs ConvertKit — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Ghost vs ConvertKit.
Can I use Ghost as my main email marketing platform?
Ghost has basic email features (newsletter distribution, simple segments), but it lacks advanced automation, behavioral triggers, and sophisticated segmentation that dedicated platforms like ConvertKit offer. Ghost works well for sending newsletters to your audience, but ConvertKit is superior for email marketing strategy.
Can I monetize my audience with ConvertKit?
ConvertKit doesn't have a native paywall, but you can monetize through email with sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and digital product sales using integrations with Stripe or Gumroad. Ghost has a built-in paywall for paid memberships, making it more straightforward for direct revenue from subscribers.
Which platform is better for scaling to 50,000+ subscribers?
Ghost remains fixed at $29/month regardless of subscriber count, making it dramatically cheaper at scale. ConvertKit pricing scales with subscribers ($350-$500+/month at 50k subscribers). If growth is your goal, Ghost's economics are superior at large subscriber counts.
Do I need technical skills to use these platforms?
ConvertKit requires minimal technical knowledge—it's designed for non-technical creators. Ghost's Pro version is beginner-friendly, but self-hosting Ghost requires understanding of servers, Node.js, and domain management. Most non-technical creators should choose Ghost Pro or ConvertKit.
Which is better for building a personal brand?
Ghost is better if your brand is content-first (blog, newsletter, paid community). ConvertKit is better if your brand is email-centric and you're building a highly segmented, personalized audience with advanced marketing automation. Both work, but they serve different brand strategies.