Ghost review
A focused membership platform for paid publications, newsletters, and protected posts.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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 publications with free and paid audiences. Members can register for free, subscribe through Stripe, and receive access based on free-member, paid-member, or specific-tier status. Ghost is available as a self-hosted application or through Ghost(Pro), its managed hosting service, making it a fit for teams that want publishing and membership capabilities without centering their product on courses.
Ghost(Pro) pricing starts with Starter at $18 per month when billed annually, including a website, free custom domain, email newsletter, simple design settings, and 1,000 members. Publisher costs $29 per month annually and adds three staff users, custom themes, 8,000+ integrations, paid subscriptions, and advanced analytics. Business is $199 per month annually with 15 staff users, priority support, higher usage limits, and early access to features. Custom adds unlimited staff users, advanced configurations, a dedicated IP address, a 99.9% uptime SLA, and unlimited members. A 14-day trial is available, and the published category specifications list a 0% transaction fee.
The platform’s strongest area is the connection between editorial publishing and membership access. Visual editing, configurable site routing, custom themes, SEO tools, member import and export, analytics, and email newsletters support a publication workflow, while Stripe, Zapier, Make, webhooks, embeds, code injection, the Content API, and the Admin API extend its ecosystem. Self-hosting provides another deployment path for teams that want control over the open-source core. Ghost is a strong choice for paid publications and newsletter-led businesses; organizations that need courses or drip content should choose a platform built around those functions instead.
Ghost pros and cons
- 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
Ghost fact sheet, pricing and score →
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