Ghost vs Systeme.io

Ghost9.2Visit Systeme.io8.8Visit

Higher score Ghost #2 in Membership Site Platforms 9.2/10 14-day trial Free trial✓ 1 of 2 features Visit Ghost

vs

Systeme.io #5 in Membership Site Platforms 8.8/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 2 features Visit Systeme.io

• Ghost fits best

  Publishers building paid member publications

• Systeme.io fits best

  Low-cost funnels with basic membership hosting

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Side by side

Feature	Ghost 9.2/10 Visit ↗	Systeme.io 8.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.2	8.8
Ranking	#2 in Membership Site Platforms	#5 in Membership Site Platforms
Best for	Publishers building paid member publications	Low-cost funnels with basic membership hosting
Pricing model	Paid	Free plan + paid
Starting price	$18/mo	$17/mo (best)
Free plan	—	✓ (best)
Free trial	14 days	—
Deployment	Cloud, Self-hosted	Cloud
Platforms	Web	Web
Integrations	8,000+ integrations	7 integrations
Features Ghost 1/2 · Systeme.io 1/2
Custom domain	✓	✓
Drip content	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Content gating	Post	Not checked yet
Subscription billing	Both	Not checked yet
Member limit	1000 members	Not checked yet
Transaction fee	0% Ghost fee; payment processor fees apply	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Paid and tiered memberships with Stripe billing Protected posts for free, paid, and tier-based access Open-source core with self-hosting and developer APIs	Permanent free plan with 2,000 contacts and unlimited email sends Unlimited funnels on Startup and higher plans Supports Stripe, PayPal, Razorpay and other payment integrations
Cons	No courses or drip content No free plan, although Ghost(Pro) offers a 14-day trial Advanced plans become costly at $199 per month annually	Membership-specific depth is less detailed than dedicated platforms The free plan limits users to 3 sales funnels and 1 course Web access only, with no native mobile platform listed
Our verdict	Ghost combines website publishing, email newsletters, member management, protected posts, paid subscriptions, and tiered access in one platform. It is designed for writers, creators, independent publishers, and media teams building… Read the review →	Systeme.io is an all-in-one web platform for entrepreneurs, creators and small businesses that want to combine sales funnels, email marketing, online courses and membership hosting. It also includes website and blog building, affiliate… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Ghost — where it wins

  • Paid and tiered memberships with Stripe billing
  • Protected posts for free, paid, and tier-based access
  • Open-source core with self-hosting and developer APIs

  Where it doesn't

  • No courses or drip content
  • No free plan, although Ghost(Pro) offers a 14-day trial
  • Advanced plans become costly at $199 per month annually

• Systeme.io — where it wins

  • Permanent free plan with 2,000 contacts and unlimited email sends
  • Unlimited funnels on Startup and higher plans
  • Supports Stripe, PayPal, Razorpay and other payment integrations

  Where it doesn't

  • Membership-specific depth is less detailed than dedicated platforms
  • The free plan limits users to 3 sales funnels and 1 course
  • Web access only, with no native mobile platform listed

• Ghost9.2/10 · 14-day trial

  A focused membership platform for paid publications, newsletters, and protected posts.

  Visit GhostFull verdict →
• Systeme.io8.8/10 · Free plan

  A low-cost way to combine funnels, marketing automation and basic course hosting.

  Visit Systeme.ioFull verdict →