18 Best Alternatives To Substack And How To Choose One

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If you've been considering Substack for creating newsletters and online content, you’re not alone. But if you have concerns about whether it’s the right fit, whether it lacks the features you need or if you might prefer another platform. Substack is undoubtedly popular, but with so many newsletters out there, standing out can be a challenge. While it is a powerful option, plenty of alternatives to Substack offer unique advantages.

This article will guide you through some of those alternatives to help you find the perfect platform for your notion newsletter goals, so you can focus on what matters most: writing. Feather's sends emails from Notion is a valuable tool to help you achieve your objectives, like looking for alternatives to Substack for creating newsletters and online content.

What Is Substack?

Alternatives to Substack

Substack is mainly a newsletter tool, but they are trying to become a place to publish all kinds of content like:

Blog

Podcast

Chat with subscribers

Twitter "clone" called Notes

Since the platform was created in 2017, it has significantly impacted media by popularizing paid newsletters. Substack is one of the main reasons newsletters are becoming so popular again, as it makes monetizing content easy.

Empowering Writers With Substack's Tools

Substack's platform's primary focus is to empower writers and provide them with the tools they need to succeed. The platform offers various features catering to independent content creators' needs. From monetization opportunities to audience ownership, Substack allows writers to take charge of their creative journey and build a sustainable career.

Marketed as “a place for independent writing,” Substack allows writers to:

Start a paid newsletter/blog business

Build community

Make money from subscriptions

They claim that zero tech knowledge is required and aim to take care of everything except the hard part (the writing itself). They promise true independence where the writer keeps the copyright to all their content.

How it works is fairly simple, so it now boasts more than 35 million active subscriptions— three million