Alternatives · Email Marketing
Ghost alternatives
As of Nov 12, 2026, the highest-graded Ghost alternative is Substack (3.2 GPA). It's also the best free one.
Ghost compared with 5 alternatives: Substack, beehiiv, Buttondown, Kit and MailerLite.
Ghost is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $15 per month for up to 1,000 members, billed yearly ($18 billed monthly). All 5 alternatives are free or have a free plan.
Listings checked up to Nov 12, 2026 · Where the facts come from
Black Friday: is there a Ghost sale?
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| GhostThis tool | Free trial · from $15/mo | Trial only | Web |
| Substack | Free | Free | Web, iOS, Android |
| beehiiv | Free plan · from $49/mo | Yes | Web |
| Buttondown | Free plan · from $9/mo | Yes | Web |
| Kit | Free plan · from $33/mo | Yes | Web |
| MailerLite | Free plan · from $12/mo | Yes | Web, iOS |
Price against what you get
Ghost starts at $15 a month and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. 2 of the 5 alternatives on this chart score higher and start lower: Substack and MailerLite.
beehiiv and Kit score higher without starting lower. Buttondown starts lower without scoring higher.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
How each one differs from Ghost
Substack
Newsletter, podcast and video publishing with paid subscriptions
- Substack is free.
- Substack has a free plan, which Ghost lacks.
- Substack also lists iOS and Android apps.
- Substack also covers community.
Suits: Writers who want to start a paid newsletter with no upfront cost
beehiiv
Newsletter platform with paid subscriptions, ads, website and podcast
- beehiiv starts at $49 per month for up to 1,000 subscribers, billed yearly ($59 monthly).
- beehiiv has a free plan, which Ghost lacks.
- beehiiv also covers marketing automation and forms.
Suits: Writers building a newsletter they plan to charge for
Buttondown
Newsletter software priced by active subscribers, with add-ons
- Buttondown starts at $9 per month for up to 1,000 subscribers.
- Buttondown has a free plan, which Ghost lacks.
- Buttondown also covers marketing automation.
Suits: Writers and small teams that want to pay only for what they use
Kit
Email marketing and paid newsletters for creators
- Kit starts at $33 per month for up to 1,000 subscribers, billed yearly ($39 monthly).
- Kit has a free plan, which Ghost lacks.
- Kit also covers marketing automation and forms.
Suits: Writers, podcasters and other creators growing an email list
MailerLite
Email newsletters, automations, sites and paid subscriptions
- MailerLite starts at $12 per month for up to 500 subscribers, billed monthly.
- MailerLite has a free plan, which Ghost lacks.
- MailerLite also lists an iOS app.
- MailerLite also covers marketing automation and forms.
Suits: Creators and small businesses sending a regular newsletter
Limits worth knowing in Ghost
- Paid subscriptions, custom themes and custom fields need the Publisher plan; Starter has none of them.
- Starter and Publisher cap out at 1,000 members, and the page says you are notified to upgrade as members grow.
- Ghost takes no transaction fee on payments, but Stripe's payment processor fees still apply.
- Only a browser-based admin is listed; no desktop or mobile apps appear on the pages read.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to Ghost?
The alternatives to Ghost in this directory are Substack, beehiiv, Buttondown, Kit and MailerLite. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Ghost.
Is there a free alternative to Ghost?
Yes. Substack is free to use. beehiiv, Buttondown, Kit and MailerLite have a free plan alongside paid ones.
Which Ghost alternatives work on Android?
The Ghost listing does not include an Android app. Substack lists one.
Which Ghost alternatives work on iOS?
The Ghost listing does not include an iOS app. Substack and MailerLite list one.
When were these prices checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 17, 2026 to Nov 12, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.