Ghost vs Medium
Rating breakdown
Ghost vs Medium â?2025 Comparison
Head-to-head comparison of Ghost and Medium. Find out which is best for Blogging.
Core Difference
Ghost is an open-source publishing platform that gives you full ownership of your content, audience data, and monetization channels â?built-in paid memberships, newsletter (native email sending), and complete design control via themes and custom code. Medium is a hosted platform that provides immediate access to a built-in audience of millions of readers through algorithmic distribution, but you don’t own the reader relationship â?Medium owns the platform, controls monetization (Partner Program), and can change terms at any time. Ghost builds your business; Medium builds your exposure.
At a glance
| Ghost | Medium | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Score | 8.4/10 | 8.2/10 |
| Ease of Use | 7.6/10 | 9.4/10 |
| Features | 9.0/10 | 7.6/10 |
| AI Capability | 3.0/10 | 1.0/10 |
| Value for Money | 9.2/10 | 7.0/10 |
| Support | 7.8/10 | 8.8/10 |
| Starting Price | Free | Free |
Pricing
| Plan | Ghost | Medium |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Self-hosted (requires server, ~$5-10/mo VPS) | Write unlimited articles |
| Entry | Starter: $9/mo (hosted, 1 staff user, 500 members) | Member: $5/mo (read unlimited paywalled articles) |
| Mid | Creator: $25/mo (2 staff, 1K members, custom themes) | â? |
| Business | Business: $199/mo (unlimited staff, priority support) | â? |
Use Cases
Choose Ghost when:
- You want to build a sustainable media business â?paid memberships, email newsletters, and native subscriptions are baked in
- Audience ownership matters â?you export subscriber lists, control branding, and own your monetization
- You value design flexibility â?custom themes, code injection, and full site customization let you create a unique publication
- You’re serious about making money from your writing (subscriptions over ad-dependent platforms)
Choose Medium when:
- You want to start writing immediately with zero setup â?no domains, themes, or hosting decisions
- You need audience exposure â?Medium’s algorithmic distribution puts your content in front of millions of readers
- You’re a casual writer who doesn’t need a branded publication, just a clean place to publish and potentially earn via the Partner Program
- Building an independent media business isn’t your goal â?you just want to write and be read
Our Verdict
Choose Ghost ifâ?
- You’re building a publication with monetization as a goal â?membership tiers, paid newsletters, and Stripe integration make Ghost a revenue platform, not just a blog
- Content and audience ownership are non-negotiable â?Ghost is open-source, self-hostable, and you control every byte of data
- You need email newsletters as a core feature â?Ghost’s built-in email system rivals dedicated newsletter platforms
Choose Medium ifâ?
- You need zero-friction publishing â?sign up and start writing in under a minute, with a beautiful editor and no configuration
- You don’t have an existing audience â?Medium’s built-in readership and algorithmic distribution amplify your reach from day one
- You’re exploring writing as a craft rather than building a publishing business â?the $5/mo membership is for reading, writing is free
Final recommendation
Ghost is the better long-term investment â?owning your audience, branding, and monetization creates a real asset. Medium is the better short-term launchpad â?its built-in readership gives you exposure no self-hosted site can match. The smart path: publish on Medium to build your name, then migrate to Ghost once you have a loyal audience ready to pay for your work directly.
Try both â?Visit Ghost | Visit Medium