Pluckly
Comparison

Captivate vs Ghost

Side-by-side comparison of Captivate and Ghost for content creators.

Tool
Captivate

Podcast hosting built for serious independent creators

Ghost

Open-source publishing platform built for serious creators

Starting price
From $17/mo
From $15/mo
Founded
2019
Pricing model
subscription
freemium
Free option
Paid only
Free tier

What they are

Captivate

Captivate is a podcast hosting platform aimed at independent podcasters and small networks who want distribution, analytics, and monetization tools in one place. It handles unlimited podcasts and team members on every plan, which is unusual at this price point. The analytics go deeper than most entry-level hosts, but the platform has no free tier, so beginners testing the waters will need to commit from day one.

Ghost

Ghost is an independent publishing platform that combines a CMS, email newsletter tool, and membership system in one place. It is used by independent writers, journalists, and media companies who want to own their audience without relying on third-party platforms. The open-source core can be self-hosted for free, while Ghost Pro handles hosting at a monthly fee. The tradeoff is that it is more opinionated than WordPress and has a steeper learning curve for non-technical users.

Which to choose

Full editorial comparison coming soon. For now, check the side-by-side data above and read the individual reviews for Captivate and Ghost.