diff --git a/docs/config/index.md b/docs/config/index.md
index 8f41fafcd5da..8324ff61e4f2 100644
--- a/docs/config/index.md
+++ b/docs/config/index.md
@@ -227,6 +227,7 @@ Custom reporters for output. Reporters can be [a Reporter instance](https://gith
   - `'dot'` -  show each task as a single dot
   - `'junit'` - JUnit XML reporter
   - `'json'` -  give a simple JSON summary
+  - path of a custom reporter (e.g. `'./path/to/reporter.ts'`, `'@scope/reporter'`)
 
 ### outputFile
 
diff --git a/docs/guide/cli.md b/docs/guide/cli.md
index 0efda56474bf..72a80992e026 100644
--- a/docs/guide/cli.md
+++ b/docs/guide/cli.md
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
 | `--threads` | Enable Threads (default: `true`) |
 | `--silent` | Silent console output from tests |
 | `--isolate` | Isolate environment for each test file (default: `true`) |
-| `--reporter <name>` | Select reporter: `default`, `verbose`, `dot`, `junit` or `json` |
+| `--reporter <name>` | Select reporter: `default`, `verbose`, `dot`, `junit`, `json`, or a path to a custom reporter |
 | `--outputFile <filename/-s>` | Write test results to a file when the `--reporter=json` or `--reporter=junit` option is also specified <br /> Via [cac's dot notation] you can specify individual outputs for multiple reporters |
 | `--coverage` | Use c8 for coverage |
 | `--run` | Do not watch |
diff --git a/packages/vitest/src/node/core.ts b/packages/vitest/src/node/core.ts
index 0e06e00d2973..4cdaf0227411 100644
--- a/packages/vitest/src/node/core.ts
+++ b/packages/vitest/src/node/core.ts
@@ -5,14 +5,15 @@ import { relative, toNamespacedPath } from 'pathe'
 import fg from 'fast-glob'
 import mm from 'micromatch'
 import c from 'picocolors'
+import { ViteNodeRunner } from 'vite-node/client'
 import { ViteNodeServer } from 'vite-node/server'
 import type { ArgumentsType, Reporter, ResolvedConfig, UserConfig } from '../types'
 import { SnapshotManager } from '../integrations/snapshot/manager'
 import { clearTimeout, deepMerge, hasFailed, noop, setTimeout, slash, toArray } from '../utils'
 import { cleanCoverage, reportCoverage } from '../integrations/coverage'
-import { ReportersMap } from './reporters'
 import { createPool } from './pool'
 import type { WorkerPool } from './pool'
+import { createReporters } from './reporters/utils'
 import { StateManager } from './state'
 import { resolveConfig } from './config'
 import { printError } from './error'
@@ -44,6 +45,7 @@ export class Vitest {
 
   isFirstRun = true
   restartsCount = 0
+  runner: ViteNodeRunner = undefined!
 
   private _onRestartListeners: Array<() => void> = []
 
@@ -64,21 +66,24 @@ export class Vitest {
     this.config = resolved
     this.state = new StateManager()
     this.snapshot = new SnapshotManager({ ...resolved.snapshotOptions })
-    this.reporters = resolved.reporters
-      .map((i) => {
-        if (typeof i === 'string') {
-          const Reporter = ReportersMap[i]
-          if (!Reporter)
-            throw new Error(`Unknown reporter: ${i}`)
-          return new Reporter()
-        }
-        return i
-      })
 
     if (this.config.watch)
       this.registerWatcher()
 
     this.vitenode = new ViteNodeServer(server, this.config)
+    const node = this.vitenode
+    this.runner = new ViteNodeRunner({
+      root: server.config.root,
+      base: server.config.base,
+      fetchModule(id: string) {
+        return node.fetchModule(id)
+      },
+      resolveId(id: string, importer: string|undefined) {
+        return node.resolveId(id, importer)
+      },
+    })
+
+    this.reporters = await createReporters(resolved.reporters, this.runner.executeFile.bind(this.runner))
 
     this.runningPromise = undefined
 
diff --git a/packages/vitest/src/node/plugins/globalSetup.ts b/packages/vitest/src/node/plugins/globalSetup.ts
index 8143b008b0c6..5a5e55c301aa 100644
--- a/packages/vitest/src/node/plugins/globalSetup.ts
+++ b/packages/vitest/src/node/plugins/globalSetup.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import type { Plugin } from 'vite'
-import { ViteNodeRunner } from 'vite-node/client'
+import type { ViteNodeRunner } from 'vite-node/client'
 import c from 'picocolors'
 import type { Vitest } from '../core'
 import { toArray } from '../../utils'
@@ -12,18 +12,8 @@ interface GlobalSetupFile {
 }
 
