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Migration Flow
A practical migration plan from Ghost to Bento
This guide follows a simple sequence: export cleanly, map data correctly, then validate before cutover. No generic product pitch, just the steps your team needs.
Stage 1
Export checklist
- 1Log in to Ghost Admin
Go to your Ghost site and sign in at /ghost with an owner or staff account.
- 2Export your members
In the Ghost admin, click Members in the sidebar. Use the action menu to export your members as a CSV file that includes free and paid members, labels, and subscription status.
- 3Export your content (optional)
From Settings, open the Labs or Import/Export area and download a full content export of your posts and pages. This is useful for backup, but you will keep publishing from Ghost or your CMS.
- 4Prepare your CSV for Bento
Open the CSV and clean up columns. Map Ghost labels to tags, keep subscription status, and add any extra columns you want as custom fields in Bento.
- 5Export unsubscribed and bounced members
Filter your CSV for unsubscribed or bounced members and save them to a separate file. These will be imported into Bento as a suppression list.
Stage 2
Data portability map
Know in advance what imports directly and what may require a rebuild.
Stage 3
Validate and cut over
Treat cutover like launch QA. Validate your highest-risk paths first, then move sending traffic.
Switching from Ghost can be done in one focused session
We help you map lists, rebuild key automations, and validate deliverability before cutover so your first week on Bento is smooth.
BentoOperator Notes
Ghost to Bento language map
Keep this open while rebuilding flows. It maps terminology and highlights what to do first during migration QA.
- MemberPerson
An individual subscriber in your audience.
- LabelTag
A short piece of metadata used to group members in Ghost.
- SegmentSegment
A saved filter based on member attributes and activity.
- NewsletterBroadcast or Automation
Email sends to a group of people, either one-off or automated.
- Paid TierTag + Field
Use tags and custom fields in Bento to represent membership levels.
- PortalSignup Form or Page
The entry point where people subscribe; in Bento this is usually a form or custom page.
Tips
- You can keep Ghost as your CMS and move only email and automation to Bento.
- Use Ghost labels from the CSV as tags in Bento so your segments feel familiar.
- Create tags for paid tiers or VIP members so you can send them different sequences.
- Start by moving a test segment first to validate tracking and deliverability.
- Plan replacement automations for things like welcome emails and upgrade reminders instead of relying on post notifications only.
Watchouts
- Ghost site content and themes do not migrate into Bento, you will keep them in your CMS.
- Automated post-by-email sending will not carry over, you will recreate these as broadcasts or automations.
- If you use Ghost for paid memberships, you still need Stripe or another billing system alongside Bento.
Keep Exploring
Other migration playbooks
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