When it comes to starting and expanding an indie newsletter, Beehiiv and Ghost are two prominent platforms available for creators. Both provide strong features for publishing, monetizing, and customizing content, but each targets different types of creators. In this guide, we will evaluate Beehiiv and Ghost based on their user-friendliness, customization options, SEO features, and monetization strategies to assist you in choosing the right platform for your newsletter.
- Overview of Beehiiv and Ghost
- Ease of Use
- Customization and Branding
- Monetization Options
- SEO and Discoverability
- Analytics and Growth Tools
- Pricing Comparison
- Final Thoughts: Which Platform Is Right for You?
Beehiiv was launched in 2021 with a focus on helping newsletter creators grow and monetize their audiences. Built by former members of the Morning Brew team, Beehiiv is designed with advanced growth and referral tools, segmentation capabilities, and built-in analytics that make it a strong choice for creators focused on audience growth. Beehiiv is largely newsletter-centric, built to simplify the process of building and monetizing an email newsletter.
Ghost is an open-source content management system (CMS) launched in 2013. Originally designed as a blogging platform, Ghost has evolved to become a powerful publishing and membership tool for writers and creators. Unlike Beehiiv, which is newsletter-focused, Ghost offers more extensive customization and website-building capabilities, making it well-suited for creators who want to build a full-featured website alongside their newsletter.
| Feature | Beehiiv | Ghost |
|---|---|---|
| Launch Year | 2021 | 2013 |
| Content Focus | Newsletter | Blogging and newsletters |
| Revenue Share | 0% revenue share | 0% revenue share |
| Customization | Moderate | Advanced |
| SEO Capabilities | Basic | Advanced |
| Audience Segmentation | Advanced | Moderate |
| Referral Program | Built-in, advanced | None (requires integration) |
| Pricing | Free, paid plans start at $49/mo | Starts at $9/mo (self-hosted) |
Beehiiv was designed to be user-friendly and quick to set up, even for those with no technical experience. Its email-centric interface focuses on simplicity and usability, making it easy to manage subscribers, segment audiences, and monitor analytics without complex configuration. Beehiiv also handles email delivery and provides built-in referral tools, which makes growth straightforward for new creators.
Ghost has a steeper learning curve, particularly if you’re using the self-hosted version, which requires knowledge of server setup and maintenance. However, Ghost’s managed hosting (Ghost Pro) makes it easier for beginners by handling technical details like hosting, email delivery, and security. Ghost’s interface is clean and intuitive, but it’s more customizable and therefore requires more setup than Beehiiv.
Key Insight: Beehiiv is simpler and faster to set up, ideal for creators focused on newsletters. Ghost provides more flexibility and control but requires more setup, particularly for creators who want a full website experience alongside their newsletter.
Beehiiv offers basic to moderate customization options. Creators can adjust their newsletter’s color scheme, add logos, and style certain elements to fit their brand. Beehiiv’s focus is on functionality rather than extensive design options, so while it allows some branding, it doesn’t have the customization depth of a full CMS. For creators focused on simplicity with light branding options, Beehiiv offers enough to create a polished newsletter.
Ghost shines in customization and design flexibility. As an open-source CMS, Ghost allows for in-depth customization, from themes and layouts to custom CSS and integrations. It also provides website-building tools, making it a great choice for creators wanting a branded website alongside their newsletter. With Ghost, creators can build a fully branded digital experience that supports different types of content beyond email newsletters.
Key Insight: Beehiiv offers limited customization suitable for newsletter-focused creators, while Ghost provides extensive customization, ideal for creators building a branded online presence.
Beehiiv supports multiple monetization methods, including subscriptions and ad placements. Beehiiv’s ad management tools let creators place and track sponsored content, making it a strong choice for newsletters aiming to earn through partnerships or paid advertisements. Beehiiv’s subscription feature allows creators to charge subscribers for premium content, with no revenue cut taken by the platform—only standard payment processing fees apply.
Ghost’s monetization features are also robust, focusing on memberships and subscriptions. With Ghost, creators can set up different membership tiers and charge for premium content, which makes it ideal for subscription-based monetization models. Ghost doesn’t support ad management as Beehiiv does, but it integrates well with platforms like Stripe, allowing creators full control over their subscription income.
