Ghost vs Substack Which Is Best for Creators?

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Here’s the bottom line on the Ghost vs Substack debate:

If you want to launch a newsletter today with zero fuss and no upfront cost, pick Substack. It’s built for maximum simplicity.

But if your goal is long-term growth, building a distinct brand, and keeping 100% of your hard-earned revenue, go with Ghost. It gives you far more power over customization, SEO, and—most importantly—full ownership of your platform.

Ghost vs Substack At a Glance

So, what's the real difference? While both platforms let you publish content and grow an audience, they're built on completely different philosophies. Think of it this way: Substack gives you a standardized, plug-and-play storefront, while Ghost gives you the entire building to design however you see fit. This choice directly impacts your brand, your bank account, and your future flexibility.

This table cuts through the noise and lays out the core distinctions. It’s the quickest way to see which one truly fits your ambitions.

Feature	Ghost	Substack
Primary Focus	Professional Publishing & Blogging	Simple Newsletter Platform
Pricing Model	Fixed monthly fee (no commission)	Free to use, 10% revenue share
Customization	Extensive (themes, code injection)	Very limited (basic colors & logo)
SEO Control	Advanced and built-in	Basic, with known limitations
Ownership	100% full platform & data control	Full content ownership, platform lock-in
Integrations	Extensive via official library & Zapier	None
Best For	Serious creators, media brands	Beginners, hobbyists, testing ideas

As you can see, the trade-off is clear. Substack prioritizes ease of entry, while Ghost is built for professional control and scale.

The Shift Toward Platform Control

There’s a clear trend bubbling up in the creator economy. Substack, which launched back in 2017, absolutely nailed the "easy-button" for writers looking to monetize a newsletter. It was a game-changer.

But lately, we're seeing a migration. More and more serious creators are moving to Ghost, and it's not by accident. They're seeking freedom from the very limitations that make Substack simple. As explored by publications like The Fix, this shift is all about taking back control over brand identity, SEO destiny, and revenue.

Ghost’s own marketing hones in on this exact pain point, as you can see on their comparison page.

This image isn't just a feature list; it's a strategic argument. It perfectly frames the decision you're making. Notice how it highlights Ghost's 0% transaction fees and superior customization. It positions the choice as one between a simple starter tool that takes a cut of your success (Substack) and a powerful, scalable asset that grows with you (Ghost).

Ultimately, this visual drives home a critical point: the platform you choose today will have major financial and branding consequences down the road.

Understanding Each Platform's Philosophy

To make the right call in the Ghost vs. Substack debate, you first need to get what makes each platform tick. They aren’t just different tools; they’re built on fundamentally opposite ideas about what creators actually need. Your decision is less about a feature list and more about which long-term vision you’re buying into.

Ghost is set up as an open-source, non-profit foundation. Its entire reason for being is to empower independent publishers. This DNA shows up in a platform packed with professional-grade tools, total brand control, and complete ownership of your data. It assumes you want to build a real media asset, not just another newsletter.

Ghost's mission is all about giving professional creators the tech and support they need to run their own independent media businesses, free from platform taxes and creative constraints.

This approach means Ghost gives you the keys to the kingdom. You control the design, the code, and your audience relationship without a middleman taking a cut or changing the rules.

Substack's Network-First Approach

On the flip side, Substack is a classic venture-backed company. Its philosophy is all about radical simplicity and network effects. The goal is to bulldoze every possible barrier to starting a paid newsletter, creating a "plug-and-play" experience that gets you from zero to published in minutes.

Substack is betting that its built-in discovery features—like recommendations and its internal network—will ultimately be more valuable to you than deep customization ever could be. It's a clear trade-off: you get incredible ease of use but give up individuality and control. You're basically renting a prime spot in their bustling digital marketplace.

This shot from Substack's homepage says it all.

The focus is squarely on the writers and the network, not on unique, standalone brands. This design choice is a dead giveaway that on Substack, the platform is part of the brand.

The Trade-Off: Simplicity vs. Ownership

This philosophical split creates a very clear fork in the road for any creator. Are you playing the short game for immediate ease, or the long game to build a lasting asset?

Substack prioritizes the network. It’s built for writers who want to plug into a pre-existing ecosystem and get discovered.

Ghost prioritizes the creator. It’s built for publishers who want to create their own ecosystem.

While a newsletter is central to both, how it fits into a bigger strategy couldn't be more different. For many, a newsletter is just one piece of a brand that includes a blog, courses, or digital products. Digging into the nuances of a Substack vs a traditional blog can shine more light on which path truly fits your end goal.

Choosing Ghost is a bet on your own brand and your ability to attract an audience independently. Choosing Substack is a bet that the platform's network will be a powerful growth engine, justifying the 10% revenue share and lack of brand autonomy. The right choice is all about which bet you're more comfortable making.

