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Beehiiv vs Ghost: Which is right for you? (1970)

TL;DR

  • Choose Beehiiv if paywall conversion optimization is the priority.
  • Choose Ghost if keeping fees low matters most.
  • Both work for: newsletters.

Beehiiv

Free up to 2,500 subscribers. Scale from $42/month. 0% platform fee on paid subs.

Newsletter platform built for growth. Strong analytics, A/B testing for subject lines, paid subscriptions, and a built-in ad network. 0% platform fee on paid subscriptions.

Ghost

Self-hosted: free. Ghost(Pro): from $9/month. Stripe handles payments (0% platform fee).

Open source publishing platform with native paid memberships via Stripe. 0% platform fee — only Stripe's processing costs. Best for established writers who want full control.

Pricing comparison

Pricing model
flat_monthly
flat_monthly
Detail
Free up to 2,500 subscribers. Scale from $42/month. 0% platform fee on paid subs.
Self-hosted: free. Ghost(Pro): from $9/month. Stripe handles payments (0% platform fee).

Feature comparison

Beehiiv
Ghost
Merchant of record
No
No
Paywalls
Yes
Yes
A/B testing
Yes
No
Tax handled
No
No
No-code
Yes
Yes
Open source
No
Yes
Ease of setup
5/5
3/5
Fee competitiveness
4/5
5/5
Conversion tooling
4/5
3/5
Advanced billing
2/5
2/5

Best for

Beehiiv is best for Newsletters, Creators, paid subscriptions, ad monetization, Digital products, Paywall optimization. Ghost is best for Newsletters, blogs, Memberships, indie creators, open source, Creators.

FAQ

Is Beehiiv better than Ghost?

Neither is universally better. Beehiiv is the right pick if paywall conversion optimization is the priority; Ghost wins if keeping fees low matters most.

Which is cheaper, Beehiiv or Ghost?

Ghost ranks higher on fee competitiveness (5/5). Beehiiv pricing: Free up to 2,500 subscribers. Scale from $42/month. 0% platform fee on paid subs.. Ghost pricing: Self-hosted: free. Ghost(Pro): from $9/month. Stripe handles payments (0% platform fee)..

Can I switch from Beehiiv to Ghost?

Yes — most subscription and billing tools support migration via CSV import or API. Expect to reconfigure webhooks, paywalls, and entitlements. Check both vendors' migration docs before committing.

Does Beehiiv handle sales tax?

No. Beehiiv does not handle tax registrations — you handle those yourself or via a separate tool.

All Beehiiv alternatives →All Ghost alternatives →

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