Substack to Ghost: when the move pays, what it costs, and the steps
Substack costs nothing until you earn, then takes 10% of every paid subscription. Ghost(Pro) charges a flat monthly fee and takes no cut. So the question is simple: is 10% of your paid revenue more than Ghost's fee at your list size?
Short answer: if your paid revenue is above roughly $300 a month on a 1,000-subscriber list, or above about $1,050 a month at 10,000, Ghost(Pro) costs less than Substack's cut. If your newsletter is free, Substack is cheaper, and you should only move for ownership or features.
Break-even: the paid revenue at which Ghost(Pro) is cheaper
| Subscribers | Ghost(Pro) Publisher annual, per month | Ghost is cheaper once paid revenue passes | That is, at $8/month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | $29 | $290/month ($3,480/year) | 37 paying (3.7%) |
| 5,000 | up to $75 | at most $750/month ($9,000/year) | 94 paying (1.9%) |
| 10,000 | up to $105 | at most $1,050/month ($12,600/year) | 132 paying (1.3%) |
| 25,000 | $169 | $1,690/month ($20,280/year) | 212 paying (0.85%) |
Break-even = Ghost's monthly fee ÷ 10%. Card processing (Stripe, about 2.9% + 30¢) applies on both platforms, so it cancels out and is left out here. "Up to" means we could only confirm a higher Ghost tier, so the real fee, and the break-even, may be lower. Sources: ghost.org/pricing, Typeflo on Ghost tiers, SchoolMaker on Substack's fee. Prices checked 23 October 2026; confirm on ghost.org before you decide.
Two worked examples
- 5,000 subscribers, 5% paying $8/month (250 paid, $2,000/month): Substack's cut is $200 a month, $2,400 a year. Ghost(Pro) Publisher is at most $900 a year. Moving saves at least $1,500 a year, and the gap grows with every new paid subscriber.
- 5,000 subscribers, all free: Substack costs $0. Ghost(Pro) costs up to $900 a year. Moving costs you money until you start charging.
Put in your own list size, paid share and price in the free fee calculator →
What you give up by leaving Substack
- Substack's network: recommendations, Notes and the app bring many writers a steady share of new subscribers. Check your Substack stats for how many came from the network before you count the saving. That growth does not follow you to Ghost.
- Zero cost at zero revenue: Ghost(Pro) bills from day one, whether or not you earn.
- A few weeks of attention: a new sending setup needs a short warm-up on your own domain, and paid subscribers have to be moved in the right order.
What you gain: no cut on paid revenue, your own domain and site design, and a member list and Stripe account that are clearly yours.
The order of steps (free outline)
- Check the numbers with the table above. If the saving is under about $10 a month, stay.
- Export from Substack: subscriber CSV (free and paid), and the posts archive. Note which Stripe account your paid subscriptions run through.
- Set up Ghost on a trial, connect the same Stripe account Substack used, and set your prices to match.
- Import posts and members with Ghost's Substack importer, then spot-check a handful of paid members.
- Stop billing on Substack in the right order so nobody is charged twice, then point your custom domain at Ghost.
- Warm up sending with your most engaged readers first, then announce the move.
Want every step written out? The Newsletter Switch Kit has a full Substack-to-Ghost route guide, the paid-subscriber order that avoids double billing, a four-send deliverability warm-up, three announcement emails and a cost worksheet. It also covers Substack to beehiiv, Kit or Buttondown.
$19 one-time, instant access in your browser, 14-day refund if it doesn't help. Written by Teton Labs with AI assistance.
Related
- Newsletter fee calculator: Substack vs beehiiv, Ghost, Kit and Buttondown
- beehiiv alternatives 2026: what each one costs at your list size
This is an independent comparison, not affiliated with or endorsed by Substack or Ghost, and there are no affiliate links on this page. It is not financial or tax advice.