How Beehiiv and Ghost compare
Beehiiv treats a newsletter like a media business. Referral programs, Boosts and recommendations, an ad network, paid subscriptions, automations, segmentation, a website with SEO, and deep analytics are all pointed at one thing: growing and monetising a list. Operators who think in subscriber counts and CPMs love it.
Ghost is what serious independent publishing looks like. A fast, beautifully themed site, newsletters sent from your own domain, paid memberships with zero platform fees, comments, and a clean editor, all open source and portable. Ghost(Pro) hosting removes the ops, and the whole thing respects the writer and the reader.
Where they are different
Beehiiv
- Beehiiv's site exists to convert subscribers.
- Beehiiv monetises the list.
- Beehiiv sends.
Ghost
- Ghost monetises by membership.
- Ghost sends email and stops.
- Ghost is publishing-first.
Choose Beehiiv when your newsletter is the business and growth loops and ad revenue are the plan.
Choose Ghost when writing is the business and you want paid subscriptions with no platform cut, on open-source software.
Compare features
What's on Beehiiv and Ghost
A check means that capability is available. Beehiiv and Ghost are marked only when the offer is comparable, not the same product.
Site and brand
- Workspace siteBeehiiv: IncludedGhost: Included
- Custom domainBeehiiv: IncludedGhost: Included
- Theme and fontsBeehiiv: IncludedGhost: Included
- Brand kitBeehiiv: IncludedGhost: Not included
Public content
- BlogBeehiiv: IncludedGhost: Included
- Reader engagementBeehiiv: IncludedGhost: Included
Reach and quality
- SEOBeehiiv: IncludedGhost: Included
Audience and email
- AudienceBeehiiv: IncludedGhost: Included
- Email on your domainBeehiiv: Not includedGhost: Included
- Marketing emailsBeehiiv: IncludedGhost: Included
- Bulk email workflowsBeehiiv: IncludedGhost: Included
- Campaign workflowsBeehiiv: IncludedGhost: Not included
Team
- Admin usersBeehiiv: IncludedGhost: Included
- Per-admin permissionsBeehiiv: IncludedGhost: Included
- AI AssistantBeehiiv: IncludedGhost: Not included
* Note: This table does not capture every feature of Beehiiv or Ghost, and is not intended as a comprehensive list. We keep this page current, but Beehiiv or Ghost may add or remove features that are not shown here.
Beehiiv vs Ghost pricing
Compare plans, prices, and what it costs to get started.
Beehiiv
Current plans and prices
See what Beehiiv charges on their pricing page.
Ghost
Current plans and prices
See what Ghost charges on their pricing page.
Cardel: An alternative to
Beehiiv and Ghost
You don't pay until you publish.
Cardel provides a home for your craft. Share and sell your work, grow your audience, and bring your community together on a site of your own.
Common questions
Is Cardel an alternative to Beehiiv or Ghost?
Cardel is a home for your craft: a site of your own with a blog, newsletter, shop, community, and one inbox. It can replace Beehiiv or Ghost when you want your work, audience, and sales in one place. The feature list on this page shows where Beehiiv and Ghost are marked.
Can I use Cardel with Beehiiv or Ghost?
Yes. Cardel pages can link out to other products, so you can keep Beehiiv or Ghost for what it does best and bring the rest of your work to Cardel.
How much does Cardel cost compared with Beehiiv and Ghost?
You don't pay for Cardel until you publish. Choose Starter, Pro, or Studio when your site goes live. Beehiiv and Ghost set their own prices, so check their pricing pages on this page for current plans.
How do I switch from Beehiiv or Ghost to Cardel?
Start with Build Your Site, set up your home, and bring your work over at your own pace. You do not have to move everything on day one.