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Ghost vs MailerLite: 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: Ghost is cheaper at 1,000 and 25,000 subscribers; MailerLite is cheaper at 5,000 and 10,000 subscribers.
- With automations: only MailerLite has a verified option at every size we checked.
- Paid newsletter: Ghost is cheaper at 25,000 subscribers; MailerLite is cheaper at 1,000, 5,000 and 10,000 subscribers.
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Cost at 1k, 5k, 10k and 25k subscribers
Basic newsletter (no automations)
| Subscribers | Ghost | MailerLite | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | $18 (Starter) | $19 (Comfort) | Ghost by $1/mo |
| 5,000 | $75 (Publisher) | $49 (Comfort) | MailerLite by $26/mo |
| 10,000 | $105 (Publisher) | $89 (Comfort) | MailerLite by $16/mo |
| 25,000 | $169 (Publisher) | $179 (Comfort) | Ghost by $10/mo |
With automations (welcome sequences, drips)
| Subscribers | Ghost | MailerLite | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | n/a | $19 (Comfort) | MailerLite (only option in our verified data) |
| 5,000 | n/a | $49 (Comfort) | MailerLite (only option in our verified data) |
| 10,000 | n/a | $89 (Comfort) | MailerLite (only option in our verified data) |
| 25,000 | n/a | $179 (Comfort) | MailerLite (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 | Ghost | MailerLite | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | $64.40 (Publisher) | $48.40 (Comfort) | MailerLite by $16/mo |
| 5,000 | $222 (Publisher) | $196 (Comfort) | MailerLite by $26/mo |
| 10,000 | $399 (Publisher) | $383 (Comfort) | MailerLite by $16/mo |
| 25,000 | $904 (Publisher) | $914 (Comfort) | Ghost by $10/mo |
Switching? Ghost → MailerLite cost · MailerLite → Ghost 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
| Ghost | MailerLite | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | no free plan | free up to 250 subscribers |
| Fee on paid subscriptions | 0% platform cut + Stripe fees | 0% platform cut + Stripe fees |
| Cheapest plan with automations | not available | Comfort (from $12/mo) |
| Cheapest plan with own domain | Starter (from $18/mo) | Comfort (from $12/mo) |
| Cheapest plan without platform branding | Starter (from $18/mo) | Comfort (from $12/mo) |
| Plans | Starter, Publisher, Business | Free, Comfort, Power |
| Prices verified | 2026-10-20 | 2026-10-20 |
Who each is best for
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
MailerLite is best for
Budget-conscious senders who want automations, landing pages and their own domain at a low monthly price.
FAQ
Is Ghost cheaper than MailerLite?
It depends on your list and needs. In our data (monthly billing, 1,000 / 5,000 / 10,000 / 25,000 subscribers): basic newsletter — Ghost is cheaper at 1,000 and 25,000 subscribers; MailerLite is cheaper at 5,000 and 10,000 subscribers. With automations — only MailerLite has a verified option at every size we checked. Paid newsletter — Ghost is cheaper at 25,000 subscribers; MailerLite is cheaper at 1,000, 5,000 and 10,000 subscribers. Prices verified 2026-10-20.
Which has the bigger free plan, Ghost or MailerLite?
Ghost: no free plan. MailerLite: free up to 250 subscribers. Free plans have feature limits — see the comparison table.
Do Ghost and MailerLite take a cut of paid subscriptions?
Ghost: 0% platform cut + Stripe fees. MailerLite: 0% platform cut + Stripe fees.
What do Ghost and MailerLite cost at 10,000 subscribers?
On monthly billing, a basic newsletter costs $105/mo on Ghost Publisher and $89/mo on MailerLite Comfort. With automations: n/a on Ghost vs $89/mo (MailerLite Comfort).
Sources
- Ghost pricing (checked 2026-10-20)
- Ghost: ghost.org/
- MailerLite pricing (checked 2026-10-20)
- MailerLite: paid subscriptions
- MailerLite: mailerlite.com/substack-alternative
- Stripe pricing (card-fee estimate)
- Stripe Billing pricing (0.7% on recurring payments)
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Guides: Is beehiiv worth it in 2026 · beehiiv Free plan (2026) · AWeber Free plan (2026)
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