How Monetization and Fees Actually Work

Let's get straight to the point. The single most important difference between Ghost and Substack is how you make money—and more crucially, how much of that money you actually get to keep. This isn't just a minor detail; it’s a fundamental split in business models that will define your publication's financial health as it grows.

Picking the wrong platform here can have massive long-term consequences.

Substack’s entire model is built on one simple idea: it’s free to get started, and they only get paid when you do. They take a 10% commission on every dollar you make from paid subscriptions. That’s before the standard payment processing fees from Stripe, which usually tack on another 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction.

This percentage-based cut means Substack’s costs grow right alongside your success. While it's fantastic for eliminating any upfront risk, it becomes a punishingly expensive "growth tax" as your revenue and subscriber count climb.

This infographic breaks down some of the operational differences, highlighting how Ghost is built for efficiency and design control—factors that directly influence your ability to attract and keep paying subscribers.

The data speaks for itself. Ghost creators tend to publish more often and more efficiently, with a universe of design options. This reinforces its standing as the platform for serious publishers who want full control.

Ghost’s Fixed Fee Structure

Ghost plays a completely different game. As a non-profit, its mission is to build professional publishing tools without skimming off your earnings. You pay a predictable, fixed monthly or annual fee for their managed hosting service, Ghost (Pro). That's it. Ghost takes 0% commission.

Whether you earn 100,000, your platform cost stays the same. The only things you pay are your hosting fee and the standard Stripe processing fees. This makes your finances incredibly easy to forecast and ensures your profitability skyrockets as you scale.

Here’s the bottom line: Substack’s model is a tax on your growth. Ghost’s model is a fixed operational cost. As your revenue climbs, Ghost becomes exponentially more profitable.

A Practical Revenue Breakdown

To really see what this means, let's run the numbers. The real impact of these fee structures becomes crystal clear when a publication starts generating serious income.

For a newsletter with 6,000 in commission. On the other hand, the Ghost (Pro) plan that supports that scale would cost you just **5,500 that goes straight into your pocket. You can see how Ghost frames this comparison on their own site.

Let's break this down further in a table. It really drives the point home.

Revenue Comparison Ghost vs Substack at Scale

This table shows the net annual income for a creator on each platform at different revenue levels, highlighting the impact of their respective fee structures.

Annual Revenue	Substack Fees (10% + processing)	Ghost Pro Fees (Fixed)	Net Income on Substack	Net Income on Ghost
$10,000	$1,000	$348	$9,000	$9,652
$50,000	$5,000	$348	$45,000	$49,652
$100,000	$10,000	$348	$90,000	$99,652
$250,000	$25,000	$348	$225,000	$249,652

(Note: We've excluded Stripe processing fees here since they apply to both platforms).

The numbers don't lie. While Substack is cheaper to start, Ghost delivers dramatically better financial returns for any creator who is serious about building a sustainable media business. This financial reality is the number one reason creators eventually make the switch.

This isn't just a two-horse race, either. The same financial logic applies when comparing Substack to other platforms. We dive into another popular matchup in our guide on Substack vs WordPress, which explores similar make-or-break financial decisions.

Comparing Customization and Brand Control

When it comes to your brand, the choice between Ghost and Substack is a fundamental one. This isn't just about picking a few colors. It’s a decision about whether you want to build your brand on rented land or on property you own outright. The two platforms couldn't be more different on this point.

Substack is all about speed and simplicity. It gives you a standardized, template-driven design where your customization options are pretty limited. You can add a logo, choose an accent color, and pick from a couple of basic layouts. That's about it.

This is great if you just want to get started fast. The trade-off? Your newsletter will look almost identical to the thousands of others on Substack, making it tough to stand out. The Substack network identity always comes first.

Ghost's Approach to Brand Ownership

Ghost, on the other hand, was built from the ground up for total brand control. The entire philosophy is that your publication should be a unique destination—not just another profile on a massive platform. This control shows up in a few powerful ways.

First, Ghost has a huge marketplace of premium and free themes. With one click, you can install a professional design that immediately makes your site look distinct and polished, breaking free from the cookie-cutter Substack format.

For those who need to go further, Ghost gives you complete access to the theme code. This means you or a developer can:

Tweak existing themes to perfectly match your brand's look and feel.

Inject custom CSS and HTML to fine-tune everything from fonts and colors to layouts.

Build a completely custom theme from scratch for a one-of-a-kind brand experience.

The core difference is this: on Substack, your brand lives inside their house. On Ghost, you own the house and can renovate it however you see fit. This distinction is critical for long-term brand equity.

A Side-by-Side Look at Control

Let’s get practical and break down what "control" actually means for you. This goes way beyond aesthetics; it's about the functional power you have over your digital presence.

