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Ghost CMS vs Patreon

Ghost CMS logo

Ghost CMS

News

Modern platform for professional publishing

From
$18/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Patreon logo

Patreon

Podcasting

Membership platform for creators

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Patreon 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; Patreon takes 10% of the income a creator earns on the platform
  • They diverge on capability: Ghost CMS covers Publishing platform, Patreon covers Membership tiers.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Ghost CMS and Patreon differ
AttributeGhost CMSPatreon
Starting price$18/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionusage-based
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Self-hostedWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryNewsPodcasting

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), 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
  • Paywall support
  • SEO optimization
  • Media library
  • API access
  • Stripe

Only in Patreon

  • Membership tiers
  • Exclusive content
  • Private podcast feeds
  • Community features
  • Payment processing
  • Discord
  • Podcast apps
  • Email platforms

Both cover

  • Analytics
  • Zapier
  • Web support

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 Patreon
  • Self hosting a headless or full stack publishing platformnot Patreon

Patreon

  • Creator monetizationnot Ghost CMS
  • Content creation platformsnot Ghost CMS
  • Fan support modelsnot Ghost CMS
  • Membership communitiesnot 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

Patreon

  • Takes 10% of the income a creator earns on the platform
  • Payment processing, currency conversion and payout fees are charged on top of that 10% and are not quantified on the pricing page
  • The total deduction is therefore not calculable from the pricing page alone, and requires reading a separate support article

Pricing, plan by plan

Ghost CMS

$18/month
  • Starter$18/month
    • For solo blogs and newsletters
    • Your own website
    • Email newsletter
  • Publisher$29/month
    • For custom publications
    • 3 staff users
    • Custom themes
  • Business$199/month
    • For teams scaling up
    • 15 staff users
    • Priority support
  • Custom$null/contact
    • For organizations with complex needs
    • Unlimited staff users
    • Dedicated IP addresses

Patreon

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Patreon review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Ghost CMS if

  • You need publishing platform.
  • You work on Web, Self-hosted.
  • You also want email newsletters.
Ghost CMS review

Choose Patreon if

  • You need membership tiers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want exclusive content.
Patreon review

Questions people ask

Is Ghost CMS or Patreon better?
Neither clearly leads. Ghost CMS starts at $18/month and Patreon at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ghost CMS or Patreon?
Patreon has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $18/month for Ghost CMS and Free for Patreon.
Does Ghost CMS or Patreon run on more platforms?
Ghost CMS runs on Web, Self-hosted. Patreon runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Patreon for free?
Yes. Patreon has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Ghost CMS starts at $18/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 Patreon is typically brought in for.
What can Ghost CMS do that Patreon cannot?
Ghost CMS covers Publishing platform, Email newsletters, Membership management, Paywall support. Patreon covers Membership tiers, Exclusive content, Private podcast feeds, Community features. Both handle Analytics, Zapier, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Ghost CMS: How much does Ghost CMS cost?

Ghost(Pro) pricing starts at $18 per month when billed yearly for the Starter plan, with Publisher at $29 per month and Business at $199 per month. All plans include unlimited email sends and enterprise-grade security.

Source
Patreon: How much does it cost to start a Patreon?

Starting a Patreon is completely free. Creators can share their work immediately without any upfront costs or subscription fees. Patreon only charges when creators begin earning money from supporters on the platform.

Source
Ghost CMS: Can I cancel my Ghost subscription anytime?

Yes, users can upgrade, downgrade, or cancel their Ghost subscription anytime without penalties.

Source
Patreon: How does Patreon's pricing model work?

Patreon charges a 10% platform fee on all income earned, plus payment processing, currency conversion, and payout fees along with applicable taxes. Creators earn through monthly subscriptions, membership tiers, and one-time payments from supporters, with Patreon handling all payment infrastructure and fraud protection.

Source
Ghost CMS: Are there any additional fees with Ghost?

Ghost waives transaction fees on all plans, though payment processor fees still apply. There are no setup fees or hidden charges.

Source
Patreon: What features are included in all Patreon creator accounts?

All creator accounts include content creation tools for audio, images, video, and livestreaming, plus community features like chats, direct messages, and comments. Creators also get access to analytics, email newsletters, and podcast management capabilities at no additional tier cost beyond the 10% platform fee.

Source
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