Ghost Pricing: Plans & Features 2026
Unlike builders with free tiers, Ghost starts at $15/mo (billed yearly) and scales across 4 plans up to $239/mo as your audience grows.
Ghost Plans & Tiers Explained
Starter
$18/moBest for: $15/mo (billed yearly) gets you 1 staff user, Custom domain, Email newsletter, 1,000 members
- ✓Website & blog
- ✓Basic membership
- ✓Custom domain
- ✓Email newsletters
- ✓SEO tools
Publisher
$35/moBest for: $29/mo (billed yearly) gets you 3 staff users, Custom themes, Paid subscriptions, 1,000 members
- ✓All Starter features
- ✓Paid memberships
- ✓Advanced membership options
- ✓Email automation
- ✓Custom themes
Business
$239/moBest for: $249/mo (billed yearly) gets you 15 staff users, Priority support, 10,000 members
- ✓Premium themes
- ✓Advanced integrations
- ✓Priority support
- ✓Enhanced analytics
Enterprise
Contact Sales- ✓Dedicated support
- ✓Custom contract
- ✓Scaling assistance
Pricing Expert Take
Independent analysis · Ghost
Value Analysis
Despite its premium positioning, Ghost's Starter plan is priced at an accessible $18/mo, significantly lower than its Publisher tier at $35/mo. However, scaling to the Publisher plan at $35/mo quickly pushes costs above the market average to unlock core features like paid memberships and custom themes. For serious creators, the Business plan at $239/mo represents a steep financial commitment that is difficult to justify unless you require advanced integrations and priority support.
Hidden Costs
- Custom integrations are restricted on lower-tier plans, forcing users to upgrade to access basic API connections.
- Annual billing discounts mask the higher true cost of month-to-month commitments.
Red Flags
Ghost has quietly eliminated its entry-level pricing tiers, forcing new creators into more expensive brackets. Users have expressed frustration over the sudden disappearance of affordable starter options that previously lowered the barrier to entry.
"I suddenly noticed that the $9 per month plan is no longer available"
"Ghost is not that friendly with integration. I am a bit concern"
Based on analysis of recent Reddit and G2 discussions.
Green Wins
The Starter plan at $18/mo offers native memberships, subscriptions, and newsletters.
- Native memberships, subscriptions, and newsletters
- Modern, fast tech stack (Node.js) for better site speed
- Creator-first, non-profit model with no transaction fees
User Voices
"The 9$ per month is for Ghost Pro... CANNOT create custom integrations"
"I suddenly noticed that the $9 per month plan is no longer available"
Verdict
Solopreneurs and basic bloggers should stick to the Starter plan at $18/mo, while scaling media brands will require the Publisher plan at $35/mo. If you need deep third-party integrations without paying a premium, consider WordPress.com at $25/mo as a more flexible alternative.
How Does Ghost Pricing Compare?
Overview
Ghost - Open-source publishing platform for blogs, newsletters, and memberships. 4 tiers from $15 to $249/mo (billed yearly). Starter covers 1 staff user, Custom domain, while Business adds 15 staff users and Priority support. At $15/mo, Ghost undercuts the $19/mo category average by 21%. For comparison, Unicorn Platform starts at $14 and Duda at $25. Watch the 13x price jump from Starter ($15) to Business ($199) - map out which features you actually need before committing to upper tiers.
Cost Per User
Which Plan Is Right for You?
$15/mo (billed yearly) gets you 1 staff user, Custom domain, Email newsletter, 1,000 members. Entry point - cheaper than the $19/mo category average.
$29/mo (billed yearly) gets you 3 staff users, Custom themes, Paid subscriptions, 1,000 members. The middle ground - enough for growing teams without enterprise overhead. Saves $170/mo (billed yearly) vs. Business.
$249/mo (billed yearly) gets you 15 staff users, Priority support, 10,000 members. 586% more than Publisher - justified only if you need the extras. At this price point, also evaluate Unicorn Platform.
Custom pricing for Unlimited staff, Dedicated IP, 99.9% SLA. Always negotiate - ask for pilot pricing if testing with <50 seats, and push for annual discount commitments. Compare enterprise quotes against Unicorn Platform's equivalent tier.
vs. Category Average
42% below the website builders average
Our Verdict
Ghost costs $0–$239/mo as of May 30, 2026, with 4 plans.
Rated 4.3/5, Ghost at $15/mo is a value pick in its category. Start with Starter ($15/mo (billed yearly)). Upgrade to Publisher only after you've confirmed 3 staff users will get used.
Is Ghost Worth the Price?
Strengths
- 1Native memberships, subscriptions, and newsletters
- 2Modern, fast tech stack (Node.js) for better site speed
- 3Creator-first, non-profit model with no transaction fees
- 4Clean, minimalist editor focused purely on writing
- 5Fully open-source with robust API for custom development
Considerations
- 1Limited native e-commerce features beyond memberships
- 2Smaller theme and plugin ecosystem compared to WordPress
- 3Requires some technical comfort for self-hosting or advanced customization
- 4Steeper pricing for official hosting than many shared hosting providers
- 5No built-in visual page builder for complex, non-post layouts
Ideal For
Professional Creators & Publishers
Which plan fits you
Pricing Takeaway
★ 4.1/5Rated 4.3/5, Ghost at $15/mo is a value pick in its category. Start with Starter ($15/mo (billed yearly)). Upgrade to Publisher only after you've confirmed 3 staff users will get used.
What Does Ghost Actually Cost You?
List price covers the subscription. Total cost of ownership for Ghost typically includes additional line items that don't appear on the pricing page.
Ask vendors for a total cost of ownership estimate before signing. Our methodology covers how we calculate verified list prices.
Ghost Pricing History
Budget-Friendly Website Builders Tools
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Ghost pricing compare?
See how Ghost's 4 pricing plans stack up against similar Website Builders tools.
Research Reports
Sources & Data Trail · Ghost
- 1.Official Pricing Page·Source of verified tiers(Checked: 2026-05-30)
- 2.Official Website·Official vendor website
- 3.G2·G2 verified user reviews · 4.1/5 · 39 reviews
- 4.Capterra·Capterra verified user reviews · 4.6/5
- 5.TrustRadius·TrustRadius verified reviews
- 6.PeerSpot·PeerSpot enterprise peer reviews
- 7.StackShare·StackShare developer community