How Ghost and Klaviyo 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.
Klaviyo is the marketing brain of many online stores. Deep integration with Shopify and other platforms, behavior-based flows, predictive segments, email plus SMS plus push, and reporting that ties every send to revenue make it the standard for brands that live on repeat purchases. It is powerful and it is priced for that power.
Where they are different
Ghost
- Ghost monetises by membership.
- Ghost sends email and stops.
- Ghost is publishing-first.
Klaviyo
- Klaviyo needs a store to listen to.
- Klaviyo sends.
- Klaviyo optimizes revenue per send.
Choose Ghost when writing is the business and you want paid subscriptions with no platform cut, on open-source software.
Choose Klaviyo when you run an e-commerce brand and want email and SMS driven by store data.
Compare features
What's on Ghost and Klaviyo
A check means that capability is available. Ghost and Klaviyo are marked only when the offer is comparable, not the same product.
Site and brand
- Workspace siteGhost: IncludedKlaviyo: Not included
- Custom domainGhost: IncludedKlaviyo: Not included
Public content
- BlogGhost: IncludedKlaviyo: Not included
Audience and email
- AudienceGhost: IncludedKlaviyo: Included
- Email on your domainGhost: IncludedKlaviyo: Not included
- Marketing emailsGhost: IncludedKlaviyo: Included
- Campaign workflowsGhost: Not includedKlaviyo: Included
Team
- Admin usersGhost: IncludedKlaviyo: Included
- Per-admin permissionsGhost: IncludedKlaviyo: Included
- AI AssistantGhost: Not includedKlaviyo: Included
* Note: This table does not capture every feature of Ghost or Klaviyo, and is not intended as a comprehensive list. We keep this page current, but Ghost or Klaviyo may add or remove features that are not shown here.
Ghost vs Klaviyo pricing
Compare plans, prices, and what it costs to get started.
Ghost
Current plans and prices
See what Ghost charges on their pricing page.
Klaviyo
Current plans and prices
See what Klaviyo charges on their pricing page.
Cardel: An alternative to
Ghost and Klaviyo
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 Klaviyo?
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 Klaviyo when you want your work, audience, and sales in one place. The feature list on this page shows where Ghost and Klaviyo are marked.
Can I use Cardel with Ghost or Klaviyo?
Yes. Cardel pages can link out to other products, so you can keep Ghost or Klaviyo for what it does best and bring the rest of your work to Cardel.
How much does Cardel cost compared with Ghost and Klaviyo?
You don't pay for Cardel until you publish. Choose Starter, Pro, or Studio when your site goes live. Ghost and Klaviyo set their own prices, so check their pricing pages on this page for current plans.
How do I switch from Ghost or Klaviyo 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.