Ghost vs Medium

Ghost9.0Visit Medium8.7Visit

Higher score Ghost #3 in Newsletter Publishing Platforms 9.0/10 14-day trial Free trial✓ 1 of 2 features Visit Ghost

vs

Medium #4 in Newsletter Publishing Platforms 8.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 2 features Visit Medium

• Ghost fits best

  Publishers wanting an owned site and newsletter

• Medium fits best

  Writers seeking a publication and built-in readership

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Side by side

Feature	Ghost 9.0/10 Visit ↗	Medium 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.0	8.7
Ranking	#3 in Newsletter Publishing Platforms	#4 in Newsletter Publishing Platforms
Best for	Publishers wanting an owned site and newsletter	Writers seeking a publication and built-in readership
Pricing model	Paid	Free plan + paid
Starting price	$18/mo	—
Free plan	—	✓ (best)
Free trial	14 days	—
Deployment	Cloud, Self-hosted	Cloud, Mobile
Platforms	Web	Web, iOS, Android
Support	Email, Community, Docs	Email, Tickets, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market
Features Ghost 1/2 · Medium 1/2
Paid subscriptions	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Custom domain	✓	✓
Specs
Free audience limit	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Publishing channels	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Platform fee on paid subs	0% Ghost fee; payment processor fees apply	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Combines website publishing, newsletters, and member-only content Supports free and paid tiers with recurring Stripe subscriptions Self-hosting, APIs, and 8,000+ integrations support flexible setups	Publish scheduled stories and send publication newsletters. Support multi-author publications with editors, writers, and submissions. Use member-only stories, reader subscriptions, and built-in statistics.
Cons	Starter is limited to 1,000 members Paid plans start at $18/month, billed annually Paid subscriptions and custom themes begin on Publisher	Newsletter delivery sits within a broader story-publishing product. Custom publication design is limited to layouts and sections. Subscription tiers are described by benefits rather than clear prices here.
Our verdict	Ghost brings website publishing, email newsletters, and memberships into one platform for independent writers, creators, publishers, and organizations. It supports free and paid memberships, protected posts for members or specific tiers,… Read the review →	Medium combines story publishing with publication newsletters, making it a fit for writers who want articles and email delivery under one publication. Individuals, organizations, and editorial teams can publish stories, schedule posts,… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Ghost — where it wins

  • Combines website publishing, newsletters, and member-only content
  • Supports free and paid tiers with recurring Stripe subscriptions
  • Self-hosting, APIs, and 8,000+ integrations support flexible setups

  Where it doesn't

  • Starter is limited to 1,000 members
  • Paid plans start at $18/month, billed annually
  • Paid subscriptions and custom themes begin on Publisher

• Medium — where it wins

  • Publish scheduled stories and send publication newsletters.
  • Support multi-author publications with editors, writers, and submissions.
  • Use member-only stories, reader subscriptions, and built-in statistics.

  Where it doesn't

  • Newsletter delivery sits within a broader story-publishing product.
  • Custom publication design is limited to layouts and sections.
  • Subscription tiers are described by benefits rather than clear prices here.

• Ghost9.0/10 · 14-day trial

  A self-hostable publishing platform that pairs newsletters with a membership site.

  Visit GhostFull verdict →
• Medium8.7/10 · Free plan

  A story-publishing home with newsletters, memberships, and a built-in readership.

  Visit MediumFull verdict →