How Ghost and Kit 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.
Kit, formerly ConvertKit, is email marketing made for creators. Forms and landing pages, tags and segments, visual automations, sequences, a Creator Network for recommendations, paid newsletters, and Kit Commerce for digital products give a creator everything the list needs, with a free plan to start. It is thoughtful and built by people who know creators.
Where they are different
Ghost
- Ghost monetises by membership.
- Ghost sends email and stops.
- Ghost is publishing-first.
Kit
- Kit's landing pages are lead capture.
- Kit sends from its infrastructure.
- Kit Commerce sells digital products.
Choose Ghost when writing is the business and you want paid subscriptions with no platform cut, on open-source software.
Choose Kit when the list is the business and you want the deepest creator-focused email tooling.
Compare features
What's on Ghost and Kit
A check means that capability is available. Ghost and Kit are marked only when the offer is comparable, not the same product.
Site and brand
- Workspace siteGhost: IncludedKit: Included
- Custom domainGhost: IncludedKit: Included
- Theme and fontsGhost: IncludedKit: Included
Public content
- BlogGhost: IncludedKit: Not included
- Reader engagementGhost: IncludedKit: Not included
- Showcase pagesGhost: IncludedKit: Not included
Reach and quality
- SEOGhost: IncludedKit: Included
Audience and email
- AudienceGhost: IncludedKit: Included
- Email on your domainGhost: IncludedKit: Not included
- Marketing emailsGhost: IncludedKit: Included
- Campaign workflowsGhost: Not includedKit: Included
Commerce
- Shop paymentsGhost: Not includedKit: Included
Team
- Admin usersGhost: IncludedKit: Included
- AI AssistantGhost: Not includedKit: Included
* Note: This table does not capture every feature of Ghost or Kit, and is not intended as a comprehensive list. We keep this page current, but Ghost or Kit may add or remove features that are not shown here.
Ghost vs Kit pricing
Compare plans, prices, and what it costs to get started.
Ghost
Current plans and prices
See what Ghost charges on their pricing page.
Kit
Current plans and prices
See what Kit charges on their pricing page.
Cardel: An alternative to
Ghost and Kit
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 Kit?
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 Kit when you want your work, audience, and sales in one place. The feature list on this page shows where Ghost and Kit are marked.
Can I use Cardel with Ghost or Kit?
Yes. Cardel pages can link out to other products, so you can keep Ghost or Kit for what it does best and bring the rest of your work to Cardel.
How much does Cardel cost compared with Ghost and Kit?
You don't pay for Cardel until you publish. Choose Starter, Pro, or Studio when your site goes live. Ghost and Kit set their own prices, so check their pricing pages on this page for current plans.
How do I switch from Ghost or Kit 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.