The digital publishing world is packed with platforms vying for your attention—Ghost, Medium, and Substack are among the most prominent. While each has unique benefits and tradeoffs, creators often wrestle with critical questions:
- Which platform gives the most control?
- Where do you keep the most revenue?
- How easy is it to build and sustain an audience?
Here, we’ll thoroughly compare:
- Control & ownership (technical stack, revenue, brand, self-hosting)
- Monetization & pricing
- Audience discovery & growth tools
- Writing experience & editorial workflow
- Ecosystem & integrations
- Community & support
- Use cases & real-world testimonials
- Making the final decision: which platform fits YOU
Control & Ownership
Ghost: Independence at Its Core
Ghost is open source, meaning you own your technology stack, content, and brand. You can:
- Self-host: run Ghost on your own server for free (excluding hosting costs).
- Or opt for Ghost(Pro), the managed service—from $9/month for Starter up to high-tier Business plans.
- Ghost takes 0% revenue cut; you only pay host, Stripe, and plan costs.
This gives you full autonomy—no platform censorship, no hidden rules.
Substack: Closed but Simple
- Proprietary—no self-hosting. You rely on Substack’s roadmap.
- Takes 10% of paid subscription revenue, which adds up fast.
- Example: $60K/year revenue → $6K lost to Substack .
- Offers limited design and payment tier flexibility—just basic “free” or “paid”.
Medium: Platform-Dependent Authority
- Proprietary; you host content on medium.com.
- Monetized via a Partner Program, paying you based on reading engagement—not subscriptions.
- You don’t own email lists or have direct payment control.
Verdict: If total independence matters—Ghost’s open source power is unmatched.
Monetization & Pricing
Pricing Breakdown
| Platform | Pricing Model | Revenue Cut | Payment Flexibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ghost (Pro) | $9–$249/month (based on plan) | 0% | Custom subscription tiers, Stripe-based |
| Ghost (self‑host) | Hosting + Stripe fees | 0% + hosting | Full customization |
| Substack | Free tier + optional custom domain | 10% + Stripe fees | One subscription tier, limited flexibility |
| Medium | Free; join Partner Program | Platform revenue cut | Pay-per-engagement, no subscriptions |
Ghost
- Plans:
- Free self-host for up to ~500 users.
- Pro hosted: $9/month (Starter for 500 subs), $25/month (1K), up to $249/month for high-traffic publications.
- No revenue share: You keep every rupee .
- Tiered subscriptions: Support bronze/silver/gold plans, custom currencies, domains, payment intervals .
Substack
- 10% cut on subscriber revenue. No option to opt-out.
- Supports only one paid tier; no fine-grained tiering .
Medium
- Earn via reader engagement—no direct subscriptions.
- Pay to join Partner Program; revenues are unpredictable (e.g., $0.02/read).
Verdict: For pure monetization, Ghost offers the highest revenue retention and flexibility, especially at scale.
Audience Discovery & Growth Tools
Ghost
- No built-in audience network. You’re responsible for marketing growth, SEO, and cross-channel linking.
- Supports custom referral systems, affiliate links, API, Zapier for automation.
- New feature: ActivityPub beta, enabling content sharing on Mastodon/Threads/etc.—fediverse reach.
Substack
- Modest internal discovery: Notes section, Substack aggregates, plus writer support tools.
- Officers weekly office hours, grants, and bonus payments—mutual growth incentives.
Medium
- Algorithmic curation, high domain authority, and built-in readership ensure some discoverability.
- Great SEO power for newcomers—but audience loyalty is limited by platform control.
Verdict:
- Medium offers instant discoverability.
- Substack balances direct growth with limited platform support.
- Ghost is best for creators with existing audiences or those comfortable building promotions.
Writing Experience & Editorial Workflow
Ghost
- Clean Markdown editor, rich media support (Unsplash, galleries), dynamic embeds.
- Full control—all design via custom themes and API—supports landing pages, forms, and archives.
- You need technical skill for setup and customization—but it’s a smooth experienced for writers.
Substack
- Minimalist editor with simple formatting; easy newsletter/email composition.
- Setup is instant: write & hit publish.
- Limited design and email branding options.
Medium
- Focused, distraction-free editor with built-in promotion.
- Simple to use, but restrictive—no subscription, email integration, or advanced content types.