 async function loadGlobalSetupFiles(ctx: Vitest): Promise<GlobalSetupFile[]> {
-  const node = ctx.vitenode
   const server = ctx.server
-  const runner = new ViteNodeRunner({
-    root: server.config.root,
-    base: server.config.base,
-    fetchModule(id) {
-      return node.fetchModule(id)
-    },
-    resolveId(id, importer) {
-      return node.resolveId(id, importer)
-    },
-  })
+  const runner = ctx.runner
   const globalSetupFiles = toArray(server.config.test?.globalSetup)
   return Promise.all(globalSetupFiles.map(file => loadGlobalSetupFile(file, runner)))
 }
diff --git a/packages/vitest/src/node/reporters/utils.ts b/packages/vitest/src/node/reporters/utils.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..72d42452a790
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/vitest/src/node/reporters/utils.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+import type { Reporter } from '../../types'
+import { ReportersMap } from './index'
+import type { BuiltinReporters } from './index'
+
+async function loadCustomReporterModule<C extends Reporter>(path: string, fetchModule: (id: string) => Promise<any>): Promise<new () => C> {
+  let customReporterModule: { default: new () => C }
+  try {
+    customReporterModule = await fetchModule(path)
+  }
+  catch (customReporterModuleError) {
+    throw new Error(`Failed to load custom Reporter from ${path}`, { cause: customReporterModuleError as Error })
+  }
+
+  if (customReporterModule.default === null || customReporterModule.default === undefined)
+    throw new Error(`Custom reporter loaded from ${path} was not the default export`)
+
+  return customReporterModule.default
+}
+
+function createReporters(reporterReferences: Array<string|Reporter|BuiltinReporters>, fetchModule: (id: string) => Promise<any>) {
+  const promisedReporters = reporterReferences.map(async (referenceOrInstance) => {
+    if (typeof referenceOrInstance === 'string') {
+      if (referenceOrInstance in ReportersMap) {
+        const BuiltinReporter = ReportersMap[referenceOrInstance as BuiltinReporters]
+        return new BuiltinReporter()
+      }
+      else {
+        const CustomReporter = await loadCustomReporterModule(referenceOrInstance, fetchModule)
+        return new CustomReporter()
+      }
+    }
+    return referenceOrInstance
+  })
+  return Promise.all(promisedReporters)
+}
+
+export { createReporters }
diff --git a/packages/vitest/src/types/config.ts b/packages/vitest/src/types/config.ts
index 29ae1c587bfc..3b51cef4df4e 100644
--- a/packages/vitest/src/types/config.ts
+++ b/packages/vitest/src/types/config.ts
@@ -128,9 +128,10 @@ export interface InlineConfig {
   root?: string
 
   /**
-   * Custom reporter for output
+   * Custom reporter for output. Can contain one or more built-in report names, reporter instances,
+   * and/or paths to custom reporters
    */
-  reporters?: Arrayable<BuiltinReporters | Reporter>
+  reporters?: Arrayable<BuiltinReporters | Reporter | string>
 
   /**
    * diff output length
diff --git a/test/reporters/custom-reporter-path.vitest.config.ts b/test/reporters/custom-reporter-path.vitest.config.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..7e33b2151d86
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/reporters/custom-reporter-path.vitest.config.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+import { resolve } from 'pathe'
+import { defineConfig } from 'vitest/config'
+
+const customReporter = resolve(__dirname, './src/custom-reporter.ts')
+
+export default defineConfig({
+  test: {
+    include: ['tests/reporters.spec.ts'],
+    reporters: [customReporter],
+  },
+})
diff --git a/test/reporters/custom-reporter.vitest.config.ts b/test/reporters/custom-reporter.vitest.config.ts
index 8a9dc7cae073..95a52dd972c8 100644
--- a/test/reporters/custom-reporter.vitest.config.ts
+++ b/test/reporters/custom-reporter.vitest.config.ts
@@ -1,17 +1,5 @@
-import type { Reporter, Vitest } from 'vitest'
 import { defineConfig } from 'vitest/config'
-
-class TestReporter implements Reporter {
-  ctx!: Vitest
-
-  onInit(ctx: Vitest) {
-    this.ctx = ctx
-  }
-
-  onFinished() {
-    this.ctx.log('hello from custom reporter')
-  }
-}
+import TestReporter from './src/custom-reporter'
 
 export default defineConfig({
   test: {
diff --git a/test/reporters/src/custom-reporter.js b/test/reporters/src/custom-reporter.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..6b86abbf4440
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/reporters/src/custom-reporter.js
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+export default class TestReporter {
+  onInit(ctx) {
+    this.ctx = ctx
+  }
+
+  onFinished() {
+    this.ctx.log('hello from custom reporter')
+  }
+}
diff --git a/test/reporters/src/custom-reporter.ts b/test/reporters/src/custom-reporter.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..3826005e5edf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/reporters/src/custom-reporter.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+import type { Reporter, Vitest } from 'vitest'
+
+export default class TestReporter implements Reporter {
+  ctx!: Vitest
+
+  onInit(ctx: Vitest) {
+    this.ctx = ctx
+  }
+
+  onFinished() {
+    this.ctx.log('hello from custom reporter')
+  }
+}
diff --git a/test/reporters/tests/custom-reporter.spec.ts b/test/reporters/tests/custom-reporter.spec.ts
index 3edc892d87d3..2ab642fc58a7 100644
--- a/test/reporters/tests/custom-reporter.spec.ts
+++ b/test/reporters/tests/custom-reporter.spec.ts
@@ -1,15 +1,14 @@
 import { execa } from 'execa'
 import { resolve } from 'pathe'
-import { expect, test } from 'vitest'
+import { describe, expect, test } from 'vitest'
 
