Medium has readers.
But those readers aren't yours.
Medium offers a built-in audience — and that's genuinely valuable when you're starting out. But Medium's algorithm controls your distribution, your content builds SEO value for medium.com (not your site), and you have zero control over monetization. At some point, you need to build something that's yours.
TL;DR
Medium is a content platform. Ghost is a content engine. On Medium, you're a tenant. With Ghost, you're the landlord.
Content & Ownership
Audience & Distribution
Monetization
Design & Branding
The bottom line
Medium is a great place to get discovered. But it's a terrible place to build a business. Every article you publish on Medium builds value for Medium — not for you. With Ghost on Typetale, every piece of content builds your SEO authority, grows your direct subscriber list, and creates an asset you actually own. Think of it this way: Medium is a social media platform for long-form content. Ghost is your own publishing infrastructure.
Why choose Typetale over Medium
Your domain, your authority
Every article you publish builds SEO value for your domain. Over time, this compounds into significant organic traffic.
No algorithm roulette
On Medium, a change to the algorithm can tank your views overnight. On Ghost, your distribution is in your hands.
Predictable revenue
Membership subscriptions are predictable. The Partner Program is a slot machine.
Direct reader relationships
Collect email subscribers from day one. When you want to reach your audience, you can — no algorithm in between.
Professional credibility
yourdomain.com signals professionalism. medium.com/@yourname signals you don't have your own platform yet.
Full creative freedom
Custom themes, custom branding, custom pages. Your publication should look like yours, not Medium's.
How to migrate from Medium
- 1
Export your Medium content (Settings → Download your information)
- 2
Use Ghost's Medium importer to bring in your posts
- 3
Review formatting — Ghost handles most conversions automatically
- 4
Set up your custom domain and Ghost theme
- 5
Start building your email list from your existing Medium audience
Frequently asked questions
Won't I lose Medium's built-in audience?
Yes — and that's the point. Medium's audience is Medium's audience, not yours. Building your own audience (even a smaller one) is more valuable than renting access to someone else's. With Ghost 6's ActivityPub support, you also get fediverse-based discovery.
Can I import all my Medium posts?
Yes! Ghost has a dedicated Medium importer that brings over your posts, images, and basic formatting. Some complex embeds may need manual adjustment.
Is it worth paying for Ghost if Medium is free?
Medium isn't truly free — you pay with your content, your SEO value, and your audience data. If you're serious about writing as a career or business, investing $15/month in your own platform pays for itself quickly.
What if I want to keep posting on Medium too?
You absolutely can! Many creators cross-post to Medium while building their primary audience on Ghost. Just publish the full version on Ghost first, then syndicate excerpts or full posts to Medium.
Ready to make the switch?
We'll make it painless.
Start publishing in under 5 minutes. We handle the infrastructure so you can focus on what matters — your writing.