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# How to Host Ghost on PikaPods: Setup Guide with Gmail or Mailgun Email (2026)
- URL: https://www.ectobuilder.com/blog/ghost-on-pikapods/
- Published: 2026-10-10T18:18:19.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-19T14:56:09.000Z
- Description: Run Ghost on PikaPods from about $3 a month: create the pod, pick its size, connect your domain, and set up email with a Gmail app password or Mailgun. Step by step, with screenshots.
- Author: Michal Wlosik
- Tags: Guides, Hosting

PikaPods is the cheapest reliable way to run your own Ghost site. You get the full Ghost, with the same admin, editor and themes as [Ghost(Pro)](https://ghost.org/pricing/?via=michal-207c22&ref=ectobuilder.com), from about $3 a month, with updates and HTTPS handled for you.

This guide sets it up from scratch: create the pod, choose its size, set up email (through your Gmail account with an app password, or through Mailgun), connect your domain, and give the site a design of its own. Email matters more than it looks: Ghost needs it for sign-in links, member sign-ups and the security codes it sends when you log in from a new device.

Set aside 20 minutes, or an hour with Mailgun. You need a PikaPods account, a Google or Mailgun account for email, and your domain if you want to use one.

## What it costs

PikaPods charges for the resources your pod uses, from a prepaid balance. For Ghost, the default size is half a CPU core, 1 GB of memory and 5 GB of storage, which costs **$3.28 a month** (about $39 a year). A small site can run on a quarter core and 0.5 GB for **$2.36 a month**. You can change the size at any time.

Your domain costs extra, usually $10 to $20 a year from any registrar. Email through Gmail is free; Mailgun is free for up to 100 emails a day and $15 a month for more.

Prices as shown in PikaPods in October 2026.

[![CTA Image](https://www.ectobuilder.com/content/images/2026/07/image-2.png)](https://www.magicpages.co/?aff=OIcAEpl1OcEE&ref=ectobuilder.com) 

****Rather not set up email and backups yourself?** Magic Pages runs Ghost for you for €13 a month, with 10,000 newsletter emails, daily backups, custom themes and support from a person who knows Ghost all included. Try it free for 14 days, no card needed.

[Try Magic Pages free ](https://www.magicpages.co/?aff=OIcAEpl1OcEE&ref=ectobuilder.com) 

## Step 1: Create the Ghost pod

1. Sign up at [pikapods.com](https://www.pikapods.com/?ref=ectobuilder.com) and add some credit to your balance under **Account**. Your balance shows at the top right.
2. Go to **My Pods** and click **Add Pod**.
3. Under **Choose App**, type `Ghost` and select it.
4. Give the pod a name, for example your site's name. Only you see it.
5. Choose the **region**, EU or US, closest to most of your readers. It can't be changed later.

![The PikaPods Add Pod dialog with Ghost chosen as the app and My Ghost site as the pod name](https://www.ectobuilder.com/content/images/2026/10/pp2-add-pod.png)

1: The app, Ghost. 2: The pod name.

Don't click **Add Pod** yet. Set up email first, in step 3; it saves you a restart later.

## Step 2: Choose the size

Open the **Resources** tab. The default for Ghost is fine for most sites, and the monthly cost updates as you move the sliders.

![The PikaPods Resources tab with sliders for CPU cores, memory and storage, and a monthly cost of $3.28](https://www.ectobuilder.com/content/images/2026/10/pp2-resources.png)

The default Ghost size: 0.5 CPU, 1 GB memory, 5 GB storage, $3.28 a month.

- **Memory** matters most. Keep 1 GB if you can; Ghost can run out of memory on 0.5 GB when traffic spikes.
- **Storage** holds your images and files. 5 GB is plenty for years of a typical blog.

## Step 3: Set up email

Ghost sends two kinds of email:

- **Transactional email**: sign-in links for members, sign-up confirmations, staff invitations, password resets, and the code Ghost sends when you sign in to Ghost Admin from a new device. These go out one at a time, and **Gmail can send them**.
- **Newsletters**: one email to all your subscribers. Ghost sends these only through Mailgun, whatever you set here. If you want a newsletter, see [Newsletters](#newsletters) below.

Without any email set up, members can't sign in, and you can be locked out of Ghost Admin when it asks for a device code. So do this before the pod starts.

