Ghost vs Beehiiv, Which Platform Is Best For Your Newsletter?

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You’ve finally crafted a fantastic Notion newsletter, but there’s one problem: Notion doesn’t have an email feature. If you’re in this situation, you’re not alone. Many creators face the challenge of sending emails from Notion without starting from scratch.

In this post, we’ll compare Beehiiv and Ghost to help you publish your newsletter and send emails from Notion to your subscribers.

Ghost vs. Beehiiv at a Glance

Ghost and Beehiiv offer various features that allow creators to monetize their content. The key difference is that Ghost excels in blogging and SEO, making it ideal for creators who prioritize their blogs and want strong search engine performance. In contrast, Beehiiv is tailored for newsletters, offering features to grow quickly and manage monetization through ads and memberships.

Ghost for SEO, Beehiiv for Newsletters

Creators prefer ghost CMS focused on enhancing their blogs with superb SEO capabilities. On the other hand, Beehiiv is best suited as an effective newsletter tool with robust publishing and monetization options.

Both Beehiiv and Ghost are valuable platforms for creators. Each offers unique features that can significantly enhance content monetization strategies.

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What Is Ghost?

Ghost is a non-profit and fully open-source platform founded in 2013 following a Kickstarter campaign and run by John O’Nolan. The platform aims to enable independent journalists, writers, and content creators to earn a living online. To date, it claims over three million installations or sites. You can use it to manage:

Blog

Paid newsletter

Membership site

Podcast

Ghost CMS is an excellent platform for bloggers and writers who want to publish content and monetize it with memberships. Ghost's most vital points are its SEO and ease of use. The best part is that Ghost lets you focus on creating content without needing to tweak anything. It is:

Safe

Fast

Optimized out of the box

Using the open-source version can be daunting. Yet, Ghost is super easy to use with managed hosting like Ghost (Pro) because this service handles updates, backups, and installation.

What Is Beehiiv?

Founded in 2021, Beehiiv may be a newer company, but its exceptional growth can be attributed to the impressive range of services and features it offers:

Intuitive user interface

Easy newsletter creation

Simple email-sending process

Seamless analysis of newsletter performance

Transparent Pricing

Beehiiv has explicitly been designed with growth in mind, catering to the specific needs of flourishing newsletters. One of the unique selling points is its cost-effective and transparent pricing model, ensuring users clearly understand their monthly expenses without any unpleasant surprises of overage charges.

Content creators will appreciate that Beehiiv does not levy platform fees on revenue earned from subscribers, making it a very compelling choice.

The platform's reputation is further cemented by its use of some of the best newsletters around, including:

Milk Road

Cult of Mac

The Dink

Madhappy

Overtime

The Boston Globe

And hundreds more

Beehiiv.com focuses on simplicity, making it an excellent choice for writers and creators starting their journey without unnecessary complications holding them back.

Ghost vs Beehiiv: Detailed Feature Comparison

Ghost and Beehiiv offer robust content creation tools catering to slightly different needs.

Beehiiv

Beehiiv provides a straightforward content creation experience with an intuitive editor that’s easy to use. You can:

Format text

Add custom HTML

Utilize features

Features

AI writing assistance

Buttons

Polls

One standout feature is the ability to save pages as templates, a real-time saver if you often produce similar content. The right sidebar in Beehiiv's editor also lets you adjust SEO settings and preview how your content will look, streamlining the publishing process.

Ghost

Ghost shines with its extensive list of content creation tools. Its editor supports:

Custom HTML

Image galleries

Various media uploads, including audio and video

You can create product review cards with descriptions and star ratings without coding. Ghost’s flexibility with custom HTML and code injection allows for high customization in content creation. Ghost supports multiple newsletters within a single site, making it easier to target different audiences.

Simple and Efficient

While Ghost edges out slightly with its feature-rich editor, Beehiiv’s simplicity and template-saving feature make it a strong contender, especially for those who prefer less technical content creation.

When it comes to customization, both platforms have their strengths.

Beehiiv's Design and Customization Features

User-friendly interface for adjusting newsletter designs

No coding skills required

Limited website customization options

Recent improvements in design flexibility

No ability to buy or create custom themes

Maybe less ideal for users wanting full control over website aesthetics

Ghost's Website Customization Capabilities

Offers a wide selection of themes

Allows creation or purchase of custom themes with code

Supports advanced customizations, requiring some coding knowledge

Enables extensive design adjustments

Integrates with numerous services via plugins

Enhances site functionality beyond basic features

In terms of customization, Ghost leads with its extensive website theme options and flexibility, while Beehiiv excels in newsletter design simplicity.

Monetization: Who Will Help You Get Paid?

Both platforms provide monetization opportunities but with different features.

