Ghost vs Listmonk
Self-host pick — both replace Substack (Newsletter publishing + paid subscriptions).
Both Ghost and Listmonk self-host as a replacement for Substack (Newsletter publishing + paid subscriptions). Pick Listmonk if you want the lighter footprint — 15min docker-compose (Go binary + Postgres), $5 vps for the app; smtp relay (amazon ses, postmark, resend) is the variable cost — ses at $0. Pick Ghost if you need newsletters with paid subscribers — Ghost is the only mature OSS option that bundles editor + email + Stripe paid memberships — 20min docker-compose (Ghost + MySQL + nginx) and $10-15/mo vps for ghost + mailgun/postmark/resend for email send (~$10/mo for 50k emails).
| Ghostopen-source | Listmonkopen-source | |
|---|---|---|
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Setup time | 20min docker-compose (Ghost + MySQL + nginx) | 15min docker-compose (Go binary + Postgres) |
| Monthly cost | $10-15/mo VPS for Ghost + Mailgun/Postmark/Resend for email send (~$10/mo for 50k emails). No platform cut on Stripe revenue. | $5 VPS for the app; SMTP relay (Amazon SES, Postmark, Resend) is the variable cost — SES at $0.10/1000 sends. |
| GitHub | TryGhost/Ghost | knadh/listmonk |
| Replaces | Substack + 1 other | Substack + 3 other |
Good fit for
Ghost
Newsletters with paid subscribers — Ghost is the only mature OSS option that bundles editor + email + Stripe paid memberships.
Weak at:Discovery — no Substack-style recommendations engine; growth comes from your own audience and SEO.
Listmonk
High-volume free newsletters (1M+ subscribers) where Listmonk's send-throughput shines.
Weak at:No content editor or paid-subscription rails — bring your own publishing surface and payments.
In a terminal? npx -y github:SolvoHQ/os-alt-cli substack prints Substack's self-host options including both —
how the CLI works →
FAQ
Which is easier to self-host, Ghost or Listmonk?
Ghost: 20min docker-compose (Ghost + MySQL + nginx). Listmonk: 15min docker-compose (Go binary + Postgres).
What does each cost to run?
Ghost: $10-15/mo VPS for Ghost + Mailgun/Postmark/Resend for email send (~$10/mo for 50k emails). No platform cut on Stripe revenue.. Listmonk: $5 VPS for the app; SMTP relay (Amazon SES, Postmark, Resend) is the variable cost — SES at $0.10/1000 sends.. Both projects are free and open source.
Do Ghost and Listmonk replace the same SaaS?
Yes — both are open-source alternatives to Substack.