- Ghost alternatives at a glance
- Nine platforms to compare with Ghost
- Check your exit before you start
- Blog first or newsletter first?
- Moving from Ghost without losing readers
- Owning your domain matters
- Open source and self-hosting
- Deliverability for newsletters
- Memberships and premium posts
- My plain advice on leaving Ghost
- Frequently asked questions
A good Ghost alternative gives you a clean place to publish, a way to email your readers and full ownership of your content and subscriber list. Check writing experience, newsletter features, custom domains, open source options and how easily you can export. This page lists nine platforms in no particular order.
Ghost made publishing and newsletters feel like one job, and that's now what most writers want: write once, publish on the web and send it to subscribers.
These nine Ghost alternatives are listed in no particular order, sorted alphabetically: newsletter platforms, minimalist blogs, developer blogs and open-source options. Each description comes from the platform's own website, re-checked today. If you're on the fence about blogging at all, my reasons blogging helps small businesses might settle it.
Ghost alternatives at a glance
In the free plan column, Yes means the platform's own site describes a free plan or free open-source software. Trial only means a free trial before a subscription.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bear Blog | Minimalist blog | Fast, no-frills blogging | Yes |
| beehiiv | Newsletter platform | Growing a newsletter | Yes |
| Buttondown | Newsletter tool | Simple newsletters with Markdown | Yes |
| Hashnode | Developer blog platform | Blogs for developers and docs | Yes |
| Kit | Creator email platform | Email marketing for creators | Yes |
| Mataroa | Minimalist blog | Plain, distraction-free blogs | Yes |
| Substack | Newsletter platform | Writing with a built-in network | Yes |
| WordPress.com | Website and blog platform | A full website with a blog | Yes |
| WriteFreely | Open-source blogging | Self-hosted minimalist blogs | Yes |
Nine platforms to compare with Ghost
Bear Blog
Best for: Writers who want a tiny, fast blog with no clutter and no tracking.
beehiiv
Best for: Newsletter writers who want growth tools, referrals and a website for their posts.
Buttondown
Best for: Writers and developers who want a simple, privacy-friendly newsletter tool.
Hashnode
Best for: Developers who want a blog on their own domain with a built-in tech community.
Kit
Best for: Creators who want newsletters plus automations, landing pages and digital products.
Mataroa
Best for: Writers who want a simple, open-source blog with no themes to fiddle with.
Substack
Best for: Writers who want an easy start and a network of readers on the platform.
WordPress.com
Best for: Businesses that want a full website with pages, a blog and plugins on higher plans.
WriteFreely
Best for: Writers who want an open-source, self-hosted blog focused on words.
Check your exit before you start
Here's what Ghost gets right, and what to demand from any alternative. Ghost's own help pages say you can export from Settings, Advanced, Import/Export: content and settings as a JSON file, and members as a CSV with their labels and subscription status. Before you move anywhere else, check that the new platform lets you export your posts and your subscriber list just as easily. Your list is your business, so never pick a platform that makes leaving hard.
Blog first or newsletter first?
- Newsletter first: your main product is the email. Choose a newsletter platform with good deliverability and growth tools.
- Blog first: you want search traffic and a home for long posts. Choose a blog or website platform.
- Both: look for platforms that publish posts to the web and email them in one step.
Moving from Ghost without losing readers
- Export content and members from Ghost Admin.
- Import members into the new platform and check consent and subscription status.
- Import or rebuild posts, then set up redirects from old URLs.
- Send a short note to readers explaining the move.
- Watch opens, replies and unsubscribes for the first few sends.
If you're starting from scratch, my list of tools to launch your blog covers the basics around the platform.
Owning your domain matters
Publishing on your own domain means your search traffic and reputation move with you if you change platforms. Many platforms let you connect a custom domain, sometimes only on premium plans. If you start on a platform subdomain, plan the move to your own domain early, because changing it later means redirects and lost links.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
Open source and self-hosting
Ghost itself is open source, and some alternatives are too. Self-hosting gives you full control and no platform limits, but you'll handle updates, email sending and backups. If you're not technical, a hosted platform with good export options gives you most of the freedom with much less work.
Deliverability for newsletters
If email is your main product, deliverability matters more than design. Check how each platform handles sending domains, authentication records and bounces, and whether it lets you send from your own domain. A beautiful newsletter that lands in spam isn't doing its job.
Memberships and premium posts
Many writers move platforms because of how memberships work. Before you switch, check whether the new platform supports premium posts for members, free and premium tiers, and how members manage their own accounts. If you already have premium members, ask how they'll be moved, because members who have to sign up again often don't.
Also check the reader side: how quickly someone can subscribe, whether there's a reader app or network, and how comments and replies work. Those details shape whether readers stick around.
Do you make a blogging or newsletter platform? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on leaving Ghost
Decide whether you're mainly a blogger or mainly a newsletter writer, then shortlist two platforms built for that. Check export options before you import a single subscriber, keep your own domain, and tell readers why you're moving. Your list and your domain are what you're really protecting.
Frequently asked questions
What's a good alternative to Ghost?
Newsletter platforms, minimalist blogs, developer blogs and open-source options. This page lists nine.
Can I export my members from Ghost?
Ghost's help pages say you can export members as a CSV with their labels and subscription status.
Is there a free Ghost alternative?
Most platforms here describe a free plan or free open-source software. The table shows what each site states.
Should I use a newsletter platform or a blog?
If your main product is the email, choose a newsletter platform. If you want search traffic, choose a blog or website platform.
Will I lose subscribers when I move?
You shouldn't if you export and import carefully and tell readers about the move.
Can I use my own domain?
Many platforms support custom domains, sometimes on premium plans. Use your own domain from the start if you can.
Is Ghost open source?
Yes, Ghost is open source and can be self-hosted, and some alternatives here are too.
Can I move premium members to another platform?
It depends on the platform. Ask how existing members are moved, because members asked to sign up again often don't.
