software
Beehiiv vs Ghost 2026: Newsletter or Publishing?
Beehiiv is a newsletter platform optimized for growth and monetization with built-in referral systems and sponsorship tools, while Ghost is a modern publishing platform designed for independent creators prioritizing editorial control and membership features. Beehiiv focuses on subscriber acquisition; Ghost emphasizes content ownership and direct reader relationships.
B
Beehiiv
All-in-one newsletter platform with growth tools and monetization features built-in.
Growth-focused newsletter creators seeking monetization, sponsorships, and rapid subscriber scaling
Score71%
VS
Ghost
Open-source publishing platform with native memberships, paywalls, and self-hosting capabilities.
Independent publishers valuing content ownership, long-form articles, and direct member relationships over growth hacking
Score71%
184 attributes7 differences14 pros/cons
Quick Answer
AI SummaryBeehiiv is a newsletter platform optimized for growth and monetization with built-in referral systems and sponsorship tools, while Ghost is a modern publishing platform designed for independent creators prioritizing editorial control and membership features. Beehiiv focuses on subscriber acquisition; Ghost emphasizes content ownership and direct reader relationships.
Our Verdict
AI-assistedChoose Beehiiv if you're a growth-focused creator seeking rapid subscriber acquisition, monetization through sponsorships, and built-in viral mechanics—ideal for newsletters scaling from 0 to 100K+ subscribers. Choose Ghost if you prioritize long-term content ownership, direct member relationships, SEO discoverability, and want to build an independent publishing brand with full data control and minimal platform lock-in.
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B
Beehiiv
7.5/10
Ghost
7.5/10
TIE — neck and neck
B
Choose Beehiiv if
Growth-focused newsletter creators seeking monetization, sponsorships, and rapid subscriber scaling
Choose Ghost if
Independent publishers valuing content ownership, long-form articles, and direct member relationships over growth hacking
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Key Differences at a Glance
- Primary Use Case:Newsletter growth & monetization vs Independent publishing & membership
- Pricing Model:✓ Beehiiv wins(Free tier available, paid from $15/month vs Self-hosted free, managed from $199/year)
- Built-in Referral System:✓ Beehiiv wins(Yes, native growth loops vs No, requires custom integration)
Key Facts & Figures
97 numeric metrics compared
| Metric | Beehiiv | Ghost | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Cost(USD) | $109 | — | — |
| Revenue Share on Subscriptions(percent) | 0% (flat fee model) | — | — |
| Setup Time to First Newsletter(minutes) | 30-45 | — | — |
| Startup Cost(USD) | $15/month for Pro plan | — | — |
| Creator Revenue Share(%) | 100% of all revenue | — | — |
| Monthly Active Users (Platform)(millions) | 2+ (creators) | — | — |
| Setup Time (Hours)(hours) | 2-3 (configure monetization and workflows) | — | — |
| Starting Price(USD/month) | $0 (free tier available) | — | — |
| Pro Plan Monthly Cost (10k subscribers)(USD) | $84 | — | — |
| Ease of Use Rating(1-5 scale) | 9.2/10 | — | — |
| Pre-built Automation Templates(count) | 30+ | — | — |
| Starting Monthly Price(USD) | $15/month | $29 (Ghost Pro) or $0 (self-hosted) | |
| API Integrations Available(count) | 2,000+ via Zapier | — | — |
| Free Plan Starting Price(USD) | $0 (Limited to 10,000 subscribers) | — | — |
| Pro Plan Monthly Cost(USD) | $39/month | — | — |
| Automation Sequences Limit(sequences) | 5 maximum | — | — |
| API Rate Limit(requests/minute) | 60 | — | — |
| Landing Page Templates(templates) | 50+ templates | — | — |
| User Rating (G2)(stars out of 5) | 4.7/5 (based on 1,200+ reviews) | — | — |
| Platform Fee Percentage(%) | 10% | — | — |
| Payment Processing Fee(percent + fixed) | Included in 10% commission | No additional fees | — |
| Email Marketing Analytics Metrics(count) | 8+ (opens, clicks, unsubscribes, growth, cohorts, engagement) | — | — |
| Monetization Methods Supported(count) | 2 (paid subscriptions, sponsorships) | — | — |
| Total Active Creators(millions) | 0.4 | — | — |
| Starting Price (Paid Plan)(USD/month) | $15/month | — | — |
| Supported Communication Channels(count) | 1 (Email only) | — | — |
| Third-Party Integrations(integrations) | 50+ | — | — |
| Built-in Monetization Features(count) | 3 (Sponsorships, Boost ads, Premium tiers) | — | — |
| Setup Time for First Campaign(minutes) | 10 minutes | — | — |
