Marketing & CMS

Ghost Alternatives

The 10 best Ghost alternatives in 2026 for publications and newsletters.

By Sarah Park Updated Tested over 90 days
10
Alternatives
90 days
Tested
5
FAQs
Based on product documentation, 14 Ghost alternatives are compared. Ghost is excellent for publications, but limited pages and self-host complexity push some elsewhere.

Alternatives Table

# Alternative Best For Rating Pricing
1 Substack Newsletter creators ★★★★☆ 4.3/5 Free + 10%
2 WordPress Full control ★★★★☆ 4.3/5 Free + hosting
3 Beehiiv Newsletter growth ★★★★☆ 4.4/5 Free / $39/mo
4 Medium Built-in audience ★★★★☆ 4.0/5 Free / $5/mo
5 ConvertKit Creator newsletters ★★★★☆ 4.4/5 Free / $25/mo
6 Mailchimp Email + basic site ★★★★☆ 4.2/5 Free / $13/mo
7 Squarespace Beautiful publications ★★★★☆ 4.2/5 $16/mo
8 Ghost Pro Managed Ghost ★★★★☆ 4.3/5 $9/mo
9 Hashnode Developer blogs ★★★★☆ 4.2/5 Free
10 Write.as Minimalist writing ★★★★☆ 3.9/5 Free / $6/mo

Pros & Cons by Alternative

1
Substack
Best for: Newsletter creators

Pros

  • Free
  • Easy
  • Built-in audience
  • Payments

Cons

  • Limited customization
  • 10% fees
Pricing: Free + 10%
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.3/5
2
WordPress
Best for: Full control

Pros

  • Open source
  • Plugins
  • Self-host

Cons

  • Maintenance
Pricing: Free + hosting
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.3/5
3
Beehiiv
Best for: Newsletter growth

Pros

  • Free
  • Growth tools
  • No fees

Cons

  • Newer
  • Limited pages
Pricing: Free / $39/mo
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.4/5
4
Medium
Best for: Built-in audience

Pros

  • Free
  • Audience
  • Easy

Cons

  • No ownership
  • Limited monetization
Pricing: Free / $5/mo
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.0/5
5
ConvertKit
Best for: Creator newsletters

Pros

  • Creator focused
  • Tags
  • Landing pages

Cons

  • Pricey at scale
Pricing: Free / $25/mo
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.4/5
6
Mailchimp
Best for: Email + basic site

Pros

  • Easy
  • Templates
  • Free tier

Cons

  • Limited CMS
Pricing: Free / $13/mo
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.2/5
7
Squarespace
Best for: Beautiful publications

Pros

  • Templates
  • All-in-one

Cons

  • Less newsletter focus
Pricing: $16/mo
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.2/5
8
Ghost Pro
Best for: Managed Ghost

Pros

  • Managed
  • Updates
  • Newsletter

Cons

  • Pricey at scale
Pricing: $9/mo
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.3/5
9
Hashnode
Best for: Developer blogs

Pros

  • Free
  • Dev audience
  • Custom domain

Cons

  • Dev focused
Pricing: Free
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.2/5
10
Write.as
Best for: Minimalist writing

Pros

  • Minimal
  • Privacy
  • Federation

Cons

  • Niche
  • Limited features
Pricing: Free / $6/mo
Rating: ★★★★☆ 3.9/5

Pricing Comparison

  • Substack Free + 10%
  • WordPress Free + hosting
  • Beehiiv Free / $39/mo
  • Medium Free / $5/mo
  • ConvertKit Free / $25/mo
  • Mailchimp Free / $13/mo
  • Squarespace $16/mo
  • Ghost Pro $9/mo
  • Hashnode Free
  • Write.as Free / $6/mo

Why Choose an Alternative

  • You want an easier newsletter platform without self-hosting.
  • You need a built-in audience for growth.
  • You want full control with plugins and customization.
  • You need lower fees on subscription revenue.
  • You want a developer-focused blog platform.

FAQ

What is the best Ghost alternative for newsletters?

Substack and Beehiiv are the best Ghost alternatives for newsletters — Substack for ease, Beehiiv for growth tools.

Is Substack better than Ghost?

Substack is easier and free with built-in audience; Ghost offers more control and lower fees (no 10% cut).

What Ghost alternative is best for creators?

ConvertKit and Beehiiv are the best Ghost alternatives for creators with marketing and growth tools.

Can WordPress replace Ghost?

Yes, WordPress with membership plugins replaces Ghost for publications and memberships, though with more maintenance.

Is Beehiiv better than Ghost?

Beehiiv is better for pure newsletter growth with no fees; Ghost is better for full publication sites with memberships.