You have two options:

|             | Gmail              | Mailgun                                            |
| ----------- | ------------------ | -------------------------------------------------- |
| Cost        | Free               | Free up to 100 emails a day, then from $15 a month |
| Setup       | 10 minutes         | 30 minutes, plus DNS records on your domain        |
| Sends from  | Your Gmail address | Your own domain, e.g. hello@yourname.com           |
| Newsletters | No                 | Yes                                                |
| Daily limit | About 500          | Depends on plan                                    |

**Choose Gmail** for a portfolio, blog or business site without a newsletter. **Choose Mailgun** if you'll send a newsletter, or want every email to come from your own domain. You can start with Gmail and switch later; it only means changing the pod's mail settings.

### Option A: Gmail

#### A1: Turn on 2-Step Verification in your Google account

Google only gives out app passwords on accounts with 2-Step Verification. Go to [myaccount.google.com/security](https://myaccount.google.com/security?ref=ectobuilder.com), find **2-Step Verification** and turn it on if it's off.

![Google Account Security page with 2-Step Verification showing On](https://www.ectobuilder.com/content/images/2026/10/gmail-2sv-clean.png)

Google Account → Security: 2-Step Verification must be On.

#### A2: Create an app password

An app password is a 16-letter code that lets one app, here Ghost, send email from your account. It isn't your Google password, and you can delete it at any time without affecting anything else.

1. Go to [myaccount.google.com/apppasswords](https://myaccount.google.com/apppasswords?ref=ectobuilder.com). Google may ask for your password first.
2. Type a name you'll recognise, for example `Ghost on PikaPods`, and click **Create**.
3. Copy the 16-letter code Google shows. **You'll only see it once.** If you lose it, delete it and create a new one.

![The Google App passwords page with Ghost on PikaPods typed as the app name and the Create button](https://www.ectobuilder.com/content/images/2026/10/gmail-app-password.png)

1: Name the app password. 2: Click Create, then copy the code Google shows.

If the App passwords page says the setting isn't available, 2-Step Verification is off, or your account is managed by an organisation that has turned app passwords off. On a Google Workspace account, ask your admin.

#### A3: Add the mail settings to your pod

Back in the Add Pod dialog, open the **Env Vars** tab. PikaPods lists the settings Ghost understands; fill in the mail ones:

| Setting                         | Value                                      |
| ------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------ |
| mail\_\_transport               | SMTP                                       |
| mail\_\_from                    | Your Name <you@gmail.com>                  |
| mail\_\_options\_\_service      | Gmail                                      |
| mail\_\_options\_\_host         | smtp.gmail.com                             |
| mail\_\_options\_\_port         | 465                                        |
| mail\_\_options\_\_secure       | true                                       |
| mail\_\_options\_\_auth\_\_user | Your full Gmail address                    |
| mail\_\_options\_\_auth\_\_pass | The 16-letter app password, without spaces |

![The Env Vars tab in PikaPods with the mail settings filled in for Gmail: SMTP, smtp.gmail.com, port 465, secure true, a Gmail address and an app password](https://www.ectobuilder.com/content/images/2026/10/pp-env-gmail.png)

The Env Vars tab with the Gmail settings. Leave the other fields empty.

Use your Gmail address in `mail__from`. Gmail sends everything from the account you sign in with, so another address there won't be used.

Leave `security__staffDeviceVerification` empty. It's the setting that turns off Ghost's new-device codes; you only need it if email ever stops working and you're locked out (see [Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting)).

### Option B: Mailgun

Mailgun is the email service Ghost is built to use. It costs more than Gmail but is the better choice for most sites that grow:

- **Newsletters work.** Ghost sends newsletters only through Mailgun, so with Mailgun one account covers everything.
- **Email comes from your own domain**, such as hello@yourname.com, not a Gmail address. That looks more professional and, with the DNS records below, reaches inboxes more reliably.
- **No personal account in the loop.** Your site doesn't depend on your Gmail password, app passwords or Google's daily limit.
- **You can see what happened.** Mailgun's logs show every email: delivered, bounced or marked as spam.

The free plan sends 100 emails a day, which covers sign-ins and confirmations on a small site. A newsletter to more than about 100 people needs a paid plan, from $15 a month for 10,000 emails.

#### B1: Create an account and add your domain

1. Sign up at [mailgun.com](https://www.mailgun.com/?ref=ectobuilder.com).
2. Go to **Send → Domains** and click **Add new domain**.

![The Mailgun Domains page with the Add new domain button and the US/EU region switch](https://www.ectobuilder.com/content/images/2026/10/mailgun-domains.png)

1: Add new domain. 2: The region switch. Mailgun lists EU and US domains separately.