| E-commerce Platform Connectors(platforms) | 2 (Shopify, limited WooCommerce) | — | — |
| Pro Plan Price (Monthly)(USD) | $84 | — | — |
| Average Email Open Rate (User Reported)(percent) | 32-38% | — | — |
| Landing Page Templates Available(templates) | 25-30 | — | — |
| Starting Price (Monthly)(USD) | $42 (Beehiiv Pro) | $29 (Ghost Pro managed) | |
| Average Email Open Rate(%) | 94% | — | — |
| Automation Workflows Available(workflows) | 90+ | — | — |
| Email Template Library(templates) | 250+ | — | — |
| Price for 10,000 Subscribers(USD/month) | $99 | $29 (unlimited) | |
| Creator Plan Monthly Cost (Annual Billing)(USD) | $25 | — | — |
| Custom Domain Email Support Entry Level(USD/month) | $75 (Creator+ plan) | — | — |
| Affiliate Commission Rate (Recurring)(%) | 30% | — | — |
| Email Template Library Count(templates) | 80+ | — | — |
| Minimum Monthly Cost(USD) | $0 | $29 | |
| Free Subscriber Limit(subscribers) | Unlimited | None (paid plan required) | — |
| Email Deliverability Rate(%) | 98.5% | 97.2% | |
| Content Export Completeness(%) | 70% (loses formatting) | 100% (full fidelity) | |
| Monthly Platform Cost(USD) | $99/month | $99/month | |
| Revenue Retention Rate(%) | 100% | 100% | |
| Setup Time for Beginners(hours) | 8-40+ hours | 8-40+ hours | |
| Starting Monthly Cost(USD) | $18 (starter plan) | $18 (starter plan) | |
| Average Monthly Cost (Managed)(USD) | $99 | $99 | |
| Available Plugins/Extensions(count) | 200+ | 200+ | |
| Setup Time for Beginners(minutes) | 0.5-1 hour | 0.5-1 hour | |
| SEO Plugin Options(count) | 2-3 limited options | 2-3 limited options | |
| Page Speed (Average)(ms) | 1200-1800 | 1200-1800 | |
| Built-in Community Features(count) | Newsletter, comments, member walls | Newsletter, comments, member walls | |
| Payment Payout Speed(days) | 2-5 days (processor dependent) | 2-5 days (processor dependent) | |
| Base Annual Cost(USD) | $199/year (Ghost Pro) | $199/year (Ghost Pro) | |
| Time to First Publish(minutes) | 30-60 minutes (with setup) | 30-60 minutes (with setup) | |
| Available Integrations(integrations) | 400+ (through open-source ecosystem) | 400+ (through open-source ecosystem) | |
| Content Ownership(percentage of rights) | 100% (creator owns all) | 100% (creator owns all) | |
| SEO Customization(scale 1-10) | 10/10 (full control) | 10/10 (full control) | |
| Base Monthly Price(USD) | $29 (Ghost Pro) / Free (self-hosted) | $29 (Ghost Pro) / Free (self-hosted) | |
| Built-in Templates(count) | 15-20 professional themes | 15-20 professional themes | |
| Free Trial Length(days) | 14 days for Ghost(Pro) | 14 days for Ghost(Pro) | |
| Mid-Tier Plan Price(USD) | $79 | $79 | |
| Newsletter Subscriber Limit (Mid-Tier)(subscribers) | 10,000 | 10,000 | |
| Design Template Library(templates) | 100+ | 100+ | |
| CMS Collection Items (Performance Drop)(items) | Scales to 1,000,000+ | Scales to 1,000,000+ | |
| Email Template Library Size(templates) | ~20 templates | ~20 templates | |
| Setup Time to First Email(minutes) | 30-60 minutes | 30-60 minutes | |
| Commission on Sales(%) | 0% on memberships | 0% on memberships | |
| Annual Investment (Entry Level)(USD) | $348 (Professional) + hosting | $348 (Professional) + hosting | |
| Page Load Speed (Homepage)(seconds) | ~1.2s average | ~1.2s average | |
| Free Trial Period(days) | 14 days (self-hosted free indefinitely) | 14 days (self-hosted free indefinitely) | |
| Third-party Integration Options(integrations) | 150+ via Zapier/API | 150+ via Zapier/API | |
| Monthly Newsletter Subscriber Allowance (Free Tier)(subscribers) | 50,000 | 50,000 | |
| Base Monthly Cost (Managed Hosting)(USD) | $29-$199/month | $29-$199/month | |
| Available Plugins/Integrations(count) | 200+ | 200+ | |
| Global Market Share(%) | <1% | <1% | |
| Page Speed (Typical Setup)(ms) | 600-900ms | 600-900ms | |
| Available Themes(count) | 50+ | 50+ | |
| Design Templates Available(templates) | 15 premium themes | 15 premium themes | |
| Uptime Guarantee(percent) | 99.9% (Ghost Pro) | 99.9% (Ghost Pro) | |
| Monthly Cost (Base)(USD) | $0 (self-hosted) or $199 (managed) | $0 (self-hosted) or $199 (managed) | |
| Revenue Share on Subscriptions(percentage) | 0-10% (platform fee varies by plan) | 0-10% (platform fee varies by plan) | |
| Setup Time for Non-Technical User(minutes) | 120+ minutes (requires hosting setup) | 120+ minutes (requires hosting setup) | |
| Design Customization Options(themes) | Unlimited (full code access) | Unlimited (full code access) | |
| Hosting Uptime SLA(%) | 99.9% | 99.9% | |
| Setup Time to Launch(minutes) | Self-hosted: 60-120 min; Managed: 15-20 min | Self-hosted: 60-120 min; Managed: 15-20 min | |
