Ghost vs Beehiiv
Side-by-side comparison of Ghost and Beehiiv.
Open-source publishing platform built for serious creators
Newsletter platform built for creator monetization.
What they are
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.
Beehiiv
Beehiiv is a newsletter platform designed specifically for independent writers and media operators who want to grow, monetize, and analyze their email audience without juggling multiple tools. It includes a built-in ad network, paid subscription tiers, referral programs, and detailed subscriber analytics in one place. The free plan is genuinely useful, though meaningful monetization and advanced analytics require a paid tier.
if you need hosting and monetization. It has a usable free tier to start with.
- +No platform cut on membership revenue, unlike Substack
- +Built-in email newsletter delivery included on paid plans
- +Clean, distraction-free editor focused on writing
if you need analytics and monetization. It has a usable free tier to start with.
- +Built-in ad network connects newsletters to sponsors without outreach
- +Native paid subscriptions keep revenue inside the platform
- +Referral program is configured without third-party tools
Which to choose
Ghost and Beehiiv both cover monetization, email marketing, so this is a real either-or for some teams. The right pick depends on which one's wider feature set and pricing fit how you work.
Read the full reviews for Ghost and Beehiiv.
Pricing checked 3 Jun 2026.