Kit vs Ghost
Kit and Ghost are both email marketing tools. Kit is aimed at creators, while Ghost is aimed at creators and small businesses. Ghost costs less, from $18/mo versus $39/mo for Kit. Both have a free plan.
| Pricing | Freemium · $39 | Open source · $18 |
| Starting price | $39/mo | $18/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | 14 days | 14 days |
| Built for | Creators | Creators, Small businesses |
| Platforms | web | web |
| Country | US · 2013 | SG · 2013 |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose Kit if
Independent creators and small media businesses whose revenue depends on an owned email audience.
- Free up to 10,000 subscribers with unlimited sends
- Tagging and automations are powerful yet simple
- Built-in monetization and audience growth tools
Look elsewhere if: Online stores needing product feeds and abandoned-cart flows, or B2B teams needing CRM-style lead management.
Choose Ghost if
Writers, publishers and companies who want an owned, SEO-strong publication with memberships and no revenue share.
- No revenue share on memberships
- Open source and self-hostable
- Fast, SEO-friendly and focused on publishing
Look elsewhere if: Marketing sites with many page types or people wanting Substack's built-in discovery network.
Kit vs Ghost pricing
Kit
- Free$0Up to 10,000 subscribers, unlimited broadcasts, forms
- Creator$39/mo1,000 subs; $33/mo billed yearly; unlimited automations, 2 users
- Pro$79/mo1,000 subs; $66/mo yearly; referrals, scoring, unlimited users
Ghost
- Self-hosted$0MIT license; you run the server and email
- Starter$18/mo$15/mo billed yearly; 1,000 members, 1 staff user
- Publisher$35/mo$29/mo billed yearly; 1,000 members, 3 staff users
- Business$239/mo$199/mo billed yearly; 15 staff users
- CustomCustomUnlimited members and staff
Kit · Key features
- Text-first editor designed for deliverability and personal tone
- Tag and segment subscribers by behavior, form or product
- Visual automation builder with rules and sequences
- Kit Commerce for digital products and paid newsletters
- Creator Network recommendations and newsletter referral program
- Landing pages, forms and link pages included
Cons
- Limited design templates; not for image-heavy campaigns
- Reporting is basic below the Pro plan
- Fewer e-commerce integrations than Klaviyo or Mailchimp
Ghost · Key features
- Modern editor with cards, embeds and SEO settings
- Built-in newsletters with Mailgun delivery
- Paid memberships and tiers via Stripe, 0% fees
- Themes (Handlebars) and custom domains
- Native analytics, comments, recommendations and ActivityPub
- REST and Content APIs; self-hostable under MIT
Cons
- Not a general-purpose site builder
- Theme customization requires Handlebars and code
- Self-hosting needs server skills
Kit vs Ghost: FAQ
Which is cheaper, Kit or Ghost?
Ghost starts at $18/mo and Kit at $39/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.
Do Kit and Ghost have a free plan?
Yes, both Kit and Ghost have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.
Which is better for small businesses, Kit or Ghost?
Ghost lists small businesses as a core audience, while Kit is aimed more at creators.