Ghost hosting for publishers, newsletters and memberships
Ghost is an open-source publishing platform for blogs, newsletters and paid memberships, with a clean editor, built-in email and Stripe payments. Run Ghost 6 on a HyperDC VPS with the stack it expects, Ubuntu, Node.js 22, MySQL 8 and NGINX, preinstalled as an app option or installed with our guide.
- Blog, newsletter and paid memberships in one
- Ghost 6 with Node.js 22 and MySQL 8
- Ghost-CLI or Docker Compose installation
- Your domain, your theme, your subscriber list
- Install
- Ghost-CLI · Docker Compose
- StackGhost 6 supports only Node.js 22 and MySQL 8.0 or 8.4 in production, on Ubuntu 22.04, 24.04 or 26.04 LTS.
- Node.js 22 · MySQL 8 · NGINX
- Default port
- 2368, behind NGINX on 443
- Minimum
- At least 1 GB of memory
- Current releaseGhost 5 reached end of life in January 2026; Ghost 6 is the supported line.
- Ghost 6.69 (October 2026)
- Official docs
- docs.ghost.org
Features and integrations
- Newsletters
- Paid memberships
- Stripe
- Mailgun
- ActivityPub
- Web analytics
- Themes
- Content API
- Webhooks
- Ghost-CLI
Facts from the project’s official website, documentation and repository, checked in October 2026.
Ghost plans are being prepared
Tell us how many members and newsletter subscribers you have, and our team will reply with the right server. Or start today on a Linux VPS and install Ghost with our guide.
How big a server does Ghost need?
Ghost is light. Traffic, images and the optional analytics and ActivityPub services decide the size.
| Feature |
Personal blog
A blog with a newsletter
|
Recommended Publication
Members, paid tiers and weekly emails
|
Busy publication
Large audience, analytics and ActivityPub
|
|---|---|---|---|
| vCPUVirtual processor cores of the server. | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| MemoryMemory for the app, its database and the operating system. | 1–2 GB | 2 GB | 4 GB+ |
| DiskNVMe or SSD storage for the app, its data and local backups. | 20 GB | 40 GB | 80 GB |
| Install methodGhost-CLI is the classic install. Self-hosted analytics and ActivityPub need the Docker Compose install. | Ghost-CLI | Ghost-CLI or Docker | Docker with analytics and ActivityPub |
-
Personal blog
A blog with a newsletter
- vCPUVirtual processor cores of the server.
- 1
- MemoryMemory for the app, its database and the operating system.
- 1–2 GB
- DiskNVMe or SSD storage for the app, its data and local backups.
- 20 GB
- Install methodGhost-CLI is the classic install. Self-hosted analytics and ActivityPub need the Docker Compose install.
- Ghost-CLI
-
Recommended
Publication
Members, paid tiers and weekly emails
- vCPUVirtual processor cores of the server.
- 2
- MemoryMemory for the app, its database and the operating system.
- 2 GB
- DiskNVMe or SSD storage for the app, its data and local backups.
- 40 GB
- Install methodGhost-CLI is the classic install. Self-hosted analytics and ActivityPub need the Docker Compose install.
- Ghost-CLI or Docker
-
Busy publication
Large audience, analytics and ActivityPub
- vCPUVirtual processor cores of the server.
- 4
- MemoryMemory for the app, its database and the operating system.
- 4 GB+
- DiskNVMe or SSD storage for the app, its data and local backups.
- 80 GB
- Install methodGhost-CLI is the classic install. Self-hosted analytics and ActivityPub need the Docker Compose install.
- Docker with analytics and ActivityPub
Ghost asks for at least 1 GB of memory. Self-hosted web analytics and ActivityPub run as extra services in the Docker install and need more.
Publish, send and get paid from your own server
Ghost combines a website, an email newsletter and a membership business, without a platform between you and your readers.
Newsletters built in
Send every post as an email to your members. Ghost uses Mailgun for bulk sending and SMTP for logins and invitations.
Paid memberships
Connect your own Stripe account to sell monthly and yearly tiers; payments go straight to you.
Part of the social web
Ghost 6 publishes to the social web through ActivityPub, so people on Mastodon and similar networks can follow your site.
