Find the words.
Keep the flow.
Write directly in rich text, with autosave and private revisions. Add callouts, quotes, buttons, and link cards as your letter takes shape.
Caveat, in good company
Your words.
Your readers.
Your call.
A place to write, a website to make your own, and a letter straight to your readers. See how Caveat compares with Substack, Ghost, and beehiiv.
Open-source software. Your hosting. Your publication.
A little look at CaveatInteractive preview
The Sunday letter
Notes on a life well noticed
A small place
for big ideas.
The things you notice deserve somewhere to live. A passing thought. A better question. A letter worth opening.
100 Google Fonts and two system styles. Try one here; search the full library in Settings.
Find the words.
Send with
a little more care.
Connect Resend, preview your newsletter, send yourself a test, and confirm your audience before sending.
Your style.
Your next chapter.
Explore six example designs, choose your type and accent colour, or copy a design prompt for your AI coding tool. Edit the React and CSS to make the layout your own.
The practical differences
What matters to your publication?
Four good tools.
Different things taken care of.
12 features · All four platforms
Swipe across the table, or choose one platform above for a closer comparison.
| In the details | CaveatYour own workspace | SubstackPublishing + a network | GhostIndependent publishing | beehiivNewsletter growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Writing & design | ||||
| The writing space | Rich text + autosavePrivate revisions stay separate from the live post. | Rich text + multimedia | Rich media + content cards | Newsletter editor |
| Content blocks | Five reusable blocksCallout, pull quote, button, link card, and divider. Community contributions through GitHub. | Media embeds | Rich media cards | Email builder |
| Make it your own | 100 Google Fonts + two system stylesSearch, live preview, accent colours, and editable React/CSS. | Publication design settingsBuilt-in font choices. | Themes + design settingsCustom themes depend on hosting plan. | Website + email templatesSome customisation is plan-dependent. |
| On the web | Your publication websitePosts, archive, about page, and RSS. | Publication website + app | Publication website | Publication website |
| Readers & email | ||||
| Newsletter delivery | Connect your Resend accountPreview, test email, recipient confirmation, and delivery status. | Handled by Substack | Included with Ghost(Pro)Self-hosted newsletters use Mailgun. | Included in all plans |
| Subscriber tools | Signup form + subscriber listResend manages contacts and unsubscribe status. | Subscribers + paid members | Free + paid memberships | Subscriber managementSegments and signup forms. |
| Finding new readers | Your site, your outreachSubscription form and RSS. No discovery network. | Notes + recommendationsDiscovery through the Substack app. | Recommendations | Recommendation networkReferral and ad tools on paid plans. |
| Paid subscriptions | Not includedThis release focuses on free publications. | Built in | AvailableGhost(Pro): Publisher plan and above. | Paid plans |
| Ownership & costs | ||||
| Where it lives | Your hosting + databaseRun locally; deploy to your Vercel account. | Hosted by Substack | Managed or self-hosted | Hosted by beehiiv |
| Taking your work with you | Post + subscriber exportsJSON for posts. CSV for subscribers. | Post + subscriber exports | Content + member exports | Post + subscriber exports |
| The software | Open source · MITRead it, change it, and run your own copy. | Hosted platform | Open source | Hosted platform |
| What you pay for | Your service usageHosting, database, and email. No Caveat software fee. | Free to start10% of paid revenue + payment processing. | Hosting + emailManaged plans or your own infrastructure. | Free and paid plansFeatures and audience size determine the plan. |
Checked . Caveat features reflect this application; provider features and plans can change. Hosting, database, and email usage are billed by your chosen services.
Sources & comparison notes
Some capabilities require a paid plan or a connected service. An export is a copy of your data; it does not imply automatic migration.
A home that fits
Choose what you want to own.
caveat
A focused publication you can shape yourself. Choose Caveat for control of the code, deployment, and connected services.
Start with an example or your own brief. The copied prompt guides an external coding tool through creating a Caveat project and changing its branding and layout; copying it does not deploy a site or change your posts.
Meet CaveatSubstack
A hosted home with social discovery, a reader app, and paid subscriptions built into the platform.
Explore SubstackGhost
An established open-source platform with memberships, custom themes, and managed or self-hosted options.
Explore Ghostbeehiiv
A hosted newsletter platform with recommendations, plus advertising and automation tools on paid plans.
Explore beehiivMake room for the writing