GTM Tech Stack
Best ofGTMUpdated Oct 26, 2026

Best Ghost alternatives · when an upgrade to Publisher costs less than a move

Ghost(Pro), Ghost’s hosted service, prices every plan by members, the people signed up to your site and newsletter. Its cheapest plan, Starter, can’t take paid subscriptions and has no advanced native analytics.

Notes from GTM teamsWritten by people who run outboundWe use the tools we recommend.

our pick for you

Our pick

Stay on Ghost and move to Publisher if you need paid members on a budget. At 1,000 members, Publisher is $29 a month billed yearly. Billed yearly means you pay for 12 months up front. Pick beehiiv if you want a free list up to 2,500 subscribers and an ad network, a service that sells ads in your newsletter for you. Pick Substack if you want no monthly bill and accept a 10% cut of paid revenue.

  • Ghost Starter is $15 a month billed yearly, or $18 billed monthly, at 1,000 members, and it can’t take paid subscriptions.
  • Ghost Publisher is $29 a month billed yearly, or $35 billed monthly, at 1,000 members, with a 0% Ghost fee on paid subscriptions.
  • beehiiv Lite is $49 a month billed yearly, or $59 billed monthly, at up to 1,000 subscribers, with a 0% beehiiv cut on paid subscriptions.
  • beehiiv Free costs $0 a month up to 2,500 subscribers, with no paid tiers and no custom domain.
  • Substack has no monthly plan price and keeps 10% of paid revenue.
  • Self-hosted Ghost is free software under the MIT license. You pay for the server.

Ranked picks

  1. #1
    Beehiivtop pick

    Best for: Creators who want a free list up to 2,500 subscribers and growth tools such as an ad network.

    Free to 2,500 subscribers.Newsletter
    • Free up to 2,500 subscribers, against Ghost Starter at $15 a month billed yearly for 1,000 members.
    • The ad network starts on Lite.
    • A 0% beehiiv cut on paid subscriptions. Stripe still takes 2.9% plus $0.30 per card charge.
    Go to the websiteRead our review
  2. #2
    Ghost

    Best for: Ghost Starter users who need paid members or advanced analytics.

    At 10,000 members:…Newsletter
    • The lowest flat fee for paid members at 1,000 in this list.
    • No move needed if you already run Ghost Starter.
    • A 0% Ghost fee on paid subscriptions.
    Read our review
  3. #3
    Substack

    Best for: Writers who want no monthly bill and accept a 10% cut.

    Credit / waterfallNewsletter
    • No monthly plan price.
    • Costs less than Ghost Publisher at $29 a month billed yearly until paid revenue passes about $290 a month, since $29 divided by 10% is $290.
    Read our review
  4. #4
    Self-hosted Ghost

    Best for: Builders who can run a server and want Ghost’s software for free.

    See vendor pricingNewsletter
    • Free software under the MIT license.
    Read our review

Compare

ToolPrice bandBest forDealbreaker
#1 BeehiivFree to 2,500 subscribers.Creators who want a free list up to 2,500 subscribers and growth tools such as an ad network.For paid members at 1,000 subscribers, beehiiv Lite costs $20 a month more than Ghost…
#2 GhostAt 10,000 members:…Ghost Starter users who need paid members or advanced analytics.The price climbs with members, from $29 at 1,000 to $46 at 2,500 and $63 at 5,000, all a…
#3 SubstackCredit / waterfallWriters who want no monthly bill and accept a 10% cut.Above about $290 a month in paid revenue, Substack’s 10% cut costs more than Ghost…
#4 Self-hosted GhostSee vendor pricingBuilders who can run a server and want Ghost’s software for free.Self-hosted means you run the server and its updates yourself.
MethodHow we scored these tools▾

Prices are each platform’s list prices as of October 26, 2026. Ghost and beehiiv prices are shown billed yearly and billed monthly. The math covers 1,000 and 2,500 members.

Who it's for

buy if

  • You run a Ghost Starter site and want paid members or better analytics.
  • You are pricing Ghost(Pro) against beehiiv or Substack.
  • You want to know what a move off Ghost(Pro) keeps and loses.

skip if

  • Skip a move if your only gap is paid subscriptions. Ghost Publisher adds them for $29 a month billed yearly at 1,000 members.
  • Skip self-hosted Ghost if you don’t want to run a server.