Web analytics
Ghost 6 adds built-in, cookie-free web analytics; on your own server it runs with the Docker install.
Root access, your rules
Every Linux VPS, VDS and dedicated server comes with full root access: you choose the versions, the add-ons and the security settings.
Backups included
Free weekly and monthly backups come with every VPS and VDS plan. For data that changes every day, keep copies of your own as well.
Locations on three continents
Run your server in the United States, Europe or Asia, close to the people who use it. The order form estimates the latency from where you are to each location.
Preinstalled or with our guide
Choose the app as an option when you order and it is installed for you, or set it up yourself with our step-by-step guide.
Launch Ghost in four steps
Order the app preinstalled on your server, or install it yourself with our guide.
-
Choose your server
Pick a VPS in the size from the table above with Ubuntu 24.04 or 26.04 LTS, and point your domain at it.
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Install Ghost
Choose Ghost as an app option, or install Node.js 22, MySQL 8, NGINX and Ghost-CLI and run ghost install with our guide.
-
Let Ghost add TLS
During ghost install, enter your https address and let Ghost-CLI set up NGINX and a free Let’s Encrypt certificate.
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Create your site
Open /ghost to create the owner account, add your mail settings, connect Stripe and publish your first post.
Step-by-step setup guides
Install, secure and update the app with our guides, written for current Ubuntu and Debian releases.
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Connect to your Linux server with SSH
Your first login to a new Linux server: where to find the details, how to connect from any computer and what to do in the first five minutes.
10 min Beginner -
Set up SSH keys for your server
SSH keys replace passwords with a key pair that cannot be guessed. Create one, install it on your server and test it before you turn passwords off.
12 min Beginner -
How to install Ghost on Ubuntu with Ghost-CLI, Nginx and MySQL
Follow Ghost's officially documented Ubuntu method: prepare a non-root user, MySQL and Node.js 22, let Ghost-CLI set up Nginx, TLS and systemd, then configure email, backups and updates.
40 min Intermediate
Related solutions
Frequently asked questions
What does Ghost need on the server?
Ubuntu 22.04, 24.04 or 26.04 LTS, Node.js 22, MySQL 8.0 or 8.4, NGINX and systemd, with at least 1 GB of memory. SQLite is only for development. Do not name the system user ghost, because Ghost-CLI uses that name itself.
Ghost-CLI or Docker: which install should I use?
Ghost-CLI is the long-standing method and fits most blogs and newsletters. Choose the Docker Compose install, still marked as a preview, if you want Ghost’s web analytics or to run the ActivityPub service yourself; the CLI install does not include them.
Do I need Mailgun?
For bulk newsletters, yes: Ghost sends newsletters through Mailgun. Staff invitations, password resets and member sign-in links go through any SMTP service, which Ghost needs from day one.
How do paid memberships work?
Connect your own Stripe account in Ghost’s settings, create free and paid tiers, and members subscribe on your site. Payments go to your Stripe account; Ghost itself adds no fee on a self-hosted site.
What is ActivityPub in Ghost 6?
It connects your site to the social web: people on Mastodon and similar networks can follow it, and you can follow and reply from Ghost. Self-hosted sites can use Ghost’s hosted ActivityPub service within its published limits, or run the service themselves with the Docker install.
Can I move from Ghost(Pro), WordPress or Substack?
Yes. Export your content and members from Ghost(Pro) and import them in Ghost Admin. For WordPress and other platforms, Ghost’s migration tools convert posts and subscribers into Ghost’s format.
Is Ghost 5 still supported?
No. Ghost 5 reached end of life in January 2026. Upgrade to Ghost 6 with ghost update after moving to Node.js 22; Ghost 6 also removed AMP and support for Node.js 18 and 20.
Is port 25 open on my VPS?
Outbound port 25 is closed by default on HyperDC VPS. For services ordered for a term of 3 months or longer, we open it on request: open a support ticket. Until then, send through an SMTP relay on port 587. A relay or email service also helps your mail reach the inbox.
Ready to publish on your own Ghost?
Tell us what you want to run and for how many people, and we will help you pick the right server.