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Software · head to head

Ghost CMS vs Memberful

Ghost CMS logo

Ghost CMS

Software

Modern platform for professional publishing

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Memberful logo

Memberful

Software

Membership platform for creators to sell subscriptions, courses and gated content

From
$49/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Ghost CMS has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Ghost CMS ghost Pro plans cap members, at 1,000 on both Starter and Publisher and 10,000 on Business; Memberful charges a 4.9% transaction fee on top of the flat monthly fee on the Standard plan.
  • They diverge on capability: Ghost CMS covers Publishing platform, Memberful covers Membership checkout.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ghost CMS and Memberful actually diverge.

Attributes where Ghost CMS and Memberful differ
AttributeGhost CMSMemberful
Starting priceFree$49/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Self-hostedweb, api

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown), founded (2013).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Ghost CMS

  • Publishing platform
  • Email newsletters
  • Membership management
  • Analytics
  • Paywall support
  • SEO optimization
  • Media library
  • API access

Only in Memberful

  • Membership checkout
  • Flexible subscriptions
  • Member management
  • Landing page builder
  • Dynamic paywalls
  • Third-party integrations

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Ghost CMS

  • Running a publication or newsletter with paid subscriptionsnot Memberful
  • Self hosting a headless or full stack publishing platformnot Memberful

Memberful

  • Selling paid membership subscriptions from an existing websitenot Ghost CMS
  • Gating podcast, newsletter or course content behind a paywallnot Ghost CMS
  • Running a WordPress site with paid member-only contentnot Ghost CMS
  • Offering one-time purchases alongside recurring membershipsnot Ghost CMS

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Ghost CMS

  • Ghost Pro plans cap members, at 1,000 on both Starter and Publisher and 10,000 on Business
  • Staff users are limited to 1 on Starter and 3 on Publisher
  • Custom themes and integrations require the Publisher plan at $29 a month billed yearly
  • The jump to 10,000 members is the $199 a month Business plan, with nothing between
  • Self hosting is free but installing under a subdirectory needs a custom reverse proxy that Ghost does not officially support

Memberful

  • Charges a 4.9% transaction fee on top of the flat monthly fee on the Standard plan.
  • Requires a separate Stripe account, adding setup complexity compared to all-in-one checkout platforms.
  • Lacks built-in course-hosting depth found in dedicated learning management platforms.
  • No free plan beyond the pre-launch trial period; charges begin once payments go live.

Pricing, plan by plan

Ghost CMS

Free
  • Free Self-HostedFree
    • Open source
    • Self-hosted
    • Basic features
  • Creator$29/month
    • Email newsletters
    • Memberships
    • Analytics
  • Business$99/month
    • Advanced analytics
    • Priority support
    • Custom integrations

Memberful

$49/month
  • Standard$49/month
    • 4.9% transaction fee
    • Full platform access
    • Free until you go live
  • Enterprise$undefined/mo
    • Custom volume-based rates
    • Premium services and success management
    • Dedicated migration support

Which should you pick?

Choose Ghost CMS if

  • You need publishing platform.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Self-hosted.
  • You also want email newsletters.
Ghost CMS review

Choose Memberful if

  • You need membership checkout.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want flexible subscriptions.
Memberful review

Questions people ask

Is Ghost CMS or Memberful better?
Neither clearly leads. Ghost CMS starts at Free and Memberful at $49/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ghost CMS or Memberful?
Ghost CMS has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Ghost CMS and $49/month for Memberful.
Does Ghost CMS or Memberful run on more platforms?
Ghost CMS runs on Web, Self-hosted. Memberful runs on web, api.
Can I use Ghost CMS for free?
Yes. Ghost CMS has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Memberful starts at $49/month.
What is Ghost CMS best used for?
Ghost CMS is most often used for running a publication or newsletter with paid subscriptions, self hosting a headless or full stack publishing platform. Of those, running a publication or newsletter with paid subscriptions and self hosting a headless or full stack publishing platform are not what Memberful is typically brought in for.
What can Ghost CMS do that Memberful cannot?
Ghost CMS covers Publishing platform, Email newsletters, Membership management, Analytics. Memberful covers Membership checkout, Flexible subscriptions, Member management, Landing page builder.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Memberful: What does Memberful cost?

Memberful's Standard plan costs $49/month plus a 4.9% transaction fee, while larger organizations can get custom volume-based rates on the Enterprise plan.

Source
Memberful: Is there a free plan, and what are its limits?

Memberful can be used for free while setting up a membership site, with no charges incurred until the creator goes live and starts accepting payments.

Source
Memberful: What does Memberful integrate with?

Memberful integrates with WordPress, Mailchimp, Discord and Kit, among other tools, to connect membership data with existing sites and marketing systems.

Source
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