| Monthly Active Platform Users(millions) | ~1.2 million publishers (estimated) | ~1.2 million publishers (estimated) | |
| Supported Monetization Methods(count) | 3 methods (subscriptions, memberships, email sponsorships) | 3 methods (subscriptions, memberships, email sponsorships) | |
| Countries Supported(countries) | Stripe coverage: 195+ countries | Stripe coverage: 195+ countries | |
| Email Newsletter Automation Features(count) | Segmentation, conditional logic, A/B testing, automation workflows | Segmentation, conditional logic, A/B testing, automation workflows | |
| Setup Difficulty (1-10 scale)(difficulty score) | 7 (self-hosted) or 3 (Pro) | 7 (self-hosted) or 3 (Pro) | |
| Price at 10,000 Subscribers(USD/month) | $29 (Ghost Pro) or $0 (self-hosted) | $29 (Ghost Pro) or $0 (self-hosted) | |
| Pre-Built Integrations(count) | 50+ via Zapier, direct integrations minimal | 50+ via Zapier, direct integrations minimal |
Sourced from publicly available data ·
Key Differences
7 attributes compared head-to-head
B
3BeehiivEvenly matched1 tie
Beehiiv
Attribute
Ghost
- Newsletter growth & monetizationPrimary Use CaseIndependent publishing & membership
- Free tier available, paid from $15/month(winner)Pricing ModelSelf-hosted free, managed from $199/year
- Yes, native growth loops(winner)Built-in Referral SystemNo, requires custom integration
- Yes, integrated Sponsor Network(winner)Sponsorship MarketplaceNo, manual sponsorship handling
- Basic paid tiers supportMembership/Paywall FeaturesAdvanced, native member-only content(winner)
- Proprietary platform, limited exportData Ownership & PortabilityFull data ownership, self-hosted option(winner)
- Newsletter-focused, limited SEOContent SEO & DiscoveryFull SEO optimization, public blog archive(winner)
- Primary Use Case
Beehiiv
Newsletter growth & monetization
Ghost
Independent publishing & membership
- Pricing Model
Beehiiv
Free tier available, paid from $15/month(winner)
Ghost
Self-hosted free, managed from $199/year
- Built-in Referral System
Beehiiv
Yes, native growth loops(winner)
Ghost
No, requires custom integration
- Sponsorship Marketplace
Beehiiv
Yes, integrated Sponsor Network(winner)
Ghost
No, manual sponsorship handling
- Membership/Paywall Features
Beehiiv
Basic paid tiers support
Ghost
Advanced, native member-only content(winner)
- Data Ownership & Portability
Beehiiv
Proprietary platform, limited export
Ghost
Full data ownership, self-hosted option(winner)
- Content SEO & Discovery
Beehiiv
Newsletter-focused, limited SEO
Ghost
Full SEO optimization, public blog archive(winner)
Full Comparison
| Attribute | Beehiiv | Ghost |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Cost(USD) | $109 | — |
| Revenue Share on Subscriptions(percent) | 0% (flat fee model) | — |
| Startup Cost(USD) | $15/month for Pro plan | — |
| Starting Price(USD/month) | $0 (free tier available) | — |
| Pro Plan Monthly Cost (10k subscribers)(USD) | $84 | — |
Show 22 more attributesFree Tier Subscriber Limit(subscribers) Unlimited — Starting Monthly Price(USD) $15/month $29 (Ghost Pro) or $0 (self-hosted) Free Plan Starting Price(USD) $0 (Limited to 10,000 subscribers) — Pro Plan Monthly Cost(USD) $39/month — Free Tier Availability(boolean) Yes, unlimited subscribers Self-hosted only Payment Processing Fee(percent + fixed) Included in 10% commission No additional fees Starting Price (Paid Plan)(USD/month) $15/month — Pro Plan Price (Monthly)(USD) $84 — Starting Price (Monthly)(USD) $42 (Beehiiv Pro) $29 (Ghost Pro managed) Price for 10,000 Subscribers(USD/month) $99 $29 (unlimited) Minimum Monthly Cost(USD) $0 $29 Monthly Platform Cost(USD) $99/month — Starting Monthly Cost(USD) $18 (starter plan) — Average Monthly Cost (Managed)(USD) $99 — Platform Fee(% of revenue) 0% (self-hosted) or $25-333/month (managed) — Base Annual Cost(USD) $199/year (Ghost Pro) — Base Monthly Price(USD) $29 (Ghost Pro) / Free (self-hosted) — Mid-Tier Plan Price(USD) $79 — Commission on Sales(%) 0% on memberships — Base Monthly Cost (Managed Hosting)(USD) $29-$199/month — Free Self-Hosted Option Yes (open-source) — Monthly Cost (Base)(USD) $0 (self-hosted) or $199 (managed) — | ||
| Monetization Methods | Ads, paid subs, sponsorships, referrals, tips | Subscriptions, memberships, ads, sponsorships |
| Design Customization Level | Extensive templates and brand control | — |
| Built-in Discovery Features | Emerging recommendation system | — |
| Analytics Depth | Advanced multi-stream analytics and segmentation | — |
| API and Integration Support | Zapier, Make, and native integrations available | — |
