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Free Ghost alternatives

Top Website Builders like Ghost

The most popular alternative to Ghost is Substack, which has a free version. Other great alternatives to Ghost are WordPress, beehiiv, WordPress.com, and Kit.

Most alternatives to Ghost are in the Website Builders category, compared here by price, platform and features.

Ghost alternatives
AllFreeOpen source
8 apps

All Ghost alternatives

  1. Substack

    4.9(549.5K) · App Store

    Substack lets writers start a newsletter with a web archive, podcast and video hosting, and turn on paid subscriptions when they are ready. Publishing is free: Substack takes a share of subscription revenue instead of charging for a plan. Its reader app, Notes feed and cross-recommendations connect publications into a network that helps writers find readers.

    7 Substack alternatives

    Pros

    • Free to publish, with no setup or hosting to manage
    • Built-in paid subscriptions, podcasts and video
    • Notes and cross-recommendations help writers find readers

    Cons

    • Takes a share of revenue from paid subscriptions
    • Limited design and branding customization
    • Your audience lives inside Substack’s network rather than your own brand
    Cost / License
    FreeProprietary
    Categories
    Email Marketing & Newsletters
    Platforms
    WebiPhoneAndroid
    Features
    AnalyticsCustom domainsMobile appPaid newsletters
    Visit websiteMore about Substack

  2. WordPress

    21.5Kstars

    WordPress is a free, open source content management system that you install on your own web hosting. Its block editor handles pages and posts, and thousands of themes and plugins add features such as forms, SEO tools or an online store. Because it is self-hosted, you keep full control over your files, your data and your choice of host.

    9 WordPress alternatives

    Pros

    • Thousands of themes and plugins for almost any need
    • Full control over files, data and choice of host
    • Free and open source, with a huge community

    Cons

    • You handle hosting, updates, backups and security yourself
    • Plugin sprawl can slow sites and introduce vulnerabilities
    • Block editor takes time to master for complex layouts
    Cost / License
    FreeOpen source
    Categories
    Website Builders
    Platforms
    iPhoneAndroidSelf-hosted
    Features
    BloggingContent management (CMS)Plugins & extensionsTemplatesVisual editor
    Visit websiteMore about WordPress

  3. beehiiv

    beehiiv is a newsletter platform created by former Morning Brew team members, combining an editor, a hosted website and email delivery. It focuses on growth and monetization, with a referral program, recommendations between newsletters, an ad network and paid subscriptions. Publishers also get detailed analytics, A/B testing of subject lines and AI writing tools.

    6 beehiiv alternatives

    Pros

    • Growth tools like referrals and cross-newsletter recommendations
    • Monetization through an ad network and paid subscriptions
    • Hosted website and detailed analytics included

    Cons

    • Most monetization and growth features sit on paid plans
    • Less suited to advanced marketing automation or e-commerce
    Cost / License
    FreemiumProprietary
    Categories
    Email Marketing & Newsletters
    Platforms
    Web
    Features
    A/B testingAI assistantAnalyticsAudience segmentationCustom domainsPaid newsletters
    Visit websiteMore about beehiiv

  4. WordPress.com

    WordPress.com is the hosted version of WordPress run by Automattic, so you get the WordPress editor, themes and blogging tools without managing a server. Free sites use a wordpress.com address, while paid plans add custom domains, plugins, e-commerce and more storage. It suits bloggers and small businesses who want WordPress without handling updates, backups and security themselves.

    11 WordPress.com alternatives

    Pros

    • WordPress without managing servers, updates or backups
    • Free plan to start a blog quickly
    • Same WordPress editor, themes and blogging tools

    Cons

    • Installing plugins requires a paid plan
    • Free sites show ads and use a wordpress.com address
    • Less control over hosting than self-hosted WordPress
    Cost / License
    FreemiumProprietary
    Categories
    Website Builders
    Platforms
    WebiPhoneAndroid
    Features
    BloggingContent management (CMS)Custom domainsPlugins & extensionsSEO settingsTemplates
    Visit websiteMore about WordPress.com

  5. Kit

    Kit, previously called ConvertKit, is an email marketing platform designed for creators such as writers, podcasters and course authors. It combines landing pages and forms, visual automations, subscriber tagging and paid newsletters, and lets you sell digital products directly to your list. A recommendations network helps creators grow by promoting each other's newsletters.

