Currently, most ad networks require an ads.txt file on the website.
The process right now is adding ads.txt to the theme folder and reuploading it within the dashboard.
The problem is that the starter plan doesn’t allow “custom themes”, even if the only change you made to a default theme was adding ads.txt
If Ghost wants to see users stay on their managed hosting service, or even upgrade the tier of their plan, they should allow users to make money from ads. It’s hard to have a sustainable website if it isn’t making money.
I don’t even think ads.txt should be related to a custom theme, normally it would just go in a root folder that has nothing to do with themes.
Maybe adding an ads.txt feature within the dashboard area under “Labs” would be a good idea. Where users can edit the text of ads.txt, or upload an ads.txt file.