Show 48 more attributesAutomation & Segmentation Tools(features) Advanced tagging, conditional logic, dynamic content — Content Distribution Channels Email + social cross-posting + RSS feeds — Built-in Affiliate Program(yes/no) Native Beehiiv Network with $10/referral — Built-in AI Content Tools Subject lines, body copy, image generation — Automation Sequences Limit(sequences) 5 maximum — Segmentation Capabilities(trigger types) 15 behavioral triggers — Landing Page Templates(templates) 50+ templates — Monetization Methods Supported(count) 2 (paid subscriptions, sponsorships) — Email Automation Workflows(workflows) Advanced (conditional logic, triggers, delays, A/B testing) Basic (simple sequences, limited conditions) Third-Party Integrations(integrations) 50+ — Free Tier Email Subscriber Limit(subscribers) Unlimited — Native Course Building Limited (integrations only) — Landing Page Templates Available(templates) 25-30 — Membership/Community Features Basic (subscribers only) — Automation Workflows Available(workflows) 90+ — Email Template Library(templates) 250+ — Built-in Monetization Suite Paid subscriptions, sponsorships, ads, referral program — Landing Page Builder Included(boolean) No (Beehiiv Pro only, separate tool) — Custom Domain Email Support Entry Level(USD/month) $75 (Creator+ plan) — Free Subscriber Limit(subscribers) Unlimited None (paid plan required) Built-in Referral/Growth Tools Yes (viral loops, referral program, growth dashboard) No (manual setup required) SEO Capabilities Advanced (meta tags, sitemaps, structured data) — Built-in Community Features(count) Newsletter, comments, member walls — Customization Level(scale 1-10) Complete; full white-label — Customization Options 9/10 (full code access) — Built-in Templates(count) 15-20 professional themes — SEO Tools Included Basic XML sitemaps, structured data, redirects — Newsletter Subscriber Limit (Mid-Tier)(subscribers) 10,000 — Design Template Library(templates) 100+ — Email Template Library Size(templates) ~20 templates — Native Membership/Paywall Features Yes (full tier support) — Blog/CMS Functionality Full-featured publishing platform — Email Subscriber Limit(subscribers) Unlimited — Newsletter Automation Features(count) Segmentation, A/B testing, automation workflows — CMS Content Limit (Top Tier)(items) Unlimited — Built-in Membership System Yes (native) — E-commerce Product Management None — Monthly Newsletter Subscriber Allowance (Free Tier)(subscribers) 50,000 — Content Types Supported(count) Articles, newsletters, audio, video, courses, memberships, podcasts — Entry-Level Plan Max Users(users) Unlimited — Built-in Membership/Subscription Yes, native — E-commerce Capability None — Email Newsletter Built-in Yes, with automation — Design Customization Level(%) Theme-based (~30% customization) — Email Newsletter Automation Features(count) Segmentation, conditional logic, A/B testing, automation workflows — Built-in Paywall/Membership Yes - native paywall with Stripe — Landing Page Builder(included) No - requires custom development or third-party — Pre-Built Integrations(count) 50+ via Zapier, direct integrations minimal — | ||
| Setup Time to First Newsletter(minutes) | 30-45 | — |
| Time to First Publish(minutes) | 30-60 minutes (with setup) | — |
| Setup Time to First Email(minutes) | 30-60 minutes | — |
| Setup Time for Non-Technical User(minutes) | 120+ minutes (requires hosting setup) | — |
| Setup Time to Launch(minutes) | Self-hosted: 60-120 min; Managed: 15-20 min | — |
| Creator Revenue Share(%) | 100% of all revenue | — |
| Built-in Sponsorship Network | Yes—exclusive sponsorship marketplace | — |
| Built-in Monetization Tools(features) | Paid tiers, sponsorships, referrals | — |
| Native Paid Subscription Feature | Yes - fully native | — |
| Advertising Network Integration | Yes (500+ advertisers in marketplace) | No (custom integration required) |
Show 9 more attributesCustom Payment Processor Support Limited (Stripe only) Multiple options (Stripe, PayPal, custom) Revenue Retention Rate(%) 100% — Average Subscriber Payment(USD/month) Variable by creator — Native Membership Features Built-in (native feature) — Average Writer Earnings (Partner Program)(USD per month) Variable (unlimited potential) — Membership Tiers(count) Unlimited custom tiers — Built-in Membership/Subscription System Native, built-in feature — Built-in Membership/Subscriptions Native memberships with paywalls — Revenue Share on Subscriptions(percentage) 0-10% (platform fee varies by plan) — | ||
| Monthly Active Users (Platform)(millions) | 2+ (creators) | — |
