DevVersus

Ghost vs Kit (ConvertKit)(2026)

Ghost is better for teams that need own your content and list. Kit (ConvertKit) is the stronger choice if best-in-class automations. Ghost is open-source (from $9/mo) and Kit (ConvertKit) is freemium (from $25/mo).

Full feature breakdown, pricing details, and pros & cons below.

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Ghost logo

Ghost

open-source

Ghost is an open-source publishing platform combining a blog, newsletter, and membership/subscription tool in one. Self-host for free or use Ghost(Pro) — ideal for independent publishers.

Starting at $9/mo

Visit Ghost
Kit (ConvertKit) logo

Kit (ConvertKit)

freemium

Kit (formerly ConvertKit) is creator-focused email marketing with visual automations, subscriber tagging, landing pages, and paid newsletter support — built for bloggers, podcasters, and creators.

Starting at $25/mo

Visit Kit (ConvertKit)

How Do Ghost and Kit (ConvertKit) Compare on Features?

FeatureGhostKit (ConvertKit)
Pricing modelopen-sourcefreemium
Starting price$9/mo$25/mo
Open source (MIT)
Newsletter + blog combo
Paid memberships
Custom themes
Built-in SEO
Comments
Recommendations
Visual automation builder
Subscriber tagging
Landing pages
Paid newsletter (Creator Pro)
Broadcast emails
Commerce integration
A/B testing

Ghost Pros and Cons vs Kit (ConvertKit)

G

Ghost

+Own your content and list
+No transaction fees self-hosted
+Beautiful publication design
+Strong SEO
Requires self-hosting expertise
Ghost Pro is pricier
Less discovery than Substack
K

Kit (ConvertKit)

+Best-in-class automations
+Strong creator ecosystem
+Good deliverability
+Free up to 10k subscribers
Fewer design templates
More expensive than Mailchimp
Limited analytics on lower plans

Should You Use Ghost or Kit (ConvertKit)?

Choose Ghost if…

  • Own your content and list
  • No transaction fees self-hosted
  • Beautiful publication design

Choose Kit (ConvertKit) if…

  • Best-in-class automations
  • Strong creator ecosystem
  • Good deliverability

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