Ghost
Substack
Ghost
Substack
Ghost
Substack
No signals
Ghost
Substack
Ghost
Substack
Ghost
Substack
No signals
Ghost
No signals
Substack
Ghost
No signals
Substack
Users: Unlimited
Storage: Depends on host
Limits: Requires technical skills, server management, and ongoing maintenance. Mailgun setup required for newsletters.
Users: 1 staff
Storage: Limited
Limits: 1,000 members max, 1 staff only, Monday-Friday email support, 90-day analytics only
Users: 3 staff
Storage: Standard
Limits: 1,000 members included, Mailgun-only emails, Limited theme marketplace
Users: 15 staff
Storage: Large
Limits: 1,000 members base, Expensive for small publishers, Significant price jump from Publisher
Users: Custom
Storage: Custom
Limits: Pricing not transparent, Minimum subscriber requirements, Annual commitments
Users: Unlimited
Storage: Unlimited
Limits: No paid subscriptions, Limited customization, No advanced email features, No API
Users: Unlimited
Storage: Unlimited
Limits: 10% platform fee, ~13-14% total fees, No advanced email marketing, No API, Limited analytics
Users: Unlimited
Storage: Unlimited
Limits: Invitation only, Not publicly available, Terms vary by creator
| Feature | Ghost | Substack |
|---|---|---|
| Publishing | ||
| Built-in newsletters Native email newsletters with Stripe integration | ||
| Markdown editor Clean, distraction-free writing experience | ||
| Pricing | ||
| Free to start Completely free until paid subscriptions enabled | ||
| Self-hosting option Open-source, can self-host for free (with complexity) | ||
| Monetization | ||
| Membership/subscriptions Paid subscriptions with tiered access | ||
| Built-in monetization One-click paid subscriptions with Stripe | ||
| Performance | ||
| Fast page loads Significantly faster than WordPress | ||
| Core | ||
| Subscriber ownership Export email list anytime | ||
| Full website builder Publishing-focused only, not full CMS | ||
| SEO | ||
| Native SEO Built-in SEO without plugins needed | ||
| Growth | ||
| Network discovery Recommendations, Notes, cross-posts | ||
| Development | ||
| Headless CMS API Powerful Content API for custom frontends | ||
| Usability | ||
| Simple publishing Clean editor, minimal learning curve | ||
| Branding | ||
| Custom domain Connect your own domain | ||
| Design customization Very limited options | ||
| Engagement | ||
| Community features Notes, Chat, comments | ||
| Maintenance | ||
| No plugin management Most features built-in, no plugin conflicts | ||
| Access | ||
| Mobile apps iOS and Android reading apps | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Multiple email providers Mailgun only - no SendGrid, SES, etc. | ||
| Public API No API access whatsoever | ||
| Marketing | ||
| Email automations No automated sequences | ||
| Subscriber segmentation Can't segment by behavior or interest | ||
| A/B testing No subject line or content testing | ||
| Customization | ||
| Visual theme customization Code required for customization beyond basics | ||
| Large theme marketplace Only 92 themes total, 15 free | ||
| Selling | ||
| E-commerce Memberships only, no product sales | ||
| E-commerce integrations Subscriptions only, no products | ||
| Content | ||
| Media library management No proper media organization or reuse | ||
| Support | ||
| Weekend support Starter tier has Monday-Friday only | ||
| Human customer support AI chatbots only, 1.4/5 rating | ||
| Localization | ||
| Multi-language support English-focused, portal/emails hard to translate | ||
| Analytics | ||
| Advanced analytics Basic stats only | ||