Feature	Ghost	Substack
Custom Themes	Yes, extensive marketplace and custom development	No, only minor tweaks to one standard theme
Code Injection	Full HTML, CSS, & JavaScript control	No
Custom Domain	Included on all paid plans	One-time $50 fee
Platform Branding	Can be completely removed	Substack branding is always present
Site Structure	Flexible pages, menus, and collections	Fixed post-feed structure

This level of detail really matters. True brand control isn’t just your logo. It’s woven into the user experience, the site structure, and the very words you use. For example, understanding the nuance between persuasive copywriting vs content writing becomes much more impactful when you can design the layout to support your message—a power largely reserved for Ghost users.

Why Visual Branding Matters

At the end of the day, your platform is just the canvas. You still have to do the work of building a memorable brand. Whether you’re on the highly flexible Ghost or the more rigid Substack, a cohesive identity is what turns casual readers into loyal subscribers.

A strong visual brand strategy is what truly builds that connection. It’s about creating a consistent look and feel across your website, emails, and social media.

Ghost provides the toolkit to execute a sophisticated visual strategy directly on your publication. With Substack, your branding efforts will have to live almost entirely within your content, since the visual container is so fixed. For creators who see their publication as a core pillar of their brand, Ghost’s flexibility in the Ghost vs Substack debate is a massive, undeniable advantage.

Evaluating SEO and Content Ownership

When you're building a brand for the long haul, search engine optimization (SEO) and true content ownership aren't just features. They are the bedrock of a sustainable business.

In the Ghost vs. Substack matchup, this is where the differences become glaring. We’re moving beyond style and into a discussion about strategy and the long-term value of your digital assets. One platform is built from the ground up for organic discovery; the other treats it like an afterthought.

Ghost's Unmatched SEO Toolkit

Ghost was engineered with SEO as a core strength, not a tack-on feature. It comes loaded with a sophisticated, built-in toolkit that gives you the kind of granular control professional publishers need to rank on Google. We’re not just talking about basic meta descriptions here.

From a technical standpoint, Ghost is simply in a different league than Substack. Its architecture is lightweight and blazing fast—a massive ranking factor. But speed is just the start. Ghost gives you direct control over crucial SEO elements that are either locked down or completely missing on Substack.

Advanced Metadata Control: You can fine-tune meta titles, descriptions, and social sharing cards for every single post and page. This is non-negotiable for serious optimization.

Clean URL Structures: Ghost generates clean, semantic URLs that you can fully customize. This helps both users and search engines immediately grasp what your content is about.

Automatic Sitemaps: It automatically generates and maintains a clean XML sitemap, spoon-feeding your content to search engine crawlers so nothing gets missed.

Native Structured Data: Ghost includes schema markup right out of the box. This helps search engines understand the context of your content, boosting your chances of winning rich snippets in the search results.

This level of control lets you build and execute a proper semantic SEO strategy. You can create a tightly interconnected web of content that establishes your topical authority over time. Substack’s framework just wasn't built for this.

Substack’s SEO Limitations

Substack's approach to SEO is, to put it mildly, basic. Sure, it covers a few fundamentals like letting you add custom meta descriptions and generating a sitemap, but it’s crippled by major structural problems.

One of the most frustrating issues is the total lack of control over technical SEO elements like redirects. If you ever need to change a URL or restructure your site, you’re out of luck. That’s a deal-breaker for managing a publication over time.

But the biggest handicap? Its subdomain structure. Your publication lives on a yourname.substack.com domain. While you can pay a $50 one-time fee for a custom domain, countless creators report that Substack publications still fight an uphill battle for SEO traction compared to a self-hosted or Ghost (Pro) site. You're building your brand's authority on rented land, which dilutes your SEO equity in the long run.

Key Takeaway: If organic search traffic is a primary growth channel for you, this isn't even a contest. Ghost is the clear winner. Its entire architecture is purpose-built for discoverability, while Substack's SEO capabilities are a well-known, and significant, weakness.

The Critical Difference in Content Ownership

Let's talk about what "ownership" really means. Both platforms let you export your content and email list, but true ownership goes way deeper than data portability. It's about controlling the technology your business is built on and avoiding platform lock-in.

With Substack, you own your content, but they own the platform. You're living by their rules, their algorithm, and their future business pivots.

Ghost, on the other hand, is open-source. This gives you ultimate control. You can self-host it, modify the code, and ensure your publication exists entirely independent of any single company. This freedom is a huge reason why serious publishers are flocking to it.

Its market position reflects this specialized role. Ghost powers around 0.1% of all websites with a known CMS, a number that represents thousands of high-quality, independent publications that prioritize performance and control.

No matter which platform you go with, implementing smart SEO practices is essential. You can explore these actionable SEO tips to get a head start on improving your content's visibility.

When To Choose Ghost And When To Choose Substack

The Ghost vs. Substack decision really comes down to a classic dilemma: do you optimize for right now, or for where you want to be in a few years? There's no single "best" platform. The right choice is the one that fits your specific goals at this exact moment.

