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Ghost to Substack migration: steps, one-click paid member import, cost before/after
Last verified against official pricing pages · published 28 Oct 2026
Prices change often. Each price was checked on the platform's official pricing page on the date shown; plans, promos and taxes vary. Confirm on the official site before you buy. Not financial advice.
Substack has a dedicated Ghost guide: members move as a CSV, posts through Substack's importer with your Ghost URL, and paid members move in one click by connecting the same Stripe account and importing their subscriptions, after you revoke Ghost's access to Stripe so nobody is charged twice. On cost, Substack is $0 for a free newsletter (Ghost(Pro) is $18/mo at 1,000 members), but it keeps 10% of paid revenue, while Ghost Publisher is a flat fee. Example: 5,000 members, 5% paying $8 ($2,000/mo revenue) costs $222/mo on Ghost vs $347/mo on Substack, about $125/mo more on Substack, card fees included.
Prices from Ghost and Substack (checked 2026-10-27), monthly billing. Steps from Substack's Ghost moving guide (checked 2026-10-28). Neither Ghost nor Substack has an affiliate deal with us.
Cost before and after
Free newsletter
| Members | Ghost(Pro), cheapest plan | Substack |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | $18 (Starter) | $0 |
| 2,500 | $55 (Publisher) | $0 |
| 5,000 | $75 (Publisher) | $0 |
| 10,000 | $105 (Publisher) | $0 |
| 25,000 | $169 (Publisher) | $0 |
Per month, monthly billing. Ghost has no free hosted plan; Starter covers up to 1,000 members without paid subscriptions, then Publisher. Substack's optional custom domain is a one-time $50.
Paid newsletter
| Subscribers (5% pay $8) | Ghost | Substack |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | $64.40 (Publisher) | $69.40 (Free + 10% of paid revenue) |
| 2,500 | $128.50 (Publisher) | $173.50 (Free + 10% of paid revenue) |
| 5,000 | $222 (Publisher) | $347 (Free + 10% of paid revenue) |
| 10,000 | $399 (Publisher) | $694 (Free + 10% of paid revenue) |
| 25,000 | $904 (Publisher) | $1,735 (Free + 10% of paid revenue) |
Per month, monthly billing. Paid totals = plan + platform cut + Stripe card fees (2.9% + $0.30 per payment, estimate) + Stripe's 0.7% Billing fee on recurring payments where confirmed (beehiiv, MailerLite, Ghost, Buttondown, Substack, AWeber and Flodesk); not added for GetResponse (not confirmed); Kit's 3.5% + $0.30 is all-in. How we model fees.
Break-even: when Substack stops being cheaper
| Members (free + paid) | Ghost Publisher /mo | Paid revenue where 10% = Ghost price | Paid subs at $8 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | $35 ($29 yearly) | $350 | 44 |
| 2,500 | $55 ($46 yearly) | $550 | 69 |
| 5,000 | $75 ($63 yearly) | $750 | 94 |
| 10,000 | $105 ($88 yearly) | $1,050 | 132 |
| 25,000 | $169 ($141 yearly) | $1,690 | 212 |
Below the break-even revenue Substack's 10% costs less than Ghost Publisher; above it Ghost costs less. Yearly Ghost billing lowers the bar. You keep the same Stripe account, so Stripe's card and Billing fees don't change the comparison.
Calculate your exact Ghost → Substack switching cost →
Step 1: export from Ghost
- Members: Ghost dashboard → Members → settings icon at the top → Export all members. A CSV named Members plus the date downloads.
- Content: Settings → Advanced → Import/Export → Migration tools → Export content. Your posts download as a JSON file (keep it as a backup).
Step 2: import members into Substack
- Create your Substack publication, then Settings → Import/Export → Import email addresses → Import emails.
- Upload the Ghost members CSV. Everyone arrives with a free status; paid members get their paid status in Step 4.
Step 3: import posts
- Settings → Import posts, enter your Ghost URL and click Get started. When Substack finds your archive, click Import. With payments on, you can import the posts as paid posts (or paywall the archive later).
- Remove Ghost's subscribe boxes from imported posts (Posts page → three dots → edit). When you confirm, check the audience and whether the post is emailed to subscribers, so old posts don't go out as new emails.
