Compare
Beehiiv vs Ghost · free list or paid site with a newsletter
The short answer
Beehiiv is a newsletter tool with growth and money tools built in: an ad network, referrals and paid recommendations. Ghost is a website builder with a newsletter and paid memberships built in. Neither one takes a cut of paid subscriptions. Stripe, the card processor, still charges its own fee on both. The cheaper pick flips with the job. For a free newsletter under 2,500 readers, Beehiiv Free costs $0. For a paid newsletter at 10,000 readers, Ghost Publisher costs less than Beehiiv Lite.
our pick
Our pick
Beehiiv wins for a free newsletter under 2,500 readers, and for any newsletter that wants to earn from ads or paid recommendations. Ghost wins for a paid newsletter that also needs its own website.
What each tool does
How the two tools compare
| Beehiiv | Ghost | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A newsletter tool with an ad network, referrals and paid recommendations. | A website builder with a newsletter and paid memberships. |
| Free plan | Free costs $0 up to 2,500 subscribers, with unlimited sends. | No free plan. Starter is $15 a month billed yearly or $18 billed monthly, up to 1,000 members. |
| Paid subscriptions | On Lite and Pro. Beehiiv takes 0% of paid subscription revenue. | From Publisher up. Ghost's pricing page says no payment fees. Starter has no paid subscriptions. |
| 10,000 readers, entry paid plan | Lite is $119 a month billed yearly or $139 billed monthly. | Publisher is $88 a month billed yearly or $105 billed monthly. |
| 10,000 readers, next plan | Pro is $199 a month billed yearly or $239 billed monthly. | Business is $199 a month billed yearly or $239 billed monthly. |
| Team logins | Lite has 2 seats and Pro has 10. A seat is one user login. | Publisher has 3 staff users and Business has 15. |
| Ways to earn | Paid subscriptions, an ad network and paid recommendations, where other newsletters pay you to suggest them. | Paid subscriptions and memberships on your own site. |
How to pick one if you only have 10 seconds
- Beehiiv is a newsletter with growth tools. Ghost is a website with a newsletter.
- Beehiiv Free is $0 up to 2,500 subscribers. Ghost Starter is $15 a month billed yearly or $18 billed monthly, up to 1,000 members, with no paid subscriptions.
- At 10,000 readers, Ghost Publisher is $88 a month billed yearly. Beehiiv Lite is $119 a month billed yearly.
- At 10,000 readers, Beehiiv Pro and Ghost Business are both $199 a month billed yearly.
- Neither takes a cut of paid subscriptions. Stripe fees apply on both.
Who should buy each one
Pick Beehiiv if
- Your newsletter is free and has fewer than 2,500 readers.
- You want to earn from ads or paid recommendations.
- You want growth tools like referrals in the newsletter tool.
Pick Ghost if
- You sell paid subscriptions and want a full website around them.
- You have about 10,000 readers on a paid newsletter and want the lower monthly bill.
- You want a website with articles and pages as well as email.
Common questions
Is Ghost cheaper than Beehiiv?▾
For a paid newsletter at 10,000 readers, yes. Ghost Publisher is $88 a month billed yearly and Beehiiv Lite is $119. For a free newsletter under 2,500 readers, Beehiiv Free costs $0 and Ghost has no free plan.
Does Ghost Starter allow paid subscriptions?▾
No. Ghost's plan table shows no paid subscriptions on Starter. Publisher is the first plan with them.
Do Beehiiv or Ghost take a cut of paid subscriptions?▾
Neither takes a cut. Stripe still charges its card fee on both. On Beehiiv that is 2.9% plus $0.30 per charge.
What happens to my Beehiiv price on renewal?▾
Beehiiv changed its prices on October 1, 2026. If you already pay Beehiiv, the new price starts at your first renewal on or after November 1, 2026.
what to do next
What to do next
Write down two things: your reader count, and whether any readers pay. If the newsletter is free and under 2,500 readers, or you want ads and paid recommendations, open Beehiiv and start on Free. If you sell paid subscriptions and want your own website, price Ghost Publisher at your list size on Ghost's pricing page. We checked Beehiiv's prices and Ghost's prices on October 19, 2026. Try Beehiiv Next · Beehiiv vs Substack runs the fee math against a 10% cut · Substack alternatives lists Ghost and others · Beehiiv pricing lists every Beehiiv plan.