- Choose Substack if you want to start writing today with nothing to set up.
- Choose Ghost if you want full ownership, your own design and no revenue share.
- Ghost takes no cut of subscriptions; Substack takes a percentage of paid revenue.
- Ghost asks more of you, especially if you self-host.
At a glance
| Topic | Substack | Ghost |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Writers who want simplicity and a reader network | Publishers who want ownership, a full website and flexibility |
| How you pay | Free to start; takes a percentage of paid subscription revenue | Ghost(Pro) hosting plans, or self-host; no cut of subscription revenue (paid memberships from the Publisher plan up) |
| Ownership | Hosted on Substack, with its branding and network | Open source; your site, members and data, on your terms |
| Design | Uniform Substack look | Full themes for the site and the newsletter |
| Memberships and payments | Paid subscriptions through your own connected Stripe account | Memberships and tiers through your own Stripe account |
| API and integrations | No general-purpose public API (only limited official access) | Admin and Content APIs plus webhooks |
| Discovery | Built-in reader network and app | Recommendations, the Ghost Explore directory and social web (ActivityPub) following; no large in-house reader network |
| Effort | Very low | Moderate, higher if self-hosted |
The real difference: rent or own
Substack is like renting a well-run apartment in a busy building: easy to move in, with neighbors who might find you, but you live by the building's rules. Ghost is like owning a house: more to look after, but you decide how it looks, who you share data with and what it costs.
Choose Substack if
- You want zero setup and to focus purely on writing
- Discovery through the Substack network matters
- You are testing whether a paid newsletter works
Choose Ghost if
- You want your own brand, site and design
- A revenue share would cost you meaningful money
- You want APIs for automation and custom tools
Moving from Substack to Ghost
Ghost provides tools for importing Substack content and members, and because both use Stripe, paying members can usually be connected. Plan redirects, warm-up and communication with readers. See our Ghost page and migration guide.
What most comparisons miss
Self-hosting is a real commitment
Self-hosted Ghost is affordable, but someone has to own updates, backups, security and email delivery. Ghost(Pro) removes that work for a fee.
The network effect is hard to replace
Some Substack writers get a large share of new readers from the network. Before leaving, find out where your growth actually comes from.
Ownership pays off with sponsors
A site and newsletter you control make it easier to offer clean sponsor placements, reporting and media kits.
Platforms change their features and pricing often. Check each platform's current plans before you decide.