1. Enter a **subdomain** of your site, such as `mg.yourname.com`. Using a subdomain keeps Mailgun's settings apart from your normal email.
2. Choose the **domain region**, EU or US, and remember it; Ghost needs to know which one. Leave the other options as they are and click **Add Domain**.

![The Mailgun Add new domain form with mg.yourdomain.com as the domain name and EU selected as the region](https://www.ectobuilder.com/content/images/2026/10/mailgun-add-domain.png)

1: The sending domain. 2: The region.

#### B2: Add Mailgun's DNS records

Mailgun then lists the DNS records for your sending domain, usually:

| Type     | Name (host)                       | What it does                                       |
| -------- | --------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------- |
| TXT      | mg                                | SPF: allows Mailgun to send for your domain        |
| TXT      | Something like krs.\_domainkey.mg | DKIM: signs your emails so inboxes trust them      |
| MX (two) | mg                                | Receives bounces and replies to the sending domain |
| CNAME    | email.mg                          | Click and open tracking                            |

Copy each value exactly as Mailgun shows it into your domain registrar's DNS settings, then click **Verify** in Mailgun. It can take from a few minutes to a few hours. You can find the records again under **Send → Domain Settings → DNS Records**.

The two TXT records are the important ones: they prove Mailgun may send email for your domain, which keeps your emails out of spam folders.

#### B3: Connect Mailgun to Ghost for newsletters

1. In Mailgun, open the menu under your name at the top right, go to **API Security**, click **Create key**, give it a description such as `Ghost`, and copy the key. Mailgun shows it only once.

![The Mailgun API keys page with the Create key button](https://www.ectobuilder.com/content/images/2026/10/mailgun-api-keys.png)

Mailgun API keys. Click Create key and copy the new key.

1. In Ghost Admin, go to **Settings → Mailgun** and click **Edit**.
2. Choose the same **region**, enter your sending domain (`mg.yourname.com`) and paste the API key. Click **Save**.

![Ghost Admin Mailgun settings with Mailgun region set to EU, Mailgun domain mg.yourdomain.com and the private API key field](https://www.ectobuilder.com/content/images/2026/10/ghost-mailgun-settings.png)

Ghost Admin → Settings → Mailgun. 1: Region and sending domain. 2: The API key.

Ghost can now send newsletters. Test it on any post: open the post, click **Preview**, switch to **Email** and click **Send test email**.

#### B4: Use Mailgun for Ghost's other emails too

The API key covers newsletters only. For sign-in links and other transactional emails, give the pod Mailgun's SMTP login:

1. In Mailgun, go to **Send → Domain Settings**, pick your sending domain at the top, and open **SMTP Credentials**.
2. Click **Add new SMTP user**, create a login such as `postmaster@mg.yourname.com`, and copy the password. Mailgun shows it only once; **Reset Password** makes a new one.

![Mailgun Domain settings, SMTP Credentials tab, with the Add new SMTP user button, a postmaster login and the SMTP server address](https://www.ectobuilder.com/content/images/2026/10/mailgun-smtp.png)

1: SMTP Credentials. 2: Add new SMTP user. 3: The SMTP server for your region.

1. In PikaPods, fill in the pod's **Env Vars** as below (in the Add Pod dialog, or later through the gear icon).

| Setting                         | Value                                             |
| ------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------- |
| mail\_\_transport               | SMTP                                              |
| mail\_\_from                    | Your Name <hello@mg.yourname.com>                 |
| mail\_\_options\_\_service      | Mailgun                                           |
| mail\_\_options\_\_host         | smtp.eu.mailgun.org (EU) or smtp.mailgun.org (US) |
| mail\_\_options\_\_port         | 465                                               |
| mail\_\_options\_\_secure       | true                                              |
| mail\_\_options\_\_auth\_\_user | Your SMTP login, e.g. postmaster@mg.yourname.com  |
| mail\_\_options\_\_auth\_\_pass | The SMTP password from Mailgun                    |

Use an address on your sending domain in `mail__from`. Replies go wherever you set the reply-to address in Ghost's newsletter settings.

Already using Gmail? Replace the Gmail values with these, click Apply, and you can delete the Gmail app password afterwards.

### Already created the pod?

You can add or change the mail settings at any time. On the pod's card, click the gear icon, open **Env Vars**, fill in the fields and click **Apply**. The pod restarts with the new settings, which takes about a minute.

