Ghost

Ghost gives writers and publishers one system for running a website, sending newsletters and charging readers for membership. The software is open source, so a publication can use the hosted service or run it on its own servers. It is listed as based in the United Kingdom and is aimed at independent and professional publishers.

What Ghost offers

• Website and themes — publishers pick a theme from a marketplace, adjust the design settings, or build a fully custom design.
• Editor with rich cards — posts can mix text with galleries, video, audio, product boxes, toggles, downloadable files and bookmarks.
• Email newsletters — posts go out by email, and audiences can be split so different groups get different newsletters.
• Memberships and subscriptions — built-in signup forms turn readers into free or paying members on monthly or yearly tiers.
• Analytics and offers — engagement reports show which pieces draw attention and who reads them, and discount offers help attract subscribers.
• Integrations — connections cover social sharing, referral schemes, push notifications, payment gateways and A/B testing.

Who it works with

Ghost serves independent writers and online publications. Titles named as users include Platformer, 404 Media, Lever News, Tangle and The Browser.

Key facts

• Based in: United Kingdom
• Licence: Open source, with a self-hosting option
• Current release: Ghost 6.0