Ghost review — 2026
★★★★★ Overall score: 5/5
Open-source publishing platform built for serious creators. Paid newsletter support built in.
Monthly: $9.00/mo
Annual (first year): $108.00/year
Annual (renewal): $108.00/year
Money-back: 14 days
Annual (first year): $108.00/year
Annual (renewal): $108.00/year
Money-back: 14 days
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Protection
| Malware detection rate | 0% |
|---|---|
| False-positive rate | n/a |
| AV-TEST score | n/a |
| Real-time protection | ✓ |
| Ransomware protection | ✗ |
| Firewall | ✗ |
Bundled features
| VPN included | ✗ |
|---|---|
| Password manager | ✗ |
| Parental controls | ✗ |
| Dark web monitoring | ✗ |
| Identity theft protection | ✗ |
| Cloud backup | ✗ |
Compatibility
| Devices covered | Web + Mobile |
|---|---|
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android |
Our review
Ghost is the right pick for serious creators building paid newsletters and content businesses. Substack alternative with self-hosting option. Best for writers, podcasters, and creators monetizing directly through subscriptions.
Pros
- Built specifically for paid creators (members, subscriptions, tiers)
- Open-source — self-hostable if you want full control
- Faster than WordPress for content-heavy sites
- Native email newsletter (compete with Substack/Beehiiv)
- Clean editor (no plugin sprawl)
Cons
- Not a general-purpose builder — content/publishing only
- Smaller theme marketplace than WordPress/Squarespace
- Less flexible than WordPress for advanced functionality
- Self-hosted setup requires Node.js