Ghost vs Keila: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for Ghost and Keila side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below, Ghost leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
Ghost
Professional publishing platform
Best for you if:
- • You want a free tier before you commit
Keila
Open-source email newsletter tool for easy and reliable campaign management.
Best for you if:
- • You want 100% Open Source, offering full control and no vendor lock-in
| At a Glance | Ghost | Keila |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | Free plan, paid from $18/mo, billed yearly Starter plan | From $8.56/mo, billed monthly Keila XS plan |
Category | CMS Blogging Platforms | Email Marketing Newsletter Tools |
Rating | 3.9/5 Capterra 4.8 · SourceForge 2.4 · G2 4.5 264 reviews | n/a |
Free plan | Yes | No |
Choose Ghost or Keila?
Choose Ghost if
- You want a free tier before you commit
- You want zero platform transaction fees on paid memberships, only standard Stripe fees apply
- You want purpose-built for content monetization with native newsletters and subscriptions
- You work in CMS, not email marketing
Choose Keila if
- You want 100% Open Source, offering full control and no vendor lock-in
- You want strong emphasis on user privacy with customizable tracking options
- You work in email marketing, not CMS
In-Depth Analysis
Ghost
Professional publishing platform
Ghost's pricing is quite generous, especially with the robust free self-hosted option.
Strengths
- Pro: Zero platform transaction fees on paid memberships, only standard Stripe fees apply
- Pro: Purpose-built for content monetization with native newsletters and subscriptions
- Pro: Open source and fully self-hostable with no vendor lock-in
- Pro: Clean, fast editor that stays out of the way for long-form writing
- Pro: Strong SEO defaults including structured data, canonical URLs, and sitemaps
Weaknesses
- Con: Managed Ghost(Pro) pricing scales with member count, which gets expensive at scale
- Con: Theme customization requires Handlebars knowledge, no drag-and-drop page builder
- Con: Plugin ecosystem is limited compared to WordPress
- Con: Self-hosting requires Node.js server management and manual updates
- Con: No built-in commenting system, requires third-party integration
Key features
Keila
Open-source email newsletter tool for easy and reliable campaign management.
Keila's pricing is fair, offering a clear value proposition based on email volume.
Strengths
- Pro: 100% Open Source, offering full control and no vendor lock-in
- Pro: Strong emphasis on user privacy with customizable tracking options
- Pro: Flexible email creation methods to suit different user preferences
- Pro: Powerful segmentation and personalization capabilities for targeted campaigns
- Pro: Hosted in the EU, ensuring strict European privacy standards
Weaknesses
- Con: Zapier integration is currently in private beta, limiting no-code/low-code options for some users
- Con: Requires self-hosting for full data control, which may require technical expertise
- Con: Being open-source, community support might be the primary channel for some issues
Key features
Plans and prices: Ghost vs Keila
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Ghost |
| ghost.org/pricing read Oct 14, 2026 |
| Keila |
| keila.io/pricing read Oct 5, 2026 |
Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on Ghost pricing and Keila pricing.
Key Takeaways
Ghost
- Has a free plan
Keila
- Choose if you want open-source email newsletter tool for easy and reliable campaign management
What the data shows
On the data below, Ghost leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
- Only Ghost has a published user rating (3.9/5 from 264 reviews); Keila has none we can show.
- Entry prices are not ranked, they are charged on different bases: Ghost $18/mo, billed yearly; Keila $8.56/mo, billed monthly.
- Only Ghost has a free plan.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Ghost and Keila compare in 2026?
On the data below, Ghost leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair. Only Ghost has a published user rating (3.9/5 from 264 reviews); Keila has none we can show. Entry prices are not ranked, they are charged on different bases: Ghost $18/mo, billed yearly; Keila $8.56/mo, billed monthly. Only Ghost has a free plan.
What are Ghost and Keila used for?
Ghost: Professional publishing platform. Keila: Open-source email newsletter tool for easy and reliable campaign management.
What does Ghost cost vs Keila?
Ghost's cheapest paid plan is Starter at $18/mo, billed yearly; it also has a free plan. Keila's cheapest paid plan is Keila XS at $8.56/mo, billed monthly. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Oct 14, 2026.
What's the main difference between Ghost and Keila?
Ghost's main strength: zero platform transaction fees on paid memberships, only standard Stripe fees apply. Keila's main strength: 100% Open Source, offering full control and no vendor lock-in.