Beehiiv's Monetization Features

Multiple monetization options: memberships, display ads, and manual embed ads

Ad Network simplifies finding sponsors

Boosts allow creators to earn money by recommending other newsletters

Versatile platform for monetization

Ghost's Monetization Capabilities

Supports memberships and display ads as primary monetization methods

Easy to set up memberships and integrate ads

Lacks options for sponsorships or marketplace ads

Solid monetization features, but less diverse than Beehiiv's offerings

Beehiiv takes the lead in monetization with its additional tools and Ad Network, though Ghost offers reliable options for those focused on memberships and ads.

For SEO, Ghost stands out with its comprehensive set of tools. It includes:

Custom domains

HTTPS

URL slug and meta description customization

Sitemaps

Canonical tags

Redirects

Robots.txt editing

This extensive suite of SEO tools ensures that Ghost sites are well-optimized for search engines.

Beehiiv also provides essential SEO features such as:

Custom domains

HTTPS

URL slug customization and meta descriptions

Yet, it lacks advanced features like redirects and detailed robots.txt editing. While Beehiiv is effective for basic SEO needs, it doesn’t offer the same level of control as Ghost.

Advanced SEO Tools

In SEO, Ghost excels with its full range of features, making it the better choice for those who need advanced optimization capabilities.

Scalability: Who Will Support Your Growth?

Growth Features of Beehiiv

Integrations for various tools

Automated email sequences

Referral program

Subscriber segmentation

A/B testing

Growth Features of Ghost

Plugins and integrations for growth

Subscriber segmentation and RSS feeds

Lacks built-in automated email sequences and A/B testing

Often requires third-party tools for complete growth optimization

Beehiiv excels in growth features with built-in tools designed to boost newsletter performance, whereas Ghost requires additional integrations for similar results.

Integrations: Whose Integrations Will Work Best for You?

Regarding integration capabilities, both Beehiiv and Ghost offer a range of options, but they cater to different needs and user preferences.

Beehiiv Integrations and Functionality

Wide Range of Integrations: Connects with popular tools like Zapier to automate tasks and link with hundreds of other apps.

Enhanced Automation: Ideal for automating repetitive tasks and syncing data across different platforms.

Easy Payments and Analytics

Beehiiv also supports integration with Stripe to handle payments, crucial for managing memberships and paid content. Integrating with Google Analytics is straightforward, letting you track visitor behavior and engagement with your newsletters.

Powerful API Tools

Beehiiv's API is robust, enabling developers to access and manage content programmatically. This API functionality allows for custom integrations and advanced automation, giving users the flexibility to tailor the platform to their specific needs.

Ghost Integrations and Customization

Extensive Integration Capabilities: Supports a variety of third-party services through its API.

High Customization: Connects with tools like Zapier for automated workflows and data synchronization, catering to users needing advanced customization.

Monetize with Subscriptions

The platform's integration with Stripe is also notable, as it directly supports membership and subscription management. This is essential for creators who want to monetize their content through memberships or paid subscriptions.

Advanced Customization

Ghost provides powerful API access, particularly beneficial for developers and tech-savvy users who want to create custom integrations or access content programmatically. This API support is a key feature for those who need advanced functionality beyond standard integrations.

Beehiiv

Beehiiv provides a solid set of reporting and analytics features that cater primarily to newsletter creators. The platform offers detailed insights into subscriber metrics, including:

Growth trends

Engagement rates

Churn statistics

Creators can track essential metrics such as:

Open rates

Click-through rates

Overall subscriber activity

This helps assess the effectiveness of their email campaigns and understand reader preferences.

Track Performance and Growth

Beehiiv also integrates with tools like Google Analytics for more comprehensive website traffic analysis, allowing creators to see how their newsletters drive site traffic. Beehiiv’s dashboard presents easy-to-understand visualizations of subscriber data, making it accessible for creators to monitor performance without needing advanced technical skills.

Ghost

Ghost delivers a more advanced analytics suite that is particularly useful for content creators and businesses. The platform offers:

Built-in reporting tools that provide insights into metrics

Website traffic

Member engagement

Content performance

Ghost’s analytics allow users to get a detailed picture of how their content is performing. It covers:

Page views

Unique visitors

Referral sources

In-Depth Audience Analysis

Ghost supports integration with Google Analytics, enabling more profound analysis and customization of reporting. This integration helps users track detailed visitor behavior and conversions, providing a more comprehensive view of their audience.

Tracking Subscription Success

Ghost’s reporting capabilities are powerful in helping users understand subscription metrics, such as membership growth and revenue trends, which are crucial for optimizing monetization strategies.

User Reviews: What Are People Saying About Each Platform?

Beehiiv User Feedback

Beehiiv is praised for its user-friendly interface and powerful features, particularly by those with extensive experience in digital and email marketing. Users appreciate its:

Ease of use

Effective reporting tools

Robust monetization options

Paid recommendations

Built-in ad network

The platform is lauded for its intuitive design, simplifies creating and managing newsletters. This makes it a top choice for many creators looking to monetize their content.

