Ghost vs Substack: Which is right for you? (1970)
TL;DR
- Choose Ghost if keeping fees low matters most.
- Choose Substack if you want the simplest, fastest setup.
- Both work for: newsletters.
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.
Substack
10% of paid subscription revenue. Stripe handles payments.
Simplest way to launch a paid newsletter. Large built-in discovery network. 10% fee at scale makes it expensive compared to Ghost or Beehiiv.
Pricing comparison
Feature comparison
Best for
Ghost is best for Newsletters, blogs, Memberships, indie creators, open source, Creators. Substack is best for Newsletters, writers, podcasts, new creators, Creators, Digital products.
FAQ
Is Ghost better than Substack?
Neither is universally better. Ghost is the right pick if keeping fees low matters most; Substack wins if you want the simplest, fastest setup.
Which is cheaper, Ghost or Substack?
Ghost ranks higher on fee competitiveness (5/5). Ghost pricing: Self-hosted: free. Ghost(Pro): from $9/month. Stripe handles payments (0% platform fee).. Substack pricing: 10% of paid subscription revenue. Stripe handles payments..
Can I switch from Ghost to Substack?
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 Ghost handle sales tax?
No. Ghost does not handle tax registrations — you handle those yourself or via a separate tool.
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