| Subscriber Data Ownership | Full ownership; unrestricted CSV export | — |
| Setup Time (Hours)(hours) | 2-3 (configure monetization and workflows) | — |
| Ease of Use Rating(1-5 scale) | 9.2/10 | — |
| Setup Time for First Campaign(minutes) | 10 minutes | — |
| Setup Time for Beginners(minutes) | 0.5-1 hour | — |
| Pre-built Automation Templates(count) | 30+ | — |
| Email Automation Complexity(workflow types) | Basic (5 trigger types, limited branching) | — |
| Advanced Automation Conditional Logic | Basic branching | — |
| Email Subscribers (Starter Tier)(count) | Unlimited | — |
| Free Trial Duration(days) | Unlimited (free tier) | — |
| Free Trial Length(days) | 14 days for Ghost(Pro) | — |
| Free Trial Period(days) | 14 days (self-hosted free indefinitely) | — |
| Course/Membership Hosting | Basic content gating only | — |
| Webinar Hosting Included | Not included | — |
| API Integrations Available(count) | 2,000+ via Zapier | — |
| API Rate Limit(requests/minute) | 60 | — |
| User Rating (G2)(stars out of 5) | 4.7/5 (based on 1,200+ reviews) | — |
| Platform Fee Percentage(%) | 10% | — |
| Email Marketing Analytics Metrics(count) | 8+ (opens, clicks, unsubscribes, growth, cohorts, engagement) | — |
| Total Active Creators(millions) | 0.4 | — |
| Free Plan Subscriber Limit(subscribers) | Unlimited | — |
| Creator Plan Monthly Cost (Annual Billing)(USD) | $25 | — |
| Supported Communication Channels(count) | 1 (Email only) | — |
| Built-in Monetization Features(count) | 3 (Sponsorships, Boost ads, Premium tiers) | — |
| Supported Monetization Methods(count) | 3 methods (subscriptions, memberships, email sponsorships) | — |
| E-commerce Platform Connectors(platforms) | 2 (Shopify, limited WooCommerce) | — |
| API Access | Full REST API with custom code access | — |
| API Access Level(capability) | Full REST API with webhooks and custom integrations | — |
| Average Email Open Rate (User Reported)(percent) | 32-38% | — |
| Average Email Open Rate(%) | 94% | — |
| Email Deliverability Rate(%) | 98.5%(winner) | 97.2% |
| Page Speed (Average)(ms) | 1200-1800 | — |
| Bandwidth Allowance (Starter Plan)(GB/month) | Unlimited | — |
Show 6 more attributesCMS Collection Items (Performance Drop)(items) Scales to 1,000,000+ — Page Load Speed (Homepage)(seconds) ~1.2s average — Page Speed (Typical Setup)(ms) 600-900ms — Uptime Guarantee(percent) 99.9% (Ghost Pro) — Monthly Bandwidth Included (Starter Plan)(GB) Unlimited — Hosting Uptime SLA(%) 99.9% — | ||
| Affiliate Commission Rate (Recurring)(%) | 30% | — |
| AI-Powered Writing Assistance (Native) | Yes - subject lines, optimization | — |
| Email Template Library Count(templates) | 80+ | — |
| Self-Hosting Support | No | Yes (fully open-source) |
| Self-Hosted Option(Yes/No) | No, managed-only | — |
| Content Export Completeness(%) | 70% (loses formatting) | 100% (full fidelity)(winner) |
| Setup Time for Beginners(hours) | 8-40+ hours | — |
| Setup Difficulty (1-10 scale)(difficulty score) | 7 (self-hosted) or 3 (Pro) | — |
| Design Customization(Collections/Year) | Full custom themes and CSS control | — |
| Available Themes(count) | 50+ | — |
| Design Templates Available(templates) | 15 premium themes | — |
| Audience Discovery Strength | Minimal, relies on external traffic | — |
| Built-in Audience Discovery(boolean) | No native recommendation algorithm | — |
| Available Plugins/Extensions(count) | 200+ | — |
| SEO Plugin Options(count) | 2-3 limited options | — |
| SEO Customization(scale 1-10) | 10/10 (full control) | — |
| Setup Time(minutes) | 30-60 minutes plus hosting | — |
| Data Ownership(text) | Full creator ownership (self-hosted) | — |
| Payment Payout Speed(days) | 2-5 days (processor dependent) | — |
| Monthly Subscriber Management Limit(subscribers) | Unlimited (self-hosted limits by server) | — |
| Native Mobile App(boolean) | Web-only; no native apps | — |
| Monthly Active Users(millions) | Not disclosed (smaller ecosystem) | — |
| Available Integrations(integrations) | 400+ (through open-source ecosystem) | — |
| Content Ownership(percentage of rights) | 100% (creator owns all) | — |
| E-commerce Transaction Limit(Annual USD) | No built-in limit; integrates Stripe/PayPal | — |
| Email Newsletter Features | Native segmentation, automation, design builder | — |
| Membership Management | Built-in tiers, gating, paywalls, analytics | — |
| Custom Domain Support | Unlimited | — |
| Design Customization Options(themes) | Unlimited (full code access) | — |
| REST API Availability(plan availability) | All plans | — |
| Data Ownership (Self-Hosted Option)(boolean) | Yes (full self-hosting available) | — |