-test('custom reporters work', async () => {
-  // in Windows child_process is very unstable, we skip testing it
-  if (process.platform === 'win32' && process.env.CI)
-    return
+const customTsReporterPath = resolve(__dirname, '../src/custom-reporter.ts')
+const customJSReporterPath = resolve(__dirname, '../src/custom-reporter.js')
 
+async function run(...runOptions: string[]): Promise<string> {
   const root = resolve(__dirname, '..')
 
-  const { stdout } = await execa('npx', ['vitest', 'run', '--config', 'custom-reporter.vitest.config.ts'], {
+  const { stdout } = await execa('npx', ['vitest', 'run', ...runOptions], {
     cwd: root,
     env: {
       ...process.env,
@@ -19,5 +18,32 @@ test('custom reporters work', async () => {
     windowsHide: false,
   })
 
-  expect(stdout).toContain('hello from custom reporter')
-}, 40000)
+  return stdout
+}
+
+describe('Custom reporters', () => {
+  // On Windows child_process is very unstable, we skip testing it
+  if (process.platform === 'win32' && process.env.CI)
+    return test.skip('skip on windows')
+
+  test('custom reporter instances defined in configuration works', async () => {
+    const stdout = await run('--config', 'custom-reporter.vitest.config.ts')
+    expect(stdout).includes('hello from custom reporter')
+  }, 40000)
+
+  test('a path to a custom reporter defined in configuration works', async () => {
+    const stdout = await run('--config', 'custom-reporter-path.vitest.config.ts', '--reporter', customJSReporterPath)
+    expect(stdout).includes('hello from custom reporter')
+  }, 40000)
+
+  test('custom TS reporters using ESM given as a CLI argument works', async () => {
+    const stdout = await run('--config', 'without-custom-reporter.vitest.config.ts', '--reporter', customTsReporterPath)
+    expect(stdout).includes('hello from custom reporter')
+  }, 40000)
+
+  test('custom JS reporters using CJS given as a CLI argument works', async () => {
+    const stdout = await run('--config', 'without-custom-reporter.vitest.config.ts', '--reporter', customJSReporterPath)
+    expect(stdout).includes('hello from custom reporter')
+  }, 40000)
+})
+
diff --git a/test/reporters/tests/utils.test.ts b/test/reporters/tests/utils.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..2c9a25031df0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/reporters/tests/utils.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+/**
+ * @format
+ */
+import { resolve } from 'pathe'
+import { describe, expect, test } from 'vitest'
+import { createReporters } from 'vitest/src/node/reporters/utils'
+import { DefaultReporter } from '../../../../vitest/packages/vitest/src/node/reporters/default'
+import TestReporter from '../src/custom-reporter'
+
+const customReporterPath = resolve(__dirname, '../src/custom-reporter.js')
+const fetchModule = (id: string) => import(id)
+
+describe('Reporter Utils', () => {
+  test('passing an empty array returns nothing', async () => {
+    const promisedReporters = await createReporters([], fetchModule)
+    expect(promisedReporters).toHaveLength(0)
+  })
+
+  test('passing the name of a single built-in reporter returns a new instance', async () => {
+    const promisedReporters = await createReporters(['default'], fetchModule)
+    expect(promisedReporters).toHaveLength(1)
+    const reporter = promisedReporters[0]
+    expect(reporter).toBeInstanceOf(DefaultReporter)
+  })
+
+  test('passing in the path to a custom reporter returns a new instance', async () => {
+    const promisedReporters = await createReporters(([customReporterPath]), fetchModule)
+    expect(promisedReporters).toHaveLength(1)
+    const customReporter = promisedReporters[0]
+    expect(customReporter).toBeInstanceOf(TestReporter)
+  })
+
+  test('passing in a mix of built-in and custom reporters works', async () => {
+    const promisedReporters = await createReporters(['default', customReporterPath], fetchModule)
+    expect(promisedReporters).toHaveLength(2)
+    const defaultReporter = promisedReporters[0]
+    expect(defaultReporter).toBeInstanceOf(DefaultReporter)
+    const customReporter = promisedReporters[1]
+    expect(customReporter).toBeInstanceOf(TestReporter)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/test/reporters/without-custom-reporter.vitest.config.ts b/test/reporters/without-custom-reporter.vitest.config.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..16794b138609
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/reporters/without-custom-reporter.vitest.config.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+import { defineConfig } from 'vitest/config'
+
+export default defineConfig({
+  test: {
+    include: ['tests/reporters.spec.ts'],
+  },
+})