The short answer

Stay on Ghost and move to Publisher if you need paid members on a budget. Publisher is $29 a month billed yearly at 1,000 members.

Pick beehiiv if you want a free list up to 2,500 subscribers and an ad network. beehiiv Free costs $0, and Lite adds paid subscriptions at $49 a month billed yearly.

Pick Substack if you want no monthly bill. Substack keeps 10% of paid revenue.

Pick self-hosted Ghost if you can run a server. The software is free under the MIT license.

What each Ghost(Pro) plan costs at 1,000 members

As of October 26, 2026, Ghost(Pro) has three plans at 1,000 members:

Starter: $15 a month billed yearly, or $18 billed monthly.

Publisher: $29 a month billed yearly, or $35 billed monthly.

Business: $199 a month billed yearly, or $239 billed monthly, with 15 staff users.

Publisher’s price rises with members. Ghost prices its plans from 1,000 to more than 100,000 members.

Publisher at more members, all billed yearly or billed monthly:

2,500 members: $46 a month billed yearly, or $55 billed monthly.

5,000 members: $63 a month billed yearly, or $75 billed monthly.

7,500 members: $79 a month billed yearly, or $95 billed monthly.

What Ghost Starter leaves out

Ghost Starter gives you a website, a free custom domain and an email newsletter for up to 1,000 members.

As of October 26, 2026, Ghost Starter has no paid subscriptions and no advanced native analytics.

Both arrive on Publisher. So a Starter user who wants paid members can upgrade on Ghost for $14 a month more billed yearly, $29 against $15.

What paid members cost at 1,000 and 2,500

The math: on October 26, 2026 prices, all billed yearly:

1,000 members on Ghost Publisher: $29 a month, with a 0% Ghost fee.

1,000 subscribers on beehiiv Lite: $49 a month billed yearly, with a 0% beehiiv cut.

2,500 members on Ghost Publisher: $46 a month.

2,500 subscribers on beehiiv Lite: $69 a month.

Substack at any size: no plan price, 10% of paid revenue.

For paid members, Ghost Publisher costs $20 a month less than beehiiv Lite at 1,000 and $23 less at 2,500. For a free list of 2,500, beehiiv Free costs $0 a month.

Why every Ghost price needs a date

Ghost has changed Ghost(Pro) prices before. Molly White, who writes the newsletter Citation Needed, noted on X in August 2025 that past Ghost users kept their old prices.

So the prices above carry the date they were checked, October 26, 2026. If you signed up earlier, your bill can differ from these prices.

What users say

“Just realized that Ghost doesn’t have web analytics (only newsletter) unless I pay... double?”

“I’ve updated my past newsletter platform cost comparison to incorporate Ghost’s recent pricing changes for Ghost Pro. (Note that past Ghost users are grandfathered in.)”

Common questions

What is the best alternative to Ghost?▾

For a free list up to 2,500 subscribers, beehiiv. For paid members on a budget, staying on Ghost and moving to Publisher costs less. For no monthly bill, Substack.

How much does Ghost cost?▾

On October 26, 2026 at 1,000 members, Starter is $15 a month billed yearly, Publisher $29 and Business $199. Billed monthly, they are $18, $35 and $239.

Can I use Ghost for free?▾

Yes, if you self-host. Ghost’s software is free under the MIT license, and you pay for the server. As of October 26, 2026, Ghost(Pro) has no free plan.

Is beehiiv cheaper than Ghost?▾

For a free list up to 2,500 subscribers, yes, at $0 a month. For paid members at 1,000, no. beehiiv Lite is $49 a month billed yearly and Ghost Publisher is $29.

Which is better, Substack or Ghost?▾

Substack costs less than Ghost Publisher at $29 a month billed yearly while paid revenue stays under about $290 a month, since Substack takes 10% with no plan price. Above that, Ghost Publisher at $29 a month billed yearly costs less.

Sources7 references▾

what to do next

What to do next

Open your Ghost admin and check two things: your plan and your member count. If you are on Starter and need paid members, price Publisher at your member count before you move. If you want a free list up to 2,500 subscribers and an ad network later, start beehiiv on Free. Try beehiiv Next · beehiiv vs Ghost compares the two side by side · beehiiv pricing prices every beehiiv plan · Substack alternatives covers the 10% route.

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