| API Availability(text) | Yes (extensive public API) | — |
| Annual Investment (Entry Level)(USD) | $348 (Professional) + hosting | — |
| Third-party Integration Options(integrations) | 150+ via Zapier/API | — |
| Available Plugins/Integrations(count) | 200+ | — |
| Global Market Share(%) | <1% | — |
| Developer Community Size(forum posts) | 15,000+ | — |
| Ecommerce Features | Basic product pages; not primary focus | — |
| Email Newsletter Tool | Built-in with automation and segmentation | — |
| Hosting & SSL Included | Yes (Ghost Pro); No (self-hosted requires setup) | — |
| Monthly Active Platform Users(millions) | ~1.2 million publishers (estimated) | — |
| Data Portability & Ownership | Complete; full JSON export, subscriber lists accessible | — |
| Countries Supported(countries) | Stripe coverage: 195+ countries | — |
| Content Management Features(capabilities) | Full CMS with custom themes, SEO tools, member-only content | — |
| Price at 10,000 Subscribers(USD/month) | $29 (Ghost Pro) or $0 (self-hosted) | — |
BBeehiiv
GhostStarting Cost(USD)
$109
—
Revenue Share on Subscriptions(percent)
0% (flat fee model)
—
Startup Cost(USD)
$15/month for Pro plan
—
Starting Price(USD/month)
$0 (free tier available)
—
Pro Plan Monthly Cost (10k subscribers)(USD)
$84
—
Show 22 more attributes
Free Tier Subscriber Limit(subscribers)
Unlimited
—
Starting Monthly Price(USD)
$15/month
$29 (Ghost Pro) or $0 (self-hosted)
Free Plan Starting Price(USD)
$0 (Limited to 10,000 subscribers)
—
Pro Plan Monthly Cost(USD)
$39/month
—
Free Tier Availability(boolean)
Yes, unlimited subscribers
Self-hosted only
Payment Processing Fee(percent + fixed)
Included in 10% commission
No additional fees
Starting Price (Paid Plan)(USD/month)
$15/month
—
Pro Plan Price (Monthly)(USD)
$84
—
Starting Price (Monthly)(USD)
$42 (Beehiiv Pro)
$29 (Ghost Pro managed)
Price for 10,000 Subscribers(USD/month)
$99
$29 (unlimited)
Minimum Monthly Cost(USD)
$0
$29
Monthly Platform Cost(USD)
$99/month
—
Starting Monthly Cost(USD)
$18 (starter plan)
—
Average Monthly Cost (Managed)(USD)
$99
—
Platform Fee(% of revenue)
0% (self-hosted) or $25-333/month (managed)
—
Base Annual Cost(USD)
$199/year (Ghost Pro)
—
Base Monthly Price(USD)
$29 (Ghost Pro) / Free (self-hosted)
—
Mid-Tier Plan Price(USD)
$79
—
Commission on Sales(%)
0% on memberships
—
Base Monthly Cost (Managed Hosting)(USD)
$29-$199/month
—
Free Self-Hosted Option
Yes (open-source)
—
Monthly Cost (Base)(USD)
$0 (self-hosted) or $199 (managed)
—
Monetization Methods
Ads, paid subs, sponsorships, referrals, tips
Subscriptions, memberships, ads, sponsorships
Design Customization Level
Extensive templates and brand control
—
Built-in Discovery Features
Emerging recommendation system
—
Analytics Depth
Advanced multi-stream analytics and segmentation
—
API and Integration Support
Zapier, Make, and native integrations available
—
Show 48 more attributes
Automation & Segmentation Tools(features)
Advanced tagging, conditional logic, dynamic content
—
Content Distribution Channels
Email + social cross-posting + RSS feeds
—
Built-in Affiliate Program(yes/no)
Native Beehiiv Network with $10/referral
—
Built-in AI Content Tools
Subject lines, body copy, image generation
—
Automation Sequences Limit(sequences)
5 maximum
—
Segmentation Capabilities(trigger types)
15 behavioral triggers
—
Landing Page Templates(templates)
50+ templates
—
Monetization Methods Supported(count)
2 (paid subscriptions, sponsorships)
—
Email Automation Workflows(workflows)
Advanced (conditional logic, triggers, delays, A/B testing)
Basic (simple sequences, limited conditions)
Third-Party Integrations(integrations)
50+
—
Free Tier Email Subscriber Limit(subscribers)
Unlimited
—
Native Course Building
Limited (integrations only)
—
Landing Page Templates Available(templates)
25-30
—
Membership/Community Features
Basic (subscribers only)
—
Automation Workflows Available(workflows)
90+
—
Email Template Library(templates)
250+
—
Built-in Monetization Suite
Paid subscriptions, sponsorships, ads, referral program
—
Landing Page Builder Included(boolean)
No (Beehiiv Pro only, separate tool)
—
Custom Domain Email Support Entry Level(USD/month)
$75 (Creator+ plan)
—
Free Subscriber Limit(subscribers)
Unlimited
None (paid plan required)
Built-in Referral/Growth Tools
Yes (viral loops, referral program, growth dashboard)
No (manual setup required)
SEO Capabilities
Advanced (meta tags, sitemaps, structured data)
—
Built-in Community Features(count)
Newsletter, comments, member walls
—
Customization Level(scale 1-10)
Complete; full white-label
—
Customization Options