[![CTA Image](https://www.ectobuilder.com/content/images/size/w256h256/2026/06/Ecto_builder_logo_sq_small.png)](https://editor.ectobuilder.com/login?mode=signup&plan=free&ref=ectobuilder.com) 

****Got Ghost running?** The next step is a design you like. Ectobuilder lets you build a Ghost theme by clicking, then publishes it straight to your site.

[Try it free ](https://editor.ectobuilder.com/login?mode=signup&plan=free&ref=ectobuilder.com) 

## Step 4: Start Ghost and create your account

1. Click **Add Pod**. After a minute or two the pod's card shows **Running**.
2. Click **Open Pod**. Your site opens on a free address ending in `.pikapod.net`.
3. Add `/ghost` to the end of the address, for example `your-pod.pikapod.net/ghost`, and create your Ghost Admin account: site title, your name, email and a password.

![A running Ghost pod card in PikaPods showing resources, feature status, the Open Pod button and the settings gear](https://www.ectobuilder.com/content/images/2026/10/pp-pod-card.png)

A running Ghost pod. 1: Open Pod. 2: The gear opens the pod's settings: env vars, resources, domain and backups.

Bookmark the `/ghost` address. It's where you'll write and manage your site.

### Check that email works

Open your site in a private browser window, click **Subscribe** and sign up with a different email address from the one you use for Ghost. The sign-up email should arrive within a minute. If it doesn't, see [Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting).

## Step 5: Connect your domain

Your site works on the `.pikapod.net` address straight away. To use your own domain:

1. On the pod's card, click the gear icon and open **Domain**.
2. Turn on **Enable Custom Domain** and type your address, for example `www.yourname.com`. PikaPods shows the DNS record to add.
3. At your domain registrar, add that **CNAME** record: name `www`, pointing to the `.pikapod.net` address PikaPods shows.
4. Wait until the record is live (usually a few minutes, sometimes a few hours), then click **Apply** in PikaPods.

![The Domain tab in PikaPods pod settings with Enable Custom Domain switched on, the custom domain field and the CNAME record to add](https://www.ectobuilder.com/content/images/2026/10/pp-domain.png)

1: Turn on the custom domain and enter it. 2: The CNAME record to add at your registrar.

Your browser may show a security warning for a few minutes while PikaPods issues the HTTPS certificate. That's normal.

**The bare domain** (`yourname.com` without www) can't use a CNAME at most registrars. Either use an ALIAS or ANAME record if your registrar offers one, or set up a redirect from `yourname.com` to `www.yourname.com` in your registrar's settings.

## Step 6: Give your site a design of its own

Ghost starts with its default theme, Source. Every Ghost site that hasn't changed it looks the same, and Source is a blog layout: no services page, no portfolio, no contact form. Unlike Ghost(Pro)'s Starter plan, PikaPods lets you use any theme, so this is where your site becomes yours.

The quickest way is to start from a finished theme in the [Ectobuilder theme gallery](https://www.ectobuilder.com/themes/). Each one is a complete Ghost theme with all its pages designed: portfolios for writers and photographers, sites for local businesses, newsletters and more. Building and previewing is free.

![Three themes from the Ectobuilder theme gallery: Writer Portfolio, Wedding Photographer and Florist, each with Preview and Use this theme buttons](https://www.ectobuilder.com/content/images/2026/10/eb-gallery-cards-v2.png)

The Ectobuilder theme gallery. Preview any theme full screen, then click Use this theme.

1. Open the [theme gallery](https://www.ectobuilder.com/themes/), preview a few themes and click **Use this theme** on the one closest to what you want.
2. Make it yours on the canvas: double-click any text to change it, click images to replace them, and add, move or remove sections. Change fonts and colours for the whole site under **Style**. You can also describe a change and let AI make it.

![The Ectobuilder editor with the Writer Portfolio theme on the canvas, a list of sections on the left, and the Deploy button at the top right](https://www.ectobuilder.com/content/images/2026/10/eb-editor-deploy.png)

Editing a theme in Ectobuilder. When it's ready, Deploy sends it to your Ghost site.

1. Connect your PikaPods site: open **Settings → Integrations → Ghost Admin API** and click **Connect**.

![Ectobuilder Settings, Integrations tab, with the Ghost Admin API section open and the Connect button](https://www.ectobuilder.com/content/images/2026/10/eb-connect-ghost.png)

Settings → Integrations → Ghost Admin API → Connect.