Verdict:
- Ghost offers editorial depth and creative control.
- Substack is fast and frictionless for newsletter writing.
- Medium is tailored for pure storytelling, not subscriptions.
Ecosystem & Integrations
Ghost
- Open source, and supports 6,000+ apps via Zapier, API, plus newsletters.
- Thousands of themes; customizable CSS and developer support .
- Integrations for analytics, membership, workflows—self-hosting adds limitless flexibility.
Substack
- Closed platform: limited features, no plugin ecosystem. Only built-in basic tools.
Medium
- Minimal integration support. Away from custom plugins or email tools.
Verdict:
- Ghost dominates on extensibility and third-party connectability—ideal for power users and teams.
Community & Support
Ghost
- Active open-source community, official support under Ghost(Pro), forums, developers and agencies.
- No corporate creator programs—but peer support is strong.
Substack
- Offers creator grants, financial initiatives, community outreach, weekly support office hours.
- Large, engaged network of writers and readers.
Medium
- Limited community impetus. Partner Program is the main initiative, payouts are syndication-driven.
Verdict:
- Substack leads on creator support and community incentives.
- Ghost engages a developer/publisher community.
- Medium offers limited creator interaction beyond earnings.
Real-World Experiences
Ghost Lovers
“Ghost, oh man! Another ballgame… growth and personalization since switching is mind‑blowing!”
“Ghost has been the best of them all by a long shot.”
Considerations
“If you’re not technical… Ghost needs Mailgun, media mgmt is limited.”
Migration Success
Migrated Substack → Ghost with concierge help, “it all went smoothly.”
Substack Fan Perspective
“I got more subscribers on Substack doing nothing than on Ghost.”
Medium Disillusionment
“Medium is a dead service… don’t make much money.”
Choosing the Right Platform
Use Ghost if you:
- Want full control and no revenue cuts
- Are ready for technical setup, hosting, and custom design
- Want multiple subscription tiers and branded audience flow
- Value an open-source, extensible ecosystem
- Might leverage fediverse features like ActivityPub
Use Substack if you:
- Want simplicity and speed—get writing and publishing instantly
- Prefer a built-in writer community and support programs
- Are okay giving 10% of revenues for that infrastructure
- Prefer not to manage servers or technical tools
Use Medium if you:
- Aim for discoverability via search and community exposure
- Write casual or long-form content, not newsletters
- Don’t want to monetize via subscriptions
- Are comfortable with platform-owned traffic and distribution
TL;DR Comparison
| Feature | Ghost | Substack | Medium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open-source | ✅ Yes (self-hostable) | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| Revenue cut | 0% (host cost only) | 10% of subscriptions | N/A (Partner earnings) |
| Signup tiers | Unlimited, flexible | Free/Paid only | No subscriptions |
| Email/newsletters | ✅ Built-in | ✅ Core feature | ❌ No |
| Discoverability | Self-driven + service options | Modest, Notes & community internal | Strong SEO and curation |
| Design & branding | Fully customizable | Limited themes | Minimal layout |
| Integrations | API, Zapier, plugins | Very limited | None |
| Community support | Developer forums | Creator programs, grants | Moderate (Partner Program) |
| Learning curve | Medium–High | Very Low | Very Low |
Final Words
- Want full ownership, flexibility, and revenue control? 👉 Ghost
- Prefer simple, immediate setup, built-in audience, financial support? 👉 Substack
- Crave discoverability with low barriers but don’t need subscriptions? 👉 Medium
Each platform serves a different creator archetype:
- Ghost = Independent entrepreneur, self‑hosted, or small team with vision.
- Substack = Solo writer looking for simplicity and structural support.
- Medium = Storyteller aiming for broad exposure, without building product.
Next Steps for You
- Define your goals — monetize directly, build an audience, or both?
- Assess your tech comfort — comfortable with server tech and APIs?
- Pilot quickly:
- Try free self-hosted Ghost.
- Launch a basic Substack.
- Publish a few pieces on Medium.
→ Evaluate where your strengths and energy align best.
Final Takeaway: There’s no absolute “best”—each platform empowers a different type of creator:
- Go Ghost for ownership, zero cuts, and customization.
- Choose Substack for ease and supported growth.
- Use Medium for exposure and passive publishing.
Which path are you leaning toward? Let me know—happy to help you sketch a launch plan!