How Ghost and Podia 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.
Podia is the all-in-one that stays friendly. Courses with drip and quizzes, digital downloads delivered the second someone pays, coaching products, events, a community with paid plans, a website with a real blog, and Podia Email with broadcasts and campaigns, all under one login and one bill. Sales tax across 230 jurisdictions, 20 plus currencies, coupons, bundles, and payment plans come standard, and Shaker and Earthquaker drop the transaction fee to zero. For a creator selling digital products, Podia removes a lot of glue.
Where they are different
Ghost
- Ghost monetises by membership.
- Ghost sends email and stops.
- Ghost is publishing-first.
Podia
- Podia's coaching product takes payment and then hands booking to Calendly, SavvyCal, Acuity, or YouCanBookMe.
- Podia Email sends from Podia and includes 100 to 1,000 subscribers by plan.
- Podia's chat inbox gathers chat.
- Podia gives one assistant on Shaker with full access.
Choose Ghost when writing is the business and you want paid subscriptions with no platform cut, on open-source software.
Choose Podia when courses, downloads, and paid memberships are what you sell and you want checkout, tax, and delivery handled for you.
Compare features
What's on Ghost and Podia
A check means that capability is available. Ghost and Podia are marked only when the offer is comparable, not the same product.
Site and brand
- Workspace siteGhost: IncludedPodia: Included
- Custom domainGhost: IncludedPodia: Included
- Theme and fontsGhost: IncludedPodia: Included
Public content
- BlogGhost: IncludedPodia: Included
- Reader engagementGhost: IncludedPodia: Included
- Showcase pagesGhost: IncludedPodia: Included
- Shop pagesGhost: Not includedPodia: Included
Reach and quality
- SEOGhost: IncludedPodia: Included
Audience and email
- AudienceGhost: IncludedPodia: Included
- Email on your domainGhost: IncludedPodia: Not included
- Marketing emailsGhost: IncludedPodia: Included
- Bulk email workflowsGhost: IncludedPodia: Included
- Campaign workflowsGhost: Not includedPodia: Included
Messaging
- Built-in chatGhost: Not includedPodia: Included
Commerce
- Shop paymentsGhost: Not includedPodia: Included
- Orders and fulfillmentGhost: Not includedPodia: Included
Team
- Admin usersGhost: IncludedPodia: Included
* Note: This table does not capture every feature of Ghost or Podia, and is not intended as a comprehensive list. We keep this page current, but Ghost or Podia may add or remove features that are not shown here.
Ghost vs Podia pricing
Compare plans, prices, and what it costs to get started.
Ghost
Current plans and prices
See what Ghost charges on their pricing page.
Podia
Current plans and prices
See what Podia charges on their pricing page.
Cardel: An alternative to
Ghost and Podia
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 Podia?
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 Podia when you want your work, audience, and sales in one place. The feature list on this page shows where Ghost and Podia are marked.
Can I use Cardel with Ghost or Podia?
Yes. Cardel pages can link out to other products, so you can keep Ghost or Podia for what it does best and bring the rest of your work to Cardel.
How much does Cardel cost compared with Ghost and Podia?
You don't pay for Cardel until you publish. Choose Starter, Pro, or Studio when your site goes live. Ghost and Podia set their own prices, so check their pricing pages on this page for current plans.
How do I switch from Ghost or Podia 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.