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Ghost vs Medium: catalog facts
Ghost	Medium
Freemium Free to self-host; the hosted service is paid after a 14-day trial.	Freemium Free to publish, with a paid reader membership.
Web, Self-hosted	Web
Website, newsletter and paid subscriptions in one product Clean editor with rich media cards	No hosting or setup to manage Built-in audience of readers on the platform
Hosted plans are paid after the trial Self-hosting requires running and updating your own server	Little control over design and layout Your content lives on a platform you do not control
Self-hosted, Hosted service	Hosted service
Open source	Closed source
License not stated	License not stated
Not stated if an account is needed	Account needed
Needs internet	Needs internet
Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 1, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 2, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.