Ghost vs Substack (2026): Which Pays Better?
Both are popular newsletter platforms. Here is how Ghost and Substack stack up on requirements, what you keep, payout terms, strengths and weaknesses, and which one we would pick.
Ghost
Open-source publishing with newsletters, memberships and paywalls built in; 0% platform fee, hosted from $9 a month.
8.9 /10
Pricing: Open source, paid cloud from $9/mo
Pros
- Website, newsletter, paywall and memberships in one place with no cut of revenue
- Self-hostable and fully yours; excellent SEO and speed
Cons
- Fewer growth tools than Substack or beehiiv (no built-in network or ad marketplace)
- Self-hosting requires technical comfort
Substack
Free newsletter hosting with one-click paid subscriptions; Substack takes 10% of paid revenue.
8.5 /10
Pricing: Free
Pros
- Zero setup, the recommendation network brings subscribers, and paid tiers are one switch
- Podcasts, video, chat and Notes included
Cons
- 10% forever, and no ads or sponsorship tooling of its own
- Design control and custom domains are limited
Ghost vs Substack at a glance
| Ghost | Substack | |
|---|---|---|
| Editor score | 8.9 / 10 | 8.5 / 10 |
| Pricing model | Open source | Free |
| Starting price | $9/mo | Free |
| Web rank | #4.2k | #450 |
| Minimum traffic | None | None |
| Revenue share / fee | No revenue share; Ghost(Pro) hosting from $9/mo or self-host free | 10% of paid subscription revenue plus Stripe fees |
| Commission | – | – |
| Payout | Via your Stripe | Via Stripe (2-7 days) |
| Methods served | paid newsletter, newsletter sponsorship, memberships subscriptions, paywall premium content | paid newsletter, memberships subscriptions, podcast sponsorship |
| Niches accepted | General, Tech & SaaS, Finance & Insurance, Health & Supplements, Gaming & Esports, E-commerce & Retail | General, Tech & SaaS, Finance & Insurance, Health & Supplements, Gaming & Esports, E-commerce & Retail |
| Reader upvotes | 0 | 0 |
| Best for | newsletter, membership, paywall | newsletter, paid subscriptions, recommendations |
Our pick
Ghost edges it with a score of 8.9 versus 8.5. Ghost is the better fit if you value: website, newsletter, paywall and memberships in one place with no cut of revenue, self-hostable and fully yours; excellent seo and speed. Choose Substack instead if you need: zero setup, the recommendation network brings subscribers, and paid tiers are one switch, podcasts, video, chat and notes included.
Other newsletter platforms to consider
Full ranking →beehiiv 🧰 PlatformFreemium
Newsletter platform with paid subscriptions at 0% cut, a built-in ad network, referral program and boosts.
Kit (ConvertKit) 🧰 PlatformFreemium
Email marketing for creators with paid newsletters, digital product checkout, tip jars and a sponsor network.
MailerLite 🧰 PlatformFreemium
Affordable email marketing with paid newsletter subscriptions and digital product sales via Stripe.