Quick summary
Ghost is an open source publishing platform. It gives you a website, a blog, newsletters, and memberships with paid tiers. You can run it yourself for free, or pay for its managed hosting. It suits writers and publishers who want to own their site and their audience.
Ternloop is a newsletter and campaign tool. You write campaigns in a rich editor or block editor, import contacts, group them, and send or schedule the message. It focuses on email, so the website and membership work stays with your publishing platform. Pricing follows the number of emails you send each month.
If you want a site and a publication with paid memberships, Ghost is the stronger fit. If you already have a site and want a focused tool for sending campaigns, Ternloop handles the email side at a flat monthly price.
Pricing compare
The comparison page we reviewed lists Ghost's Publisher plan at about $29 a month for managed hosting. Ghost can also be hosted by you for free, though you pay for your own server and maintenance. Ghost's pricing changes over time and depends on the plan you choose, so check its current pricing before you decide.
Ternloop's plans are shown below.
| Ternloop plan | Monthly price | Annual price | Emails per month | Contacts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | 1,000 | 500 |
| Pro 5,000 | $4 | $46 per year | 5,000 | 3,000 |
| Pro 10,000 | $8 | $92 per year | 10,000 | 6,000 |
| Pro 20,000 | $15 | $172 per year | 20,000 | 12,000 |
| Pro 50,000 | $25 | $286 per year | 50,000 | 30,000 |
| Pro 100,000 | $50 | $570 per year | 100,000 | 50,000 |
| Pro 150,000 | $70 | $810 per year | 150,000 | 80,000 |
Ghost's managed plan starts at about $29 a month in the comparison we reviewed, and that price covers a website and publishing tools. Ternloop's Pro 5,000 tier costs $4 a month for email sending only. The two prices cover different things. If you need a site, Ghost's price includes it. If you only need email, you pay less with Ternloop.
Ghost's version you host yourself is free to download, but you pay for hosting and time to maintain it. That choice suits technical users who want full control.
Feature compare
| Feature | Ternloop | Ghost |
|---|---|---|
| Newsletter sending | Rich editor and block editor | Included |
| Open and click tracking | Included on every plan | Included |
| Contact groups and fields | Groups, custom fields, and CSV import on Pro | Member labels and segments |
| Scheduling | Included on Pro | Included |
| Custom sending domain | Included on Pro | Included |
| Bounce and unsubscribe handling | Automatic, based on SES webhooks | Included |
Ghost is a publishing platform. It gives you a site, posts, newsletters, and a way to charge members. Writers who plan to build a publication with paid access will find these tools central to the product.
Ternloop is built for the email side of publishing. You get a rich editor, contact groups, CSV import, scheduling, and delivery stats. Bounces, complaints, and unsubscribes are marked automatically through SES webhooks, which keeps the list clean.
When to choose Ternloop
- You already have a website and want a tool for newsletters and campaigns.
- You do not need memberships or paid tiers from the same platform.
- You want a flat monthly cost based on email volume.
- You want CSV import, scheduling, and custom sending domains on one plan.
When to choose Ghost
- You want a website, blog, and newsletter from one platform.
- You plan to sell memberships or paid tiers to readers.
- You want to own your site and can host it yourself, or pay for managed hosting.
- You want a publishing tool built around long articles.
If you are starting a publication and want the site, the newsletter, and the paywall in one place, Ghost is the stronger choice. If you already have a site and need a focused tool to send email, Ternloop keeps the cost and the workflow simple.
Start with Ternloop
Start on the free plan with 1,000 emails and 500 contacts each month. Import a small list, send a campaign, and review the open and click data. Full details are on the pricing page.
Questions to ask before you switch
Start with what you publish. Ghost gives you a site, a blog archive, and member pages in one platform. If your readers need to browse back issues, sign in, or read on your domain, Ghost is built for that job. Ternloop is built around email, so you should not expect it to replace a full publishing site.
Next, decide whether you want to host the software. Ghost can be self hosted for free, but you pay for a server, backups, and updates. The comparison we reviewed lists its Publisher plan at about $29 a month for managed hosting. That is a real cost, so compare it with the hours you would spend on maintenance each month.
Then compare the email side at your size. Ternloop's free plan includes 1,000 emails a month and 500 contacts. Its Pro plan for 10,000 emails is $8 a month. If your main goal is to send issues on a schedule, a lower email bill may matter more than the site features.
Finally, plan the audience move. Export your subscribers from your current setup, import the CSV into Ternloop on Pro, and send a test issue before the full send. Keep the old site live until the first few sends look right.
Keep reading
- Ternloop vs Substack compares Ternloop with another writer platform.
- Ternloop vs Beehiiv covers a newsletter platform for publishers.
- Ternloop vs Mailchimp looks at a broader email marketing suite.
- About Ternloop explains the founder's approach to pricing.
- Contact the founder with questions about your publication.