beehiiv vs Ghost for magazine publishers
Publishers shortlisting newsletter software often compare beehiiv with Ghost. Both send newsletters and both take paid subscriptions, but beehiiv is built around growing and earning from newsletters, while Ghost puts a website, newsletters and paid memberships in one place. This page sets out what each vendor documents on its own public pages, with a source and date for every cell. It does not rate either product. Where a capability is not on a cited page, the table says “does not document”, which is not the same as not having it.
RunMags is a third option, described after the comparison. Explore the publishing software comparison hub.
How the sources were checked
beehiiv statements come from pages on beehiiv.com and product.beehiiv.com retrieved 2026-10-04. Ghost statements come from pages on ghost.org and docs.ghost.org retrieved 2026-10-04. Every statement is vendor-claimed: neither product was operated for this comparison. Ask each vendor to confirm the current plan, limits and terms.
beehiiv vs Ghost at a glance
| Area | beehiiv | Ghost |
|---|---|---|
| Newsletter sending | Publish, Grow, Earn and Analyze tools for newsletters, alongside podcasts and communities, with a paid recommendations marketplace added on 2026-09-29. Sources: beehiiv homepage and product update of 2026-09-29, retrieved 2026-10-04. | Multiple newsletters, sends to free or paid members and segments, and email included on Ghost(Pro). Welcome-email sequences for new members were added in beta on 2026-06-24. Sources: newsletter docs and changelog entry of 2026-06-24, retrieved 2026-10-04. |
| Paid subscriptions and memberships | Paid subscriptions are listed on the plans. Source: pricing page, retrieved 2026-10-04. | Paid memberships at a 0% Ghost fee from the Publisher plan, with Stripe processing fees on top, retention offers at cancellation (2026-03-11) and gift subscriptions (improved 2026-08-27). Sources: pricing page, retention offers changelog and gift subscriptions changelog, retrieved 2026-10-04. |
| Website and CMS | Its 2026-08-20 product update adds AI-search summaries and structured data for posts on beehiiv websites. The pages reviewed do not document the website builder in detail. Source: product update of 2026-08-20, retrieved 2026-10-04. | An open-source platform that combines a website, newsletters and paid memberships, hosted on Ghost(Pro) with a custom domain on every plan. Sources: Ghost homepage and pricing page, retrieved 2026-10-04. |
| CRM | Reader-side records: community profile fields that feed segments and automations (2026-09-17). Does not document an advertiser sales CRM on the pages reviewed. Sources: product update of 2026-09-17 and enterprise page, retrieved 2026-10-04. | Member records for free and paid members, used for newsletter segments. Does not document an advertiser sales CRM on the pages reviewed. Sources: newsletter docs and publishers page, retrieved 2026-10-04. |
| Print circulation | Does not document print subscriptions, issue-based terms or postal distribution on the pages reviewed. Sources: beehiiv homepage and pricing page, retrieved 2026-10-04. | Does not document print subscriptions, issues or a flatplan on the pages reviewed. Sources: Ghost homepage and publishers page, retrieved 2026-10-04. |
| Ad sales | An Ad Network that sells newsletter placements for you, from the Lite plan, and direct sponsorships on Pro and Enterprise, with a sponsor dashboard, a calendar of available sends and a public Storefront. beehiiv is the merchant of record for sponsorships. Does not document print advertising or advertiser contracts. Sources: Ad Network page, direct sponsorships page and sponsorships help article, retrieved 2026-10-04. | Does not document native ad booking, contracts or orders on the pages reviewed. The Publisher plan and above can add any ad network's code, and the integrations directory lists third-party ad tools such as Intravert. Sources: pricing page and integrations directory, retrieved 2026-10-04. |
| Accounting sync | Sponsorship bookings are paid to beehiiv and cannot be invoiced outside beehiiv. Does not document an accounting-system sync on the pages reviewed. Source: sponsorships help article, retrieved 2026-10-04. | Member payments go to the publisher's own Stripe account. Does not document invoicing or an accounting-system sync on the pages reviewed. Source: pricing page, retrieved 2026-10-04. |
| Published price | In US dollars, at 1,000 subscribers: Free, $0, up to 2,500 subscribers; Lite, $49 a month billed annually or $59 billed monthly; Pro, $95 a month billed annually or $109 billed monthly; Enterprise on request. Prices rise with subscriber count. Source: pricing page, retrieved 2026-10-04. | Ghost(Pro) in US dollars, billed yearly: Starter, $18 a month, 1,000 members, no paid subscriptions; Publisher, $29 a month, 1,000 members; Business, $199 a month, 10,000 members; Custom through sales. Stripe processing fees are charged on top. Source: pricing page, retrieved 2026-10-04. |
| Free trial | Does not document a time-limited trial; the pricing page lists a Free plan for up to 2,500 subscribers. Source: pricing page, retrieved 2026-10-04. | Does not document a free trial on the pages reviewed. Source: pricing page, retrieved 2026-10-04. |
Prices are the vendors' published list prices on the date shown and exclude add-ons, services and taxes. beehiiv's prices rise with subscriber count, and Ghost's plans are priced by number of members, so compare them at your own list size.
