Overview
Ghost is an open-source content management and publishing platform tailored for independent creators, journalists, and businesses aiming to build sustainable, subscription-based digital publishing models. Founded by John O’Nolan in 2013, Ghost operates as a nonprofit organization, allowing it to prioritize its mission to empower publishers without being driven by investor demands. Ghost competes in the market alongside platforms like WordPress and Substack, providing a streamlined solution that integrates publishing, membership, and revenue features natively
Key Features
Content Creation and Distribution
Ghost offers a professional-grade editor optimized for publishing with support for markdown, dynamic content blocks, and media cards, making it suitable for various content formats, including blogs, newsletters, and digital media posts. The platform allows users to create and send email newsletters directly from their posts, enabling integrated content distribution
Membership and Monetization
Ghost includes built-in membership features that support free and paid subscription models. Publishers can gate content based on membership tiers, offering flexibility for monetizing audiences. The platform partners with Stripe for payment processing, providing seamless management of monthly and annual subscriptions. Ghost’s business model, centered around open-source development and self-hosting options, allows publishers to retain control over their subscriber relationships