Step 4: paid members (one click, same Stripe account)
- Substack Settings → Payments → Connect with Stripe. Sign in with the Stripe login you use on Ghost, pick your Ghost Stripe account and Connect. You don't need a new Stripe account.
- Set up your Substack plans, then Enable Payments. Substack scans Stripe (up to 30 minutes) and emails you how many paid subscriptions it can import.
- Revoke Ghost first: in Stripe, Settings → Installed apps, find Ghost under Connect extensions and click Revoke access. Substack says this stops transferred subscribers being double charged.
- Back in Substack, tick "I've disconnected other services from the Stripe account" and choose Import paid subscriptions. A second email confirms when it's done; paid members then show on the Subscribers page.
From this point Substack takes 10% of those subscriptions; Ghost took 0%, so check the break-even table above before you switch a large paid list.
What you give up and gain
- Gone after the move: your Ghost theme and site design, Ghost integrations, and member analytics history (export what you need first).
- New on Substack: Recommendations, Chat, paid podcasts and the Substack app, which Substack names as reasons to move.
- Links: Substack's guide doesn't cover redirects. Ghost post URLs are usually
/post-name/and Substack's are/p/post-name/, so after moving a custom domain, test a few old links and update the important ones.
Related: Substack vs Ghost · Substack fees explained · Substack vs beehiiv vs Ghost cost · the other way: Substack to Ghost · beehiiv to Substack · Ghost pricing · Substack alternatives
Sources
- Substack help: How do I move from Ghost to Substack? (updated Jan 2, 2025; checked 2026-10-28)
- Substack help: Paywall your archive of free posts (checked 2026-10-28)
- Ghost pricing and Substack: How much does Substack cost? (checked 2026-10-27)
Tip: before you import, leave out unsubscribed and bounced contacts. Most platforms bill by list size, so a cleaner list can keep you on a lower tier. How to clean your list before switching
FAQ
Can I move from Ghost to Substack?
Yes. Substack has a Ghost guide: export members (Ghost Members → settings icon → Export all members, a CSV) and content (Settings → Advanced → Import/Export → Export content, a JSON file), then in Substack import the email CSV under Settings → Import/Export → Import emails and import posts by entering your Ghost URL.
Do paid Ghost members have to re-subscribe on Substack?
No. Substack documents a one-click import for Ghost: connect the same Stripe account Ghost uses (Settings → Payments → Connect with Stripe), enable payments, wait for the scan (up to 30 minutes), then choose "Import paid subscriptions". Readers keep their existing subscriptions in Stripe.
How do I avoid double-charging paid members?
Substack says to disconnect Ghost from Stripe before the import: in Stripe, Settings → Installed apps, find Ghost under Connect extensions and click Revoke access. Then tick "I've disconnected other services from the Stripe account" in Substack.
Is Substack cheaper than Ghost?
For a free newsletter, yes: Substack is $0 at any size, while Ghost(Pro) starts at $18/mo (Starter, up to 1,000 members). For a paid newsletter, Substack keeps 10% of revenue while Ghost Publisher is a flat fee with 0% Ghost fees, so Substack is cheaper only while 10% of your monthly paid revenue is below the Publisher price: $750/mo of paid revenue at 5,000 members.
Do my Ghost posts move to Substack?
Yes, through Substack's post importer with your Ghost URL. If payments are on in Substack you can import them as paid posts. Imported posts may keep Ghost's subscribe boxes at the bottom; Substack says to remove them from the Posts page (three dots → edit).
Does Substack charge for a custom domain?
Substack lists a one-time $50 fee for a custom domain (optional). Ghost(Pro) plans include connecting a custom domain.
Related guides: beehiiv price increase 2026 · Substack vs beehiiv vs Ghost · Is beehiiv worth it in 2026? Break-even vs Substack, Kit and MailerLite · Substack fees (2026) · How newsletter platform prices changed 2023–2026 (from archived pricing pages) · Substack to Ghost migration · Is Substack worth it for writers in 2026? The 10% cut vs flat-fee platforms, and how to leave · beehiiv vs Kit vs Substack (2026) · all guides
Comparisons: Substack vs Ghost · Cheapest for 500, 1,000, 2,500, 5,000, 10,000, 25,000 subscribers
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