The best Ghost alternative for writers
Ghost is built for publishers. Buy Me a Coffee gives writers a simpler way to earn. No monthly fees. No hosting. No setup headaches. Just your writing and readers who support it.
Create your page - it's free
Why creators switch to
Buy Me a Coffee
Ghost is a powerful publishing platform, but it comes with a steep monthly bill whether you make money or not. BMC flips the model - you pay nothing until you earn, and you keep full control of your supporter relationships from day one.
| Features | Buy Me a Coffee |  | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creator Tools & Monetization | ||||
One-time tips / donations | Yes, supporters can give freely without committing. | No. Ghost is subscriptions only - no way to accept one-time support. | One-time tips / donations Yes, supporters can give freely without committing. No. Ghost is subscriptions only - no way to accept one-time support. | |
Membership tiers | Yes, optional, flexible, and creator-driven - no pressure. | Yes, but subscription-first and central to how Ghost monetizes. | Membership tiers Yes, optional, flexible, and creator-driven - no pressure. Yes, but subscription-first and central to how Ghost monetizes. | |
Shop (digital & services) | Yes, sell anything - digital, physical, art, and sessions. | No native shop. Digital product sales not supported. | Shop (digital & services) Yes, sell anything - digital, physical, art, and sessions. No native shop. Digital product sales not supported. | |
Gallery / Portfolio | Yes, clean, simple showcase for images you want to share. | Project page only - no ongoing portfolio. | Gallery / Portfolio Yes, clean, simple showcase for images you want to share. Project page only - no ongoing portfolio. | |
Stream alerts (Twitch / YouTube) | Yes, native alerts so you earn while you stream. | Not supported. | Stream alerts (Twitch / YouTube) Yes, native alerts so you earn while you stream. Not supported. | |
| Pricing & Support | ||||
Platform fees | Flat 5% fee + payment processing. For every $1000 in support, you keep ~$950 | $9–$199/month subscription, regardless of earnings. Plus payment processing on top. | Platform fees Flat 5% fee + payment processing. For every $1000 in support, you keep ~$950 $9–$199/month subscription, regardless of earnings. Plus payment processing on top. | |
Ongoing earnings | Always on. Earn any day, any time. | Only while your subscription is active. Cancel your plan and your paywall comes down. | Ongoing earnings Always on. Earn any day, any time. Only while your subscription is active. Cancel your plan and your paywall comes down. | |
Transparency | We are small enough to care and big enough to help. | Corporate pricing tiers with features locked behind higher plans. | Transparency We are small enough to care and big enough to help. Corporate pricing tiers with features locked behind higher plans. | |
| Freedom & Control | ||||
Reader account required | 1-tap support, no mandatory account creation. | Readers must create an account to subscribe. More friction, more drop-offs. | Reader account required 1-tap support, no mandatory account creation. Readers must create an account to subscribe. More friction, more drop-offs. | |
Creator commitment | Post when you want. No publishing pressure, no guilt. | Ghost's model works best with regular publishing - irregular posting hurts growth. | Creator commitment Post when you want. No publishing pressure, no guilt. Ghost's model works best with regular publishing - irregular posting hurts growth. | |
Hosting & maintenance | Fully managed. Nothing to update, configure, or maintain. | Self-hosted Ghost requires server management, updates, and ongoing maintenance. | Hosting & maintenance Fully managed. Nothing to update, configure, or maintain. Self-hosted Ghost requires server management, updates, and ongoing maintenance. | |
| Experience & Trust | ||||
Setup time | Under 5 minutes. No hosting, no domain, no theme setup. | Hours to days. Domain, hosting, theme configuration required. | Setup time Under 5 minutes. No hosting, no domain, no theme setup. Hours to days. Domain, hosting, theme configuration required. | |
Design & navigation | Clean one-page dashboard, intentionally designed. | Feature-rich but complex. Steep learning curve for non-technical writers. | Design & navigation Clean one-page dashboard, intentionally designed. Feature-rich but complex. Steep learning curve for non-technical writers. | |
Learning curve | Zero. If you can use email, you can use Buy Me a Coffee. | Moderate to high. Ghost is powerful but requires technical comfort. | Learning curve Zero. If you can use email, you can use Buy Me a Coffee. Moderate to high. Ghost is powerful but requires technical comfort. | |
Best for | Writers who want to earn from their audience without monthly fees, hosting headaches, or subscription-only limits. | Writers who want a powerful publishing platform and are comfortable with setup, maintenance, and a monthly fee. | Best for Writers who want to earn from their audience without monthly fees, hosting headaches, or subscription-only limits. Writers who want a powerful publishing platform and are comfortable with setup, maintenance, and a monthly fee. | |
Your writing deserves more
than a subscribe button
Ghost gives readers one option - subscribe or leave. Buy Me a Coffee gives them three ways to show up for you.
Donations
A reader loved your post but isn't ready to commit monthly. Now they don't have to. Anyone can tip you in two taps - no account, no signup wall, no friction.
Membership
For your most loyal readers, offer something extra. Exclusive posts, early access, or behind-the-scenes. No posting schedules, no pressure.
Shop
Turn your writing into products. Sell ebooks, guides, templates, or anything else your readers would pay for - free to list, unlimited items, yours to keep.
Join over 2 million creators worldwide
From artists to podcasters, writers to gamers – creators of all kinds are finding their home and growth on Buy Me a Coffee.
Made for writers by writers
Ghost is a powerful platform. But powerful isn't always what you need. Here's what writers tell us makes the biggest difference.
No monthly bill to get started
Ghost charges $9–$199 a month before you've made a single dollar. BMC is free to start, just a flat 5% when you earn. Pay nothing until you earn.
Set up in minutes
No hosting. No custom domains. Just a clean page your readers can find and support, without you touching a single line of code.
Your readers don't need an account
Ghost requires readers to create an account to subscribe. On BMC, anyone can support you in two taps. No signup wall, no friction, no drop-offs.
Wherever you are,
we'll meet you there
Whether you're starting fresh or moving from Ghost, Buy Me a Coffee makes it effortless to get up and running.
Start from scratch
No hosting. No theme setup. No domain configuration. Just create your page, share your link, and start earning from your very first reader. Takes minutes, not days.
Try alongside Ghost
Not ready to leave Ghost yet? No problem. Add your BMC link to your Ghost posts and let readers who want to support you do so - a tip, a membership, or anything in between.