Last updated on
Company health
Ratings
Substack description
Substack is a platform where writers, journalists, and other creators can publish newsletters, podcasts, and videos, and build a direct relationship with their audience. It offers a simple way to create and manage paid subscriptions, giving creators more ownership and control over their content and revenue. Substack handles the technical aspects, like hosting, payments, and delivery, so creators can focus on what they do best: creating. It also helps creators grow their audience through discovery features and network effects.
Who is Substack best for
Substack empowers writers and creators to build direct relationships with their audience and monetize their content through subscriptions. It supports various formats, including newsletters, podcasts, and videos. Substack handles the technical aspects, allowing creators to focus on what they do best: creating.
-
Best for medium-sized businesses (101-1000 employees).
-
Ideal for media, entertainment, and marketing/advertising companies.
Substack features
| Supported Substack supports publishing written content, podcasts, and videos, giving creators flexibility in their content formats. |
| Supported Substack allows creators to monetize their content by offering paid subscriptions. |
| Supported Substack offers features to help creators grow their audience through discovery features and network effects. |
| Supported Substack provides various resources and tips on monetization strategies, including paid subscriptions. |
| Supported Substack offers tools to manage subscribers, allowing creators to engage with their audience. |
Substack pricing
The commentary is based on 3 reviews from Substack G2 reviews.
Substack offers a free plan for basic newsletter creation and distribution. It also provides paid subscription options for monetizing content, allowing creators to earn revenue from their work. Some users mention the free features being a key benefit.
See the Substack pricing page.
Substack alternatives
substack vs ShieldBetter fit for financial institutions seeking to ensure communications compliance. A strong Substack competitor for regulated industries.Read more
SemrushBetter for enterprise SEO and competitor analysis. Caters to a wider range of industries like e-commerce, media, and software. Has more momentum in website traffic growth.Read more
PatreonBetter for visual artists, musicians, and podcasters. Has grown faster than Substack. More community features for direct fan interaction. Lower ratings on Glassdoor. Users report issues with canceling subscriptions and customer support. A Substack competitor and Patreon alternative.Read more
SimplifiedBetter for social media management, AI content creation, and general marketing tasks. A suitable Substack alternative for education, media, technology, government, energy, marketing, and professional services.Read more
ButtondownBetter for users who prioritize simplicity and ease of use for newsletters. Excellent customer support. More affordable pricing, especially for smaller lists. Offers a good fit for media and entertainment. A Substack alternative or competitor focused on clean design and efficient email marketing.Read more
beehiivBetter for lead nurturing and email automation. Offers website building features and an affiliate program. Has a faster website traffic and employee growth momentum. Provides an AI Blog Writer. However, users report issues with customer service, platform reliability, and subscription cancellation. A Substack alternative and competitor.Read more
Substack FAQ
What is Substack and what does Substack do?
Substack is a platform empowering writers and creators to publish newsletters, podcasts, and videos. It facilitates paid subscriptions, manages the technical side, and offers audience growth tools. This lets creators focus on content creation and building direct relationships with their audience.
How does Substack integrate with other tools?
Substack integrates with other tools primarily through RSS feeds and embeddable web components. This allows for cross-posting content to other platforms and embedding publications on websites. There's limited direct integration with third-party services for enhanced functionality.
What the main competitors of Substack?
Substack's main competitors include Beehiiv, Buttondown, Patreon, and Simplified. These platforms offer similar services such as newsletter creation, content monetization, and audience growth tools. They cater to content creators seeking alternative ways to connect with their audience and generate revenue.
Is Substack legit?
Yes, Substack is a legitimate platform used by many writers and content creators. It's known for its ease of use, allowing creators to focus on their content while Substack handles the technical aspects like hosting and payments. It offers various features including paid subscriptions, audience growth tools, and flexible content formats.
How much does Substack cost?
Substack has a free plan available. For paid subscriptions, Substack takes 10% of subscription revenue, plus a 2.9% + $0.30 credit card processing fee. This pricing model makes Substack worth considering depending on your needs and monetization strategy.
Is Substack customer service good?
Based on the available reviews, Substack's customer support is easily accessible via email and considered helpful, particularly for those new to newsletter creation. However, the signup process could be simplified.
Reviewed by
Michal has worked at startups for many years and writes about topics relating to software selection and IT management. As a former consultant for Bain, a business advisory company, he also knows how to understand needs of any business and find solutions to its problems.
Tymon is a seasoned CTO who loves finding the perfect tools for any task. He recently headed up the tech department at Batmaid, a well-known Swiss company, where he managed about 60 software purchases, including CX, HR, Payroll, Marketing automation and various developer tools.