9/10 (full code access)
—
Built-in Templates(count)
15-20 professional themes
—
SEO Tools Included
Basic XML sitemaps, structured data, redirects
—
Newsletter Subscriber Limit (Mid-Tier)(subscribers)
10,000
—
Design Template Library(templates)
100+
—
Email Template Library Size(templates)
~20 templates
—
Native Membership/Paywall Features
Yes (full tier support)
—
Blog/CMS Functionality
Full-featured publishing platform
—
Email Subscriber Limit(subscribers)
Unlimited
—
Newsletter Automation Features(count)
Segmentation, A/B testing, automation workflows
—
CMS Content Limit (Top Tier)(items)
Unlimited
—
Built-in Membership System
Yes (native)
—
E-commerce Product Management
None
—
Monthly Newsletter Subscriber Allowance (Free Tier)(subscribers)
50,000
—
Content Types Supported(count)
Articles, newsletters, audio, video, courses, memberships, podcasts
—
Entry-Level Plan Max Users(users)
Unlimited
—
Built-in Membership/Subscription
Yes, native
—
E-commerce Capability
None
—
Email Newsletter Built-in
Yes, with automation
—
Design Customization Level(%)
Theme-based (~30% customization)
—
Email Newsletter Automation Features(count)
Segmentation, conditional logic, A/B testing, automation workflows
—
Built-in Paywall/Membership
Yes - native paywall with Stripe
—
Landing Page Builder(included)
No - requires custom development or third-party
—
Pre-Built Integrations(count)
50+ via Zapier, direct integrations minimal
—
Setup Time to First Newsletter(minutes)
30-45
—
Time to First Publish(minutes)
30-60 minutes (with setup)
—
Setup Time to First Email(minutes)
30-60 minutes
—
Setup Time for Non-Technical User(minutes)
120+ minutes (requires hosting setup)
—
Setup Time to Launch(minutes)
Self-hosted: 60-120 min; Managed: 15-20 min
—
Creator Revenue Share(%)
100% of all revenue
—
Built-in Sponsorship Network
Yes—exclusive sponsorship marketplace
—
Built-in Monetization Tools(features)
Paid tiers, sponsorships, referrals
—
Native Paid Subscription Feature
Yes - fully native
—
Advertising Network Integration
Yes (500+ advertisers in marketplace)
No (custom integration required)
Show 9 more attributes
Custom Payment Processor Support
Limited (Stripe only)
Multiple options (Stripe, PayPal, custom)
Revenue Retention Rate(%)
100%
—
Average Subscriber Payment(USD/month)
Variable by creator
—
Native Membership Features
Built-in (native feature)
—
Average Writer Earnings (Partner Program)(USD per month)
Variable (unlimited potential)
—
Membership Tiers(count)
Unlimited custom tiers
—
Built-in Membership/Subscription System
Native, built-in feature
—
Built-in Membership/Subscriptions
Native memberships with paywalls
—
Revenue Share on Subscriptions(percentage)
0-10% (platform fee varies by plan)
—
Monthly Active Users (Platform)(millions)
2+ (creators)
—
Subscriber Data Ownership
Full ownership; unrestricted CSV export
—
Setup Time (Hours)(hours)
2-3 (configure monetization and workflows)
—
Ease of Use Rating(1-5 scale)
9.2/10
—
Setup Time for First Campaign(minutes)
10 minutes
—
Setup Time for Beginners(minutes)
0.5-1 hour
—
Pre-built Automation Templates(count)
30+
—
Email Automation Complexity(workflow types)
Basic (5 trigger types, limited branching)
—
Advanced Automation Conditional Logic
Basic branching
—
Email Subscribers (Starter Tier)(count)
Unlimited
—
Free Trial Duration(days)
Unlimited (free tier)
—
Free Trial Length(days)
14 days for Ghost(Pro)
—
Free Trial Period(days)
14 days (self-hosted free indefinitely)
—
Course/Membership Hosting
Basic content gating only
—
Webinar Hosting Included
Not included
—
API Integrations Available(count)
2,000+ via Zapier
—
API Rate Limit(requests/minute)
60
—
User Rating (G2)(stars out of 5)
4.7/5 (based on 1,200+ reviews)
—
Platform Fee Percentage(%)
10%
—
Email Marketing Analytics Metrics(count)
8+ (opens, clicks, unsubscribes, growth, cohorts, engagement)
—
Total Active Creators(millions)
0.4
—
Free Plan Subscriber Limit(subscribers)
Unlimited
—
Creator Plan Monthly Cost (Annual Billing)(USD)
$25
—
Supported Communication Channels(count)
1 (Email only)
—
Built-in Monetization Features(count)
3 (Sponsorships, Boost ads, Premium tiers)
—
Supported Monetization Methods(count)
3 methods (subscriptions, memberships, email sponsorships)
—
E-commerce Platform Connectors(platforms)
2 (Shopify, limited WooCommerce)
—
API Access
Full REST API with custom code access
—
API Access Level(capability)
Full REST API with webhooks and custom integrations
—
Average Email Open Rate (User Reported)(percent)
32-38%
—
Average Email Open Rate(%)
94%
—
Email Deliverability Rate(%)
98.5%
97.2%
Page Speed (Average)(ms)