Key Insight: Beehiiv is best for creators looking to monetize through both subscriptions and ads, while Ghost is ideal for subscription-based monetization without a focus on ad placements.
Beehiiv’s SEO capabilities are basic, allowing for essential SEO elements like custom URLs and meta descriptions. However, since Beehiiv is primarily an email newsletter platform, its SEO options are limited compared to full CMS platforms. Beehiiv’s primary focus is on email-driven growth rather than organic search traffic, so it’s not built for SEO-heavy content strategies.
Ghost offers powerful SEO features that rival those of dedicated CMS platforms like WordPress. With built-in SEO tools, creators can optimize titles, descriptions, and URLs for search engines, and Ghost also supports schema markup, which can help content rank more effectively. Ghost’s SEO flexibility makes it a great choice for creators who want to attract organic traffic through blog content alongside their newsletter.
Key Insight: Beehiiv’s SEO features are minimal, suited for email-centric creators, while Ghost provides advanced SEO options, ideal for creators looking to build a content-rich website.
Beehiiv provides robust analytics and growth tools specifically designed to help creators expand their subscriber base. Beehiiv’s advanced referral program allows for customizable incentives, helping newsletters grow organically through referrals. Additionally, Beehiiv’s analytics give insights into subscriber engagement, click-through rates, and more, making it easier for creators to optimize content for audience growth.
Ghost’s analytics are more basic compared to Beehiiv’s, focusing on metrics like member activity, views, and engagement. Ghost doesn’t have a built-in referral program, but it can integrate with third-party tools like SparkLoop for referrals. However, Ghost’s growth potential is enhanced by its SEO capabilities, which help attract organic traffic over time.
Key Insight: Beehiiv’s referral program and in-depth analytics make it ideal for creators focused on fast newsletter growth. Ghost’s analytics are more basic, but its SEO capabilities support steady growth through organic traffic.
Beehiiv offers several pricing plans, including a free option for new creators. Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut of subscription revenue, which makes it attractive for high-revenue newsletters, though payment processing fees still apply. (Prices might differ from the table)
| Plan | Monthly Cost | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Basic features, limited analytics, no audience segmentation |
| Grow | $49/month | Advanced analytics, referral program, basic segmentation |
| Scale | $99/month | Full segmentation, ad management, custom branding options |
Ghost’s pricing depends on whether you choose self-hosted or managed hosting. The self-hosted version of Ghost is free to download but requires a hosting provider, costing around $5–$20 per month. Ghost Pro (managed hosting) starts at $9/month, which includes all necessary tools and support.
| Plan | Monthly Cost | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Self-Hosted | $5–$20 | Full access to Ghost but requires setup and hosting |
| Ghost Pro | Starts at $9 | Managed hosting, SEO tools, full customization, membership options |
Key Insight: Beehiiv’s free and paid plans are cost-effective for email newsletters. Ghost’s self-hosted option can be affordable, but Ghost Pro is better for creators who want managed hosting and advanced SEO features.
Both Beehiiv and Ghost offer powerful tools for indie newsletter creators, but the right choice depends on your goals:
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Choose Beehiiv if: You’re looking for a simple-to-use platform focused on email newsletters, with growth-oriented tools like advanced analytics and a referral program. Beehiiv is ideal for creators wanting fast subscriber growth and monetization through ads and subscriptions.
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Choose Ghost if: You want to build a fully branded website with robust SEO capabilities, a customizable design, and extensive membership options. Ghost is better for creators interested in building an online presence that goes beyond newsletters, supporting blog content and SEO-driven growth.
Whether you prioritize ease and email-driven growth with Beehiiv or want complete control over branding and content with Ghost, both platforms provide strong support for indie creators looking to connect with their audiences.
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Which platform is better for audience segmentation?
- Beehiiv offers advanced audience segmentation, making it easier to target specific subscriber groups.
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Can I integrate Ghost with third-party referral tools?
- Yes, while Ghost doesn’t have a built-in referral program, it integrates well with tools like SparkLoop.
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Does Ghost support ad management?
- No, Ghost is focused on membership and subscription monetization but does not support ad management.
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Can I use Beehiiv for SEO-focused content?
- Beehiiv has limited SEO tools and is more email-centric, so it’s less suited for SEO-driven content than Ghost.