Alternatives to Substack
Paid newsletters with a built-in network
Substack ranks #7 of 9 in Newsletter platforms, with an Alt Score of 70. It is proprietary, free and available on Web, iOS and Android. 11 of 12 checklist rows are verified against a public source.
Independent writers, journalists, and creators who want to publish a newsletter or podcast and earn income directly from readers, plus readers who want to subscribe to and follow independent writers.
A publishing tool for sending newsletters (and hosting podcasts or video) that combines a website, email delivery, and payment processing in one place. Built-in paid subscriptions let writers charge readers directly, with Substack taking a percentage of subscription revenue rather than an upfront fee. A reader app and 'Notes' feed support discovery and discussion, and a recommendations network lets writers cross-promote each other's publications.
Writers create a publication, write posts, and choose to offer them free or paid; posts go out by email and also live on a hosted web page. Readers subscribe (free or paid) to receive posts and can read, comment, and discover other publications through the app's feed and recommendations.
Where Substack stands out
Verified capabilities most alternatives don't have.
Why people leave Substack
Dashed reasons are sourced facts; the rest are opinions. Vendors can dispute.
Sign in to add a reason — new reasons go through moderation before appearing.
Ranked alternatives
Ordered by Alt Score. Click any score to see the breakdown.
Feature comparison
Rows come from the Newsletter platforms checklist (16 rows). Human-verified cells only. ? means the value has not been verified.
| Newsletter platforms checklist | Substack | beehiiv | Kit | Ghost | Buttondown | MailerLite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | ||||||
| Starts at | ||||||
| License | ||||||
| Platforms | ||||||
| Subscriber limit (free) | ||||||
| Automations & sequences | ||||||
| Segmentation | ||||||
| Paid subscriptions | ||||||
| Custom domain | ||||||
| Referral program | ||||||
| Landing pages | ||||||
| API access | ||||||
| Self-hostable | ||||||
| Deliverability tooling (DKIM, dedicated IP) | ||||||
| Import from competitors | ||||||
| Web archive of issues |
Every fact and feature listed for Substack is verified against its own pages. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.
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Platforms Web, iOS, Android verified 2026-07-11
Available on iOS and Android
https://substack.com/app -
License Proprietary verified 2026-07-11
You understand that we own Substack. These Terms don't grant you any right, title or interest in Substack, or our trademarks, logos, and other intellectual property.
https://substack.com/tos -
Pricing model Free verified 2026-07-11
Publishing is free on Substack if your content is free, no matter how many subscribers you have.
https://faq.substack.com/p/how-do-paid-subscriptions-on-substack -
Status active verified 2026-07-11
New on Substack: Subscriber Perks, saved Notes, scheduled Chats, MCP, redesigned podcast player, and more
https://on.substack.com/p/new-on-substack-subscriber-perks -
Subscriber limit (free) Yes verified 2026-07-11
Publishing is free on Substack if your content is free, no matter how many subscribers you have.
https://faq.substack.com/p/how-do-paid-subscriptions-on-substack -
Automations & sequences Partial verified 2026-07-11
To edit the welcome email, head to your dashboard Settings and look for 'welcome email' under Basics.
https://on.substack.com/p/writing-a-good-welcome-email-on-substack -
Segmentation Partial verified 2026-07-11
you can use filters to produce a list of only your paid subscribers, subscribers who are active commenters, or subscribers who have opened your emails more than 10 times over the last 30 days.
https://on.substack.com/p/subscriber-dashboard-guide -
Paid subscriptions Yes verified 2026-07-11
Substack's platform fee is 10%.
https://faq.substack.com/p/how-do-paid-subscriptions-on-substack -
Custom domain Yes verified 2026-07-11
To use custom domains, you'll be charged a one-time $50 fee per publication.
https://on.substack.com/p/new-add-a-custom-domain-to-your-substack -
Referral program Yes verified 2026-07-11
The subscriber referrals feature is a simple way for you to grow your audience on autopilot. This tool allows publications with free or paid subscription options to reward subscribers for spreading th
https://on.substack.com/p/subscriber-referrals -
Landing pages Yes verified 2026-07-11
Your publication homepage will display a feed of all posts, including those published to specific sections.
https://on.substack.com/p/a-guide-to-publication-sections -
API access No verified 2026-07-11
Replicate, substitute for, or materially compete with core features of the Substack platform
https://substack.com/api-tos -
Self-hostable No verified 2026-07-11
Manage everything under one roof — podcast episodes, community, email list, and subscription payments. No more dealing with multiple platforms and messy integrations.
https://faq.substack.com/p/how-to-move-your-podcast-to-substack -
Import from competitors Yes verified 2026-07-11
Import your mailing list.
https://faq.substack.com/p/how-to-start-a-substack-in-three -
Web archive of issues Yes verified 2026-07-11
Your publication homepage will display a feed of all posts, including those published to specific sections.
https://on.substack.com/p/a-guide-to-publication-sections
FAQ
Yes. beehiiv, Kit and Buttondown have a free tier or are fully free. Free-tier limits in the comparison table are verified and dated.
Ghost — every license claim links its source.