    12 Kit alternatives

    Pros

    • Tag-based subscriber management suited to creators
    • Sell digital products and paid newsletters to your list
    • Recommendations network helps newsletters grow

    Cons

    • Email design options are deliberately simple
    • Gets expensive as the subscriber count grows
    • Advanced automations are reserved for paid plans
    Cost / License
    FreemiumProprietary
    Categories
    Email Marketing & Newsletters
    Platforms
    WebiPhoneAndroid
    Features
    Audience segmentationDigital productsEmail automationIntegrationsLanding pagesPaid newsletters
    Visit websiteMore about Kit

  6. Buttondown

    Buttondown is a small, independent newsletter service for writers and developers who prefer a lightweight tool. You write in Markdown or a rich text editor, publish an archive on the web and can charge for subscriptions through Stripe. It offers a complete API, custom domains and RSS-to-email, and is built by a very small team.

    6 Buttondown alternatives

    Pros

    • Write in Markdown or a rich text editor
    • Complete API and RSS-to-email for developers
    • Paid subscriptions through Stripe and custom domains

    Cons

    • Templates and design options are minimal
    • Few audience growth tools compared with beehiiv or Substack
    Cost / License
    FreemiumProprietary
    Categories
    Email Marketing & Newsletters
    Platforms
    Web
    Features
    API accessCustom domainsMarkdown supportPaid newsletters
    Visit websiteMore about Buttondown

  7. Webflow

    Webflow is a browser-based visual builder that exposes real HTML and CSS concepts such as boxes, flexbox and classes, so designers can produce custom, responsive sites without writing code. It includes a CMS for structured content, interactions and animations, hosting and localization. It is aimed at designers, agencies and marketing teams who want more control than template builders offer.

    9 Webflow alternatives

    Pros

    • Visual control over real HTML and CSS concepts
    • Flexible CMS for structured content
    • Interactions and animations without writing code

    Cons

    • Steep learning curve for non-designers
    • Pricing is complex, with separate site and workspace plans
    Cost / License
    FreemiumProprietary
    Categories
    Website Builders
    Platforms
    Web
    Features
    Content management (CMS)Custom domainsSEO settingsTeam collaborationTemplatesVisual editor
    Visit websiteMore about Webflow

  8. listmonk

    23.8Kstars

    listmonk is a free, open source newsletter and mailing list manager distributed as a single binary backed by PostgreSQL. It handles large subscriber lists, template-based campaigns, transactional messages via API and segmentation through SQL queries, and can send through any SMTP server or service. It suits developers and organizations that want to keep email marketing and subscriber data on their own servers.

    6 listmonk alternatives

    Pros

    • Free, open source and distributed as a single binary
    • Handles very large lists efficiently on PostgreSQL
    • Sends through any SMTP server or email service

    Cons

    • Requires self-hosting and a separate sending service
    • No visual automation builder or drip campaigns
    • Segmentation relies on SQL queries rather than a point-and-click tool
    Cost / License
    FreeOpen source
    Categories
    Email Marketing & Newsletters
    Platforms
    Self-hosted
    Features
    AnalyticsAPI accessAudience segmentationTemplates
    Visit websiteMore about listmonk

Ghost vs its alternatives at a glance

Pricing, platforms and the key features of Ghost, compared with its most popular alternatives.

Ghost vs its alternatives at a glance
AppPricingPlatformsBloggingContent management (CMS)Custom domainsPaid newslettersSEO settings
GhostFreemiumOpen sourceWeb, Self-hosted
SubstackFreeWeb, iPhone, Android
WordPressFreeOpen sourceiPhone, Android, Self-hosted
beehiivFreemiumWeb
WordPress.comFreemiumWeb, iPhone, Android
KitFreemiumWeb, iPhone, Android

Ghost alternatives: frequently asked questions

What is the best alternative to Ghost?

The most popular alternative to Ghost is Substack: Publish a newsletter and podcast, with optional paid subscriptions. Other great alternatives are WordPress, beehiiv, WordPress.com, and Kit.

Is there a free alternative to Ghost?

Yes, 8 alternatives are free or have a free plan, including Substack, WordPress, beehiiv, and WordPress.com.

Is there an open source alternative to Ghost?

Yes, 2 open source alternatives are listed, including WordPress and listmonk.

Is Ghost free?

Ghost has a free plan, with paid plans that unlock more features.

Compare Ghost with its alternatives

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