Ghost vs Substack
Compared across 3 shared tasks, including run a paid newsletter and memberships for creators.
Short verdict
In the 3 TaskRanking use cases where both appear, Substack ranks higher in 2 and Ghost in 1. Average rank across these: Ghost 3.0, Substack 2.3 (1 = best).
Computed from our published rubric rankings, not paid placement.
Prices from vendor pages; Unverified and Contact sales are shown as-is.
Side by side
| Attribute | Ghost | Substack |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | From $18/month as listed (billed annually) pricing source · checked 2026-10-14 | Revenue share on paid subscriptions + Stripe 2.9% + $0.30 pricing source · checked 2026-10-14 |
| Free tier | Unverified | yes (free to publish) |
| Pricing model | From $18 | Free tier |
| What it is | Publishing and newsletter platform | Newsletter publishing |
| Use cases ranked in | 4 | 3 |
| Shared use cases won | 1 of 3 | 2 of 3 |
| Where it ranks (rank of 5) |
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Head to head on shared use cases
| Shared use case | Ghost | Substack | Higher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Run a paid newsletter | #3 | #1 | Substack |
| Memberships for creators | #4 | #2 | Substack |
| Publish a blog | #2 | #4 | Ghost |
Best for
Best for: Ghost
- Publish a blog (#2 vs #4)
- Build a paid online community (#5; the other isn’t ranked here)
Best for: Substack
- Run a paid newsletter (#1 vs #3)
- Memberships for creators (#2 vs #4)
FAQ
Is Ghost or Substack better?
Across the 3 TaskRanking use cases where both are ranked, Substack places higher in 2 and the other in 1. Best pick depends on the task; see the shared use cases table.
Is Ghost or Substack cheaper?
Ghost: paid from From $18/month as listed (billed annually) (free tier: Unverified; checked 2026-10-14). Substack: paid from Revenue share on paid subscriptions + Stripe 2.9% + $0.30 (free tier: yes (free to publish); checked 2026-10-14). Prices come from each vendor's own pricing page.
Do Ghost and Substack have free plans?
Ghost: Unverified. Substack: yes (free to publish). As listed on vendor pricing pages, last checked 2026-10-14.
Which tasks do both Ghost and Substack cover?
Both are ranked for: Run a paid newsletter; Memberships for creators; Publish a blog.