1. Click **Deploy**. The theme goes live on your Ghost site straight away.

Already have a theme as a .zip file? Upload it in Ghost Admin under **Settings → Theme → Change theme → Upload theme** instead.

## Step 7: Keep a backup

PikaPods keeps your pod running and updated, but backups are up to you. Two things to do:

- Turn on **Backups** in the pod's settings (the gear icon). The price shows there before you confirm.
- Every now and then, export your content from Ghost Admin under **Settings → Import/Export → Export**. The file has all your posts, pages, tags and settings, and you can import it into any Ghost site.

## Newsletters

Gmail covers sign-ins and confirmations only. To send posts to subscribers as a newsletter, set up Mailgun as in Option B of step 3\. Without it, your site still works fully: people can subscribe, sign in and read members-only posts; only newsletter sending is off.

If your newsletter grows to thousands of subscribers, compare Mailgun's price with a managed Ghost host that includes email, in [Cheap Ghost hosting: 7 alternatives to Ghost(Pro)](https://www.ectobuilder.com/blog/cheap-ghost-hosting/).

## Troubleshooting

**No emails arrive.** Check your spam folder first. Then open the pod's settings and check every mail field for typos; the most common mistakes are a space in the app password or a missing `true` in `mail__options__secure`. Click **View Logs** on the pod's card and look for lines mentioning mail.

**The log says "Invalid login" or "Username and Password not accepted".** The password is wrong. For Gmail, the app password was mistyped or deleted; create a new one. For Mailgun, click **Reset Password** next to your SMTP login. Paste the new one into `mail__options__auth__pass`.

**Mailgun newsletters fail with a "Forbidden" or "Unauthorized" error.** The region in Ghost doesn't match your Mailgun domain, or the API key is wrong. Check both under Settings → Mailgun.

**Mailgun emails land in spam.** Check that Mailgun shows your domain as verified, with the SPF and DKIM records green.

**Ghost asks for a code and none arrives, so you can't sign in.** In the pod's Env Vars, set `security__staffDeviceVerification` to `false` and click Apply. Sign in, fix your mail settings, then clear the field again so the protection is back on.

**Some emails don't send on busy days.** Gmail limits how many emails a personal account sends per day (about 500). That's plenty for sign-ins and confirmations on a small site; if you get close to it, switch to Mailgun.

[![CTA Image](https://www.ectobuilder.com/content/images/size/w256h256/2026/06/Ecto_builder_logo_sq_small.png)](https://editor.ectobuilder.com/login?mode=signup&plan=free&ref=ectobuilder.com) 

****Build your Ghost theme without code.** Pick a theme from the Ectobuilder gallery or start from scratch, change it by clicking, and publish it to your Ghost site. Start free and only pay if you’re happy with it.

[Start free ](https://editor.ectobuilder.com/login?mode=signup&plan=free&ref=ectobuilder.com) 

## Frequently asked questions

#### Is PikaPods a good host for Ghost?

For blogs, portfolios and small business sites, yes: it's cheap, updates Ghost for you and supports custom domains and themes. It has no uptime guarantee, so for a business-critical publication a managed Ghost host is the safer choice.

#### Can I use a custom theme on PikaPods?

Yes, any Ghost theme. Upload a .zip in Ghost Admin, or build one in Ectobuilder and deploy it in one click.

#### Can I use Gmail to send Ghost newsletters?

No. Ghost sends newsletters only through Mailgun. Gmail works for every other email Ghost sends.

#### Gmail or Mailgun: which should I use?

Gmail if you want free email for sign-ins and don't send a newsletter. Mailgun if you send a newsletter, want email from your own domain, or expect more than a few hundred emails a day.

#### Can I use Google Workspace instead of Gmail?

Yes, with the same settings, if your Workspace admin allows app passwords. Your emails then come from your own domain.

#### Is the app password safe in PikaPods?

Treat it like a password: it gives access to your Gmail through email apps, so keep it private. Only you can see your pod's settings, and you can delete the app password in your Google account at any time. Use a separate one for each app so you can remove one without affecting the others. If that worries you, use Mailgun instead.

#### Can I move my site off PikaPods later?

Yes. Export your content from Ghost Admin, copy your images, and import them on any other Ghost host.

---

*PikaPods, Mailgun, Gmail and Google are trademarks of their owners. Ectobuilder is not affiliated with them. Prices were checked in October 2026 and may change.*