Pick beehiiv if…
- newsletters are your main product and you want growth tools such as a paid recommendations marketplace;
- you want an ad network that sells newsletter placements for you;
- you want to sell sponsorships from a public Storefront with beehiiv as the merchant of record;
- you want to start on a Free plan for up to 2,500 subscribers.
Pick Ghost if…
- you want your website, newsletters and paid memberships on one open-source platform;
- you want member payments to go straight to your own Stripe account at a 0% Ghost fee;
- you want retention offers at cancellation and gift subscriptions;
- you want several newsletters sent to free or paid member segments.
Both lists come from the vendors' own pages cited above. Either product may cover more than its public pages show, so ask each vendor to demonstrate the same job: one sponsor booked into a newsletter, the send, and the money reaching your accounts.
A third option: RunMags
RunMags connects your magazine business from proposal to paid invoice, with Maggie built in. It is worth a look if you also publish in print or sell advertising across print, web and newsletters, and neither vendor's documented scope covers that.
- Print and digital in one system. Print and digital subscription orders can run on issue-based or time-based terms on the customer record. Newsletters are designed and sent in RunMags, and a newsletter placement is an order row on the same advertiser contract as print and web ads, which appear on the flatplan for their issue.
- Published price and a self-serve trial. Plans are priced by the number of legal entities and magazine brands you run, current prices are on the RunMags pricing page, and you can start a 14-day free trial without a credit card.
- Fortnox and EU VAT. Advertiser invoices sync to Fortnox, QuickBooks Online or Xero, per legal entity, and RunMags handles EU VAT. Subscription invoices are not part of that sync.
RunMags does not host your website, is not an ad network, has not verified a paywall for production use, and has no A/B tests, automated welcome sequences or referral programme. It does not yet link a booked newsletter ad to a specific send with proof of delivery, schedule automatic renewals or retry failed card payments. If those matter most, compare all three carefully. For a step-by-step evaluation brief, read the beehiiv alternative or the Ghost alternative guide.
Frequently asked questions
How does beehiiv pricing compare with Ghost pricing?
On 2026-10-04 beehiiv's pricing page listed, at 1,000 subscribers, a Free plan up to 2,500 subscribers, Lite at $49 a month and Pro at $95 a month billed annually, and Enterprise on request. Ghost(Pro) listed Starter at $18, Publisher at $29 and Business at $199 a month billed yearly, with Stripe fees on top. Both are in US dollars and rise with list size.
Which handles newsletter advertising, beehiiv or Ghost?
beehiiv documents an Ad Network from the Lite plan and direct sponsorships with a public Storefront on Pro and Enterprise. Ghost does not document native ad booking on the pages reviewed; its Publisher plan and above can add ad network code, and third-party tools such as Intravert are listed (both 2026-10-04). RunMags puts newsletter placements on the same advertiser contract as print and web ads.
Do beehiiv or Ghost handle print magazines?
Neither documents print subscriptions, issues or a flatplan on the pages reviewed (2026-10-04). That is not proof that they lack them, so ask each vendor. RunMags keeps subscription orders and advertising orders on the same customer record, and booked ads appear on the issue's flatplan.
Can RunMags replace Ghost for my website and memberships?
No. RunMags does not host your website and is not a membership or paywall platform. Some publishers keep their website and memberships where they are and use RunMags for ad sales, subscriptions, the flatplan and advertiser invoicing.
Compare all three with your own workflow
Bring one advertiser who buys print and newsletter space, and your next issue. Start a trial or book a walkthrough with the team.
