Ghost vs beehiiv

Ghost is an open-source publishing platform with newsletters as one feature. beehiiv is purpose-built for newsletter growth with referral programs, ad networks, and audience tools. Both can run paid newsletters, but they prioritize different things.

Verdict

beehiiv is the better choice for newsletter-first creators thanks to its free tier, growth tools, and built-in ad network for monetization. Ghost wins if you want a full publishing platform you own and control. For pure newsletter growth, beehiiv is hard to beat.