Security Concerns and Scams

Users are concerned about the platform's customer support and security. Some users have reported issues with scammers using Beehiiv to send fraudulent emails, and there have been complaints about the Abuse Team's responsiveness to such reports.

Limited Support and Automation

Support responses have needed to be improved, with some users noting that their support tickets went unanswered, leaving them to resolve issues independently. Another limitation mentioned is the restriction on email flows and automations to 30-day time frames, which has led some users to pay for additional software to meet their needs.

Ghost User Feedback

Ghost is well-regarded for its simplicity and modern user interface. Users appreciate its clean, minimalistic admin dashboard and its built-in features for:

Membership management

Subscription forms

The platform’s visual editor is noted for being user-friendly, with various cards and snippets that enhance content creation. Users also value Ghost’s integration capabilities through Zapier, which allow for connections with services like:

PayPal

SendInBlue

Discord

Payment Limitations: A Stripe account is required to create multiple membership tiers, limiting options for users who prefer other payment methods like PayPal.

Newsletter Restrictions: Limited to Mailgun for email services, which no longer offers a free plan, causing frustration among users who want more flexibility in their email service providers.

Ghost vs Beehiiv: Pricing Comparison

It’s much harder to migrate an extensive subscriber list and multiple automations later down the line than choosing the right email provider upfront—but a lot of that decision will come down to price.

Beehiiv Pricing and Plans

Free Plan

Supports up to 2,500 subscribers, offering a significant advantage over many competitors.

Paid Plans

Starting at $42 per month: Includes team access and API integration.

Scale Plan at $84 monthly: Features multiple newsletters and advanced tools like AI writing.

Consideration

While the free plan is attractive, accessing custom domains and additional features requires a paid plan, which may be a barrier for smaller newsletters.

Ghost Pricing and Plans

Ghost (Pro) Plan

Starts at $9 per month, including hosting, updates, and maintenance.

Self-Hosting Option

Available with DigitalOcean, starting at $5 per month, requires technical know-how.

Consideration

Ghost offers a competitive pricing structure, particularly for users without membership features or those who prefer self-hosting.

Cost-Effective Options for Different Needs

Beehiiv’s free plan is a strong draw for budget-conscious creators, while Ghost offers a more affordable option if self-hosting or basic features are sufficient.

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Ghost vs Beehiiv: Which Platform Should You Choose?

Whether you choose Ghost vs Beehiiv or any other newsletter platform, picking the best email marketing service for your needs depends on your specific goals and requirements. Email marketing services provide various tools to help you create, manage, and grow your newsletter.

Ghost Excels at Content Management and SEO

Ghost stands out for its content management capabilities and search engine optimization (SEO) features. If your primary focus is publishing high-quality content for an audience and optimizing that content for search engines, then Ghost is the better choice for your newsletter.

Ghost has various built-in tools to help you enhance your content’s SEO, including:

Structured data and rich snippets

Automatic sitemaps

Customizable SEO settings for individual pages

The platform also seamlessly integrates with Google Analytics, allowing you to track and monitor your audience’s behavior as they interact with your content.

Beehiiv Is Best for Audience Growth and Revenue Generation

While Ghost is a powerful platform for managing and publishing content, Beehiiv excels in helping users grow and monetize their newsletters. If your goals are centered around increasing your email subscribers and making money from your newsletter, Beehiiv is likely the better option.

Beehiiv offers various tools to help you grow your audience and effectively manage your subscribers, including customizable welcome mats and referral programs to incentivize your audience to share your content. Once you start building your email list, Beehiiv provides several monetization features to help you generate revenue. These include:

Paid subscriptions

Membership tiers

Sponsor ads

Pricing Overview: Beehiiv’s Free Plan vs. Ghost’s Cost-Effective Solution

Beehiiv’s free plan is notably accommodating and perfect for those starting or experimenting with their newsletter strategy. Ghost can be an economical choice for content-focused users who don’t need the full suite of membership tools. It offers a cost-effective solution if you're not utilizing its membership features.

Choosing the Right Platform for Your Goals

If content publication and SEO are your top priorities, Ghost provides superior tools and flexibility. Yet, if you focus on growing your newsletter audience and monetizing through email content, Beehiiv is likely the better fit.

Consider Feather's Notion to blog and newsletter concept if you’re seeking more design flexibility and a powerful CMS to run your:

Blog

Newsletter

Other aspects of your business

Streamlined Workflow With Notion and Feather Integration

With Feather, you can use Notion as your CMS while having your blog published on Feather. By running all your business on Notion, you can enhance productivity and have to switch between tools to run your blog and newsletter. You can have the full Hubspot experience with Notion and Feather, which beats Ghost's expertise.

Send Emails From Notion and Go From Notion to Blog With Ease Today With Feather

Feather is an SEO-friendly blog and email newsletter service that lets you publish blog content and a newsletter through Notion without any coding or design skills.