To cut through the noise, I've broken down the ideal user for each platform. This isn't just about a feature checklist; it's about matching the platform's core DNA to your personal or business strategy. One gives you a frictionless start, while the other gives you a powerful foundation to build an empire.

Choose Substack If You Are The Experimenter

Substack is the perfect launchpad for creators who just want to get started. Its magic lies in its raw simplicity and the fact that it costs nothing to begin, making it a no-brainer for a few key types of writers.

You should probably start with Substack if you're:

The Hobbyist Writer: You write for the love of it. You just need a clean, simple place to share your thoughts without thinking about hosting fees, web design, or technical stuff. Substack lets you focus 100% on the words.

The Journalist Testing a Niche: You have a killer idea for a newsletter but aren't sure if it'll stick. Substack’s free model means you can build an audience and see if the idea has legs without any financial risk.

The Author Building a Following: You want a direct channel to your readers for book updates, behind-the-scenes content, and personal essays. Substack’s built-in network can actually help people find you.

The real value of Substack is speed. If your main goal is to start publishing and collecting emails today—with zero financial or technical hurdles—Substack is the hands-down winner.

Choose Ghost If You Are The Brand Builder

Ghost is for creators who see their publication as a real business asset, not just a newsletter. It’s the platform you graduate to when your goals expand beyond simple publishing and into serious brand building, SEO, and maximizing your revenue.

You're a Ghost person if you're:

The Entrepreneur Building a Media Brand: You’re not just writing—you’re creating a destination. You need total control over the look, feel, and user experience. Ghost's custom themes and flexibility are non-negotiable for this.

The SEO-Focused Creator: You know that organic search is your key to long-term, sustainable growth. Ghost's built-in SEO tools are far superior, giving you the control you need to actually rank on Google. To really crush it, you’ll need to learn how to write SEO content that ranks, and Ghost is the platform that lets you put that knowledge to work.

The Established Creator with a Growing Audience: Your revenue is climbing, and Substack’s 10% cut is starting to feel painful. Ghost's fixed-fee model becomes insanely profitable as you grow, letting you keep the money you earn.

At its core, Ghost is for people playing the long game. It requires a small upfront investment for hosting, but it pays you back over and over in ownership, brand equity, and pure profit. While Substack is a fantastic starting line, Ghost is where serious publications go to scale and own their future.

Frequently Asked Questions

Alright, let's tackle the lingering questions that usually pop up right before making the final call. Choosing between Ghost and Substack often comes down to these practical details. We'll clear them up so you can move forward with confidence.

Can I Move From Substack To Ghost Later?

Yes, you absolutely can. This is a well-trodden path for creators who start on Substack and eventually crave more control. Think of it less as being locked in and more as choosing a starting point. Both platforms were built with creator ownership in mind, so they make it easy to take your audience and content with you.

The migration process is surprisingly pain-free:

Export Your Content: Substack lets you download all your posts in one go.

Export Your Email List: Your subscriber list can be exported as a standard CSV file.

Import Into Ghost: Ghost has an official importer tool specifically for Substack files, along with clear documentation to walk you through it.

Because this path is so clear, starting on Substack isn't a dead-end street. It's a low-risk way to get your feet wet, knowing a more powerful platform like Ghost is waiting when you’re ready to scale.

Do I Need Technical Skills To Use Ghost?

This is probably the biggest myth holding people back, and the answer really depends on which flavor of Ghost you choose.

For the vast majority of writers and creators, the answer is a firm no. Ghost (Pro) is the managed, hosted version of the platform. They handle every bit of the technical backend—servers, security, updates, and maintenance. From a user's perspective, it’s just as point-and-click simple as Substack.

Now, if you decide to self-host Ghost on your own server, then yes, you'll need to be comfortable with the command line for setup and upkeep. This route gives you ultimate control and can be cheaper, but it's really for the tinkerers. For everyone else, Ghost (Pro) is the way to go.

Don't let the "open-source" label spook you. Ghost (Pro) gives you all the power and flexibility without any of the technical headaches, putting it on equal footing with Substack for ease of use.

Which Platform Is Better For An Absolute Beginner?

This is a great question, and it really comes down to your ambition.

For someone who just wants to test a newsletter idea with zero financial risk and the absolute minimum setup, Substack is the undeniable winner. You can have an account and your first post live in less than ten minutes. Its simplicity is its superpower for those just starting out.

But what if you're a beginner who is serious about building a real media business? In that case, starting with Ghost (Pro) makes more sense. Yes, there's a small monthly cost, but you're building on a professional foundation from day one. You skip the eventual pain of migrating and you avoid handing over a 10% cut of your revenue to Substack forever.

So the Ghost vs Substack decision for a newcomer is really a question of short-term ease versus long-term vision.

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