Ghost, the open-source publishing platform, has unveiled Ghost 6, a significant update that integrates with the open social web, enabling publishers to share content across decentralized networks. This release allows users to connect with platforms like Mastodon, Meta’s Threads, Flipboard, and WordPress sites supporting ActivityPub, expanding their reach beyond traditional channels.
The integration with ActivityPub, an open standard for decentralized social networking, facilitates seamless content sharing and interaction across various platforms. Additionally, Ghost offers compatibility with Bluesky through Bridgy Fed, a service that bridges the fediverse with the AT Protocol used by Bluesky. This approach has sparked discussions within the developer community regarding the merits of direct integration versus bridging solutions.
The adoption of ActivityPub has gained momentum, especially following Twitter’s acquisition by Elon Musk, leading to the emergence of decentralized alternatives. Meta’s Threads, launched in 2023, and WordPress’s integration with ActivityPub exemplify this trend. Ghost’s integration into this ecosystem enhances publishers’ ability to engage with a broader audience and fosters greater interaction through likes, replies, and reposts.
Ghost 6 introduces an Inbox feature, allowing users to follow and interact with long-form content from Ghost and WordPress publications. The admin interface now supports posting short-form content to the fediverse, enabling publishers to build their following and connect with readers more effectively.
This release follows a controversial incident involving Substack, where a push notification encouraged subscriptions to a Nazi newsletter, leading several authors to leave the platform. Notable publications such as 404 Media, Spyglass, David Sirota’s The Lever, Tangle, Jason Calacanis’s Inside, and SFist have since migrated to Ghost. The platform reports that its publishers have collectively generated over $100 million, contributing to Ghost’s annual revenue of $8.5 million.
Beyond ActivityPub integration, Ghost 6 offers a native analytics suite that provides real-time insights into performance, engagement, and conversions across web, newsletters, and subscriptions. The update also supports various payment methods, tips and donations, branded newsletters, and personalized content for individual readers.
With this release, Ghost has adjusted its Pro (hosted) plans, increasing the starting prices to $15 and $29 per month, up from $9 and $25, respectively. However, publishers with a large number of subscribers will benefit from reduced pricing, reflecting Ghost’s commitment to supporting its growing user base.
