Ghost vs Beehiiv
Detailed comparison to help you choose the right tool for your needs
G
Ghost
The creator platform for independent publishers
4.2
Editorial RatingQuick Comparison
Rating
4.2
vs4.6
Starting Price
$9
vsFree
Pricing Model
paid
vsfreemium
Feature
Ghost
Beehiiv
Newsletter sending
Membership tiers
Paid subscriptions
SEO tools
Full blogging CMS
Self-hostable
Referral program
Analytics
Ad network
Segmentation
Ghost Pros
- Open source — full ownership of your content
- Best SEO of any newsletter platform
- No revenue cut on paid subscriptions
- Self-hosting option for maximum control
- Professional blogging CMS built in
Ghost Cons
- More technical setup than Substack
- Design customization requires knowing Handlebars/CSS
- No built-in discovery network
- Member limits on lower plans
Beehiiv Pros
- Best monetization tools of any newsletter platform
- Built-in ad network for passive revenue
- Referral system drives organic growth
- Strong analytics and subscriber insights
- No revenue cut on paid subscriptions
Beehiiv Cons
- Free plan limited to 2500 subscribers
- Less established than Mailchimp or ConvertKit
- Scale plan expensive for smaller newsletters