How Ghost and Gumroad compare
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.
Gumroad is selling without ceremony. Upload a file, set a price, share a link, and Gumroad handles checkout, delivery, VAT, memberships, pay-what-you-want, discount codes, and customer emails, taking a cut only when you sell. For creators who want to sell today and not think about infrastructure, it remains the easy answer.
Where they are different
Ghost
- Ghost monetises by membership.
- Ghost sends email and stops.
- Ghost is publishing-first.
Gumroad
- Gumroad is a storefront with a profile.
- Gumroad emails customers about products.
- Gumroad has no inbox or bookings.
Choose Ghost when writing is the business and you want paid subscriptions with no platform cut, on open-source software.
Choose Gumroad when you sell downloads or memberships and want zero setup and no monthly fee.
Compare features
What's on Ghost and Gumroad
A check means that capability is available. Ghost and Gumroad are marked only when the offer is comparable, not the same product.
Site and brand
- Workspace siteGhost: IncludedGumroad: Included
- Custom domainGhost: IncludedGumroad: Included
- Theme and fontsGhost: IncludedGumroad: Included
Public content
- BlogGhost: IncludedGumroad: Not included
- Reader engagementGhost: IncludedGumroad: Not included
- Shop pagesGhost: Not includedGumroad: Included
Audience and email
- AudienceGhost: IncludedGumroad: Included
- Marketing emailsGhost: IncludedGumroad: Included
- Campaign workflowsGhost: Not includedGumroad: Included
Commerce
- Shop paymentsGhost: Not includedGumroad: Included
- Orders and fulfillmentGhost: Not includedGumroad: Included
Team
- Admin usersGhost: IncludedGumroad: Included
- AI AssistantGhost: Not includedGumroad: Included
* Note: This table does not capture every feature of Ghost or Gumroad, and is not intended as a comprehensive list. We keep this page current, but Ghost or Gumroad may add or remove features that are not shown here.
Ghost vs Gumroad pricing
Compare plans, prices, and what it costs to get started.
Ghost
Current plans and prices
See what Ghost charges on their pricing page.
Gumroad
Current plans and prices
See what Gumroad charges on their pricing page.
Cardel: An alternative to
Ghost and Gumroad
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 Ghost or Gumroad?
Cardel is a home for your craft: a site of your own with a blog, newsletter, shop, community, and one inbox. It can replace Ghost or Gumroad when you want your work, audience, and sales in one place. The feature list on this page shows where Ghost and Gumroad are marked.
Can I use Cardel with Ghost or Gumroad?
Yes. Cardel pages can link out to other products, so you can keep Ghost or Gumroad for what it does best and bring the rest of your work to Cardel.
How much does Cardel cost compared with Ghost and Gumroad?
You don't pay for Cardel until you publish. Choose Starter, Pro, or Studio when your site goes live. Ghost and Gumroad set their own prices, so check their pricing pages on this page for current plans.
How do I switch from Ghost or Gumroad 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.