1200-1800
—
Bandwidth Allowance (Starter Plan)(GB/month)
Unlimited
—
Show 6 more attributes
CMS Collection Items (Performance Drop)(items)
Scales to 1,000,000+
—
Page Load Speed (Homepage)(seconds)
~1.2s average
—
Page Speed (Typical Setup)(ms)
600-900ms
—
Uptime Guarantee(percent)
99.9% (Ghost Pro)
—
Monthly Bandwidth Included (Starter Plan)(GB)
Unlimited
—
Hosting Uptime SLA(%)
99.9%
—
Affiliate Commission Rate (Recurring)(%)
30%
—
AI-Powered Writing Assistance (Native)
Yes - subject lines, optimization
—
Email Template Library Count(templates)
80+
—
Self-Hosting Support
No
Yes (fully open-source)
Self-Hosted Option(Yes/No)
No, managed-only
—
Content Export Completeness(%)
70% (loses formatting)
100% (full fidelity)
Setup Time for Beginners(hours)
8-40+ hours
—
Setup Difficulty (1-10 scale)(difficulty score)
7 (self-hosted) or 3 (Pro)
—
Design Customization(Collections/Year)
Full custom themes and CSS control
—
Available Themes(count)
50+
—
Design Templates Available(templates)
15 premium themes
—
Audience Discovery Strength
Minimal, relies on external traffic
—
Built-in Audience Discovery(boolean)
No native recommendation algorithm
—
Available Plugins/Extensions(count)
200+
—
SEO Plugin Options(count)
2-3 limited options
—
SEO Customization(scale 1-10)
10/10 (full control)
—
Setup Time(minutes)
30-60 minutes plus hosting
—
Data Ownership(text)
Full creator ownership (self-hosted)
—
Payment Payout Speed(days)
2-5 days (processor dependent)
—
Monthly Subscriber Management Limit(subscribers)
Unlimited (self-hosted limits by server)
—
Native Mobile App(boolean)
Web-only; no native apps
—
Monthly Active Users(millions)
Not disclosed (smaller ecosystem)
—
Available Integrations(integrations)
400+ (through open-source ecosystem)
—
Content Ownership(percentage of rights)
100% (creator owns all)
—
E-commerce Transaction Limit(Annual USD)
No built-in limit; integrates Stripe/PayPal
—
Email Newsletter Features
Native segmentation, automation, design builder
—
Membership Management
Built-in tiers, gating, paywalls, analytics
—
Custom Domain Support
Unlimited
—
Design Customization Options(themes)
Unlimited (full code access)
—
REST API Availability(plan availability)
All plans
—
Data Ownership (Self-Hosted Option)(boolean)
Yes (full self-hosting available)
—
API Availability(text)
Yes (extensive public API)
—
Annual Investment (Entry Level)(USD)
$348 (Professional) + hosting
—
Third-party Integration Options(integrations)
150+ via Zapier/API
—
Available Plugins/Integrations(count)
200+
—
Global Market Share(%)
<1%
—
Developer Community Size(forum posts)
15,000+
—
Ecommerce Features
Basic product pages; not primary focus
—
Email Newsletter Tool
Built-in with automation and segmentation
—
Hosting & SSL Included
Yes (Ghost Pro); No (self-hosted requires setup)
—
Monthly Active Platform Users(millions)
~1.2 million publishers (estimated)
—
Data Portability & Ownership
Complete; full JSON export, subscriber lists accessible
—
Countries Supported(countries)
Stripe coverage: 195+ countries
—
Content Management Features(capabilities)
Full CMS with custom themes, SEO tools, member-only content
—
Price at 10,000 Subscribers(USD/month)
$29 (Ghost Pro) or $0 (self-hosted)
—
Pros & Cons
10 pros·4 cons across both
B
B
Beehiiv
+5-2
Pros
- Free tier with no subscriber limits
- Native referral system for viral growth (300K+ creators use it)
- Integrated sponsor marketplace connecting publishers with brands
- Advanced segmentation and A/B testing for subject lines
- Mobile app for on-the-go content publishing
Cons
- Limited SEO capabilities—content not optimized for search discovery
- Proprietary platform with restricted data portability and export options
Ghost
+5-2
Pros
- Full data ownership with self-hosted option and export availability
- Advanced membership system with member-only content paywalls
- SEO-optimized public blog archive for organic discovery
- Native email newsletters plus blogging in single platform
- Developer-friendly with flexible theming and API access
Cons
- No built-in sponsor marketplace—sponsorships handled manually
- No native referral/growth viral mechanics for subscriber acquisition
Frequently Asked Questions
5 questions
Yes, but with limitations. You can export your subscriber list from Beehiiv, though email history and metadata may not fully transfer. Ghost requires manual import of subscribers and rebuilding of email templates. Data export capabilities are restricted compared to Ghost's full portability.
Resources & Learn More
Curated sources to dive deeper
Where to Buy
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