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beehiiv vs Ghost: cost and features compared (2026)
Last verified against official pricing pages · USD, monthly billing, excluding tax
Prices change often. Every price here was checked against the platform's official pricing page on the date shown, but plans, promos and taxes vary. Always confirm on the official site before you buy or switch. Not financial advice.
Quick answer
- Basic newsletter: beehiiv is cheaper at 1,000 subscribers; Ghost is cheaper at 5,000, 10,000 and 25,000 subscribers.
- With automations: only beehiiv has a verified option at every size we checked.
- Paid newsletter: Ghost is cheaper at every size we checked.
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Cost at 1k, 5k, 10k and 25k subscribers
Basic newsletter (no automations)
| Subscribers | beehiiv | Ghost | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | $0 (Free) | $18 (Starter) | beehiiv by $18/mo |
| 5,000 | $109 (Lite) | $75 (Publisher) | Ghost by $34/mo |
| 10,000 | $139 (Lite) | $105 (Publisher) | Ghost by $34/mo |
| 25,000 | $199 (Lite) | $169 (Publisher) | Ghost by $30/mo |
With automations (welcome sequences, drips)
| Subscribers | beehiiv | Ghost | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | $59 (Lite) | n/a | beehiiv (only option in our verified data) |
| 5,000 | $109 (Lite) | n/a | beehiiv (only option in our verified data) |
| 10,000 | $139 (Lite) | n/a | beehiiv (only option in our verified data) |
| 25,000 | $199 (Lite) | n/a | beehiiv (only option in our verified data) |
Ghost has no native automation builder in our data, so that scenario shows n/a.
Paid newsletter (5% of subscribers pay $8/mo)
| Subscribers | beehiiv | Ghost | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | $88.40 (Lite) | $64.40 (Publisher) | Ghost by $24/mo |
| 5,000 | $256 (Lite) | $222 (Publisher) | Ghost by $34/mo |
| 10,000 | $433 (Lite) | $399 (Publisher) | Ghost by $34/mo |
| 25,000 | $934 (Lite) | $904 (Publisher) | Ghost by $30/mo |
Switching? beehiiv → Ghost cost · Ghost → beehiiv cost · Best platform for your needs
Cheapest plan on each platform that covers the list size and required features. Paid totals = plan + platform cut + Stripe card fees (2.9% + $0.30 per payment, estimate) + Stripe's 0.7% Billing fee on recurring payments where confirmed (beehiiv, MailerLite, Ghost, Buttondown, Substack and AWeber); not added for GetResponse (not confirmed); Kit's 3.5% + $0.30 is all-in. How we model fees. "limited" = feature is capped on that plan. Run your exact numbers →
Key differences
| beehiiv | Ghost | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | free up to 2,500 subscribers | no free plan |
| Fee on paid subscriptions | 0% platform cut + Stripe fees | 0% platform cut + Stripe fees |
| Cheapest plan with automations | Lite (from $59/mo) | not available |
| Cheapest plan with own domain | Lite (from $59/mo) | Starter (from $18/mo) |
| Cheapest plan without platform branding | Pro (from $109/mo) | Starter (from $18/mo) |
| Plans | Free, Lite, Pro | Starter, Publisher, Business |
| Prices verified | 2026-10-20 | 2026-10-20 |
Who each is best for
beehiiv is best for
Newsletter-first publishers who want built-in growth and monetization tools (ad network, referrals, website) in one place.
- Bundles growth tools beyond email: website builder, ad network and referral program (ad network not on Free). source
- Takes 0% of paid-subscription revenue on paid plans; Stripe fees apply. source
- Raised prices on October 1, 2026 (Scale→Lite, Max→Pro); existing customers move at their first renewal on or after November 1, 2026. source
Ghost is best for
Publishers who want a full website and membership business on their own domain, with 0% platform fees and the option to self-host.
- No free hosted plan; Starter is capped at 1,000 members and does not include paid subscriptions. source
- 0% Ghost transaction fees on Publisher and above; Stripe fees apply. source
- Ghost is open-source software, so you can also self-host it instead of paying for Ghost(Pro). source
- No drip/automation builder is listed on the Ghost(Pro) pricing page. source
Try beehiiv (paid link) Try Ghost
FAQ
Is beehiiv cheaper than Ghost?
It depends on your list and needs. In our data (monthly billing, 1,000 / 5,000 / 10,000 / 25,000 subscribers): basic newsletter — beehiiv is cheaper at 1,000 subscribers; Ghost is cheaper at 5,000, 10,000 and 25,000 subscribers. With automations — only beehiiv has a verified option at every size we checked. Paid newsletter — Ghost is cheaper at every size we checked. Prices verified 2026-10-20.
Which has the bigger free plan, beehiiv or Ghost?
beehiiv: free up to 2,500 subscribers. Ghost: no free plan. Free plans have feature limits — see the comparison table.
Do beehiiv and Ghost take a cut of paid subscriptions?
beehiiv: 0% platform cut + Stripe fees. Ghost: 0% platform cut + Stripe fees.
What do beehiiv and Ghost cost at 10,000 subscribers?
On monthly billing, a basic newsletter costs $139/mo on beehiiv Lite and $105/mo on Ghost Publisher. With automations: $139/mo (beehiiv Lite) vs n/a on Ghost.
Sources
- beehiiv pricing (checked 2026-10-20)
- beehiiv: beehiiv.com/blog/beehiiv-pricing-2026
- Ghost pricing (checked 2026-10-20)
- Ghost: ghost.org/
- Stripe pricing (card-fee estimate)
- Stripe Billing pricing (0.7% on recurring payments)
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Guides: Is beehiiv worth it in 2026 · Substack to beehiiv migration · beehiiv Free plan (2026) · AWeber Free plan (2026)
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Recently flagged: Kit: 25% off the first year of Pro on annual billing (limited-time offer) (20 Oct 2026) · beehiiv renames plans and raises prices (Scale → Lite, Max → Pro) (1 Oct 2026)