Is Ghost worth the price?
Ghost's pricing is quite generous, especially with the robust free self-hosted option.
The Starter plan at $18/month offers excellent value for new creators, while the Publisher plan at $29/month provides significant upgrades like paid subscriptions and custom themes for a modest increase. It's best for independent publishers and content creators looking for a powerful, ownership-focused platform.
Pricing Plans
Free TrialSelf-Hosted
Free
- Full Ghost platform via GitHub
- Unlimited members and content
- All core publishing and newsletter features
- Requires your own server and maintenance
Starter
$18/mo (billed yearly)
- 1 staff user
- 1,000 members
- Free custom domain
- Email newsletter
- Simple design settings
- 5 MB file uploads
Publisher
$29/mo (billed yearly)
- 3 staff users
- 1,000 members
- Custom themes
- 8,000+ integrations
- Paid subscriptions
- Advanced analytics
- 100 MB file uploads
- 3 newsletters
- Custom sending domain
Business
$199/mo (billed yearly)
- 15 staff users
- 10,000 members
- Priority support
- Early feature access
- 250 MB file uploads
- 10 newsletters
- 10 premium tiers
Custom
Contact us
- Unlimited staff users
- Unlimited members
- Dedicated IP
- 99.9% uptime SLA
- 1 GB file uploads
- Unlimited newsletters and premium tiers
- SSO support
Hidden Costs & Gotchas
Self-hosted requires server costs and technical expertise.
Billed yearly for listed monthly prices.
Member limits can necessitate plan upgrades.
Staff user limits can increase costs for teams.
Which Plan Do You Need?
Independent writers and bloggers
Newsletter-focused creators
Publishers seeking full content ownership
How Ghost Compares to Competitors
Compared to Substack, Ghost offers more ownership and customization, with a clear pricing structure vs. Substack's 10% revenue share. Against WordPress.com's business plans (often $25-$45/month), Ghost's Publisher plan at $29/month offers a more focused publishing experience with built-in newsletters and paid subscriptions without needing numerous plugins.
Ghost Pricing FAQ
How much does Ghost cost?
Ghost starts at $18/month on the Starter plan. It offers 3 paid tiers ranging from $18/month up to $199/month. A free plan is also available with limited features.
Does Ghost have a free plan?
Yes. Ghost offers a free plan called "Self-Hosted". It includes: Full Ghost platform via GitHub, Unlimited members and content, All core publishing and newsletter features.
Does Ghost offer a free trial?
Yes, Ghost offers a free trial. No credit card is typically required to start the trial, though this may vary.
What is the cheapest Ghost paid plan?
The cheapest paid plan for Ghost is "Starter" at $18/month. Key features include: 1 staff user, 1,000 members, Free custom domain.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Ghost?
Yes. Popular alternatives to Ghost include WordPress, Hashnode, Revue, beehiiv. Free alternatives include WordPress, Hashnode, Revue. Compare them side-by-side on Toolradar.
Cheaper alternatives to Ghost
Direct competitors with similar features. Many offer free tiers or lower per-seat pricing.
