Ghost Pricing (2026)

Ghost charges on a hybrid basis — a tiered feature ladder (Starter/Publisher/Business) crossed with a member-count slider, so your bill climbs as your newsletter or membership list grows past 1,000. You're really paying for audience size plus the tier of publishing/monetization tools you unlock, not seats or usage in the traditional sense.

From $18/mo 4 plans hybrid Free trial Best Ghost alternatives → Ghost's competitors →
Starter
$18/mo
Publisher
$29/mo
Business
$199/mo
Custom
Contact Sales
Verified Sep 19, 2026 Official pricing page

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Screenshot of Ghost's pricing page showing its plans and prices
Their pricing page, captured Sep 19, 2026

Starter

$18/mo $15/mo annual
  • Your own website
  • Free custom domain (NEW)
  • Email newsletter
  • Simple design settings
  • 1,000 members

Publisher

$29/mo
  • 3 staff users
  • Custom themes
  • 8,000+ integrations
  • Paid subscriptions
  • Advanced analytics
  • 1,000 members

Business

$199/mo
  • 15 staff users
  • Priority support
  • Higher usage limits
  • Early access to features
  • 10,000 members

Custom

Contact Sales
  • Unlimited staff users
  • Advanced configurations
  • Dedicated IP address
  • 99.9% uptime SLA
  • Unlimited members

Does Ghost have a free plan?

No. There's no free-forever plan. There is a free trial, and paid plans start at $18/mo.

Want free? Beehiiv and Buttondown have free plans: see all Ghost alternatives →

AI Pricing Analysis

Pricing Model

Ghost charges on a hybrid basis — a tiered feature ladder (Starter/Publisher/Business) crossed with a member-count slider, so your bill climbs as your newsletter or membership list grows past 1,000. You're really paying for audience size plus the tier of publishing/monetization tools you unlock, not seats or usage in the traditional sense.

Tier Strategy

Starter is for solo bloggers or hobbyists just testing paid newsletters; Publisher unlocks tools for creators actually running a paid membership business (think multiple staff, tips, offers); Business is built for teams needing priority support and higher-end operational features. The upgrade trigger is almost always audience growth — once your list crosses the next member threshold, or you need monetization features Starter doesn't offer, you're pushed up.

Competitive Positioning

At $18-$29 for the entry tiers, Ghost undercuts Substack's take-rate model and sits below heavier CMS-plus-membership stacks, positioning itself as the affordable, self-hosted-friendly alternative for indie writers and small publishers. The $199 Business tier and uncapped Custom option show they're also chasing larger media operations that outgrow scrappier tools but don't want WordPress-plus-plugins complexity.

Growth Lever

The real expansion lever is list size — as your subscriber or member count climbs, you're bumped into higher pricing automatically, regardless of which feature tier you're on. Feature-wise, moving up tiers unlocks things like multiple staff users, tipping/donations, and priority support, which nudges growing publishers toward Publisher or Business once they're running a real business, not just a blog.

Want the strategist's read on the live page? Read the AI teardown of Ghost's pricing page →

Ghost Pricing FAQ

How much does Ghost cost?
Paid plans start at $18/mo, going up to $199/mo for larger teams. There's also an Enterprise tier with custom pricing.
Is there a free plan?
No free plan. But there is a free trial, so you can test it out before paying.
Can I try it before paying?
Yes — there's a free trial.
How does the pricing work?
Ghost charges on a hybrid basis — a tiered feature ladder (Starter/Publisher/Business) crossed with a member-count slider, so your bill climbs as your newsletter or membership list grows past 1,000. You're really paying for audience size plus the tier of publishing/monetization tools you unlock, not seats or usage in the traditional sense.
Is there a discount for annual billing?
Yes — you save up to 17% if you pay annually instead of month-to-month.
Which plan makes sense for me?
Starter is for solo bloggers or hobbyists just testing paid newsletters; Publisher unlocks tools for creators actually running a paid membership business (think multiple staff, tips, offers); Business is built for teams needing priority support and higher-end operational features. The upgrade trigger is almost always audience growth — once your list crosses the next member threshold, or you need monetization features Starter doesn't offer, you're pushed up.

More Newsletter pricing

All Newsletter pricing →

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