How Ghost and Patreon 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.
Patreon turned fans into patrons. Membership tiers, members-only posts, community chats, a shop for one-off items, and native podcast and video delivery give creators steady income from the people who care most. It is the default word for creator memberships, and the tools have grown up with it.
Where they are different
Ghost
- Ghost monetises by membership.
- Ghost sends email and stops.
- Ghost is publishing-first.
Patreon
- Patreon lives at patreon.com/yourname and gates most content.
- Patreon takes a percentage of membership revenue.
- Patreon messages patrons in-app.
Choose Ghost when writing is the business and you want paid subscriptions with no platform cut, on open-source software.
Choose Patreon when recurring fan support with tiers and members-only perks is the model.
Compare features
What's on Ghost and Patreon
A check means that capability is available. Ghost and Patreon are marked only when the offer is comparable, not the same product.
Site and brand
- Workspace siteGhost: IncludedPatreon: Not included
- Custom domainGhost: IncludedPatreon: Not included
Public content
- BlogGhost: IncludedPatreon: Not included
- Reader engagementGhost: IncludedPatreon: Not included
- Shop pagesGhost: Not includedPatreon: Included
Audience and email
- AudienceGhost: IncludedPatreon: Included
- Marketing emailsGhost: IncludedPatreon: Included
- Bulk email workflowsGhost: IncludedPatreon: Not included
Messaging
- Built-in chatGhost: Not includedPatreon: Included
Commerce
- Shop paymentsGhost: Not includedPatreon: Included
- Orders and fulfillmentGhost: Not includedPatreon: Included
Team
- Admin usersGhost: IncludedPatreon: Included
- Per-admin permissionsGhost: IncludedPatreon: Included
* Note: This table does not capture every feature of Ghost or Patreon, and is not intended as a comprehensive list. We keep this page current, but Ghost or Patreon may add or remove features that are not shown here.
Ghost vs Patreon pricing
Compare plans, prices, and what it costs to get started.
Ghost
Current plans and prices
See what Ghost charges on their pricing page.
Patreon
Current plans and prices
See what Patreon charges on their pricing page.
Cardel: An alternative to
Ghost and Patreon
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 Patreon?
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 Patreon when you want your work, audience, and sales in one place. The feature list on this page shows where Ghost and Patreon are marked.
Can I use Cardel with Ghost or Patreon?
Yes. Cardel pages can link out to other products, so you can keep Ghost or Patreon for what it does best and bring the rest of your work to Cardel.
How much does Cardel cost compared with Ghost and Patreon?
You don't pay for Cardel until you publish. Choose Starter, Pro, or Studio when your site goes live. Ghost and Patreon set their own prices, so check their pricing pages on this page for current plans.
How do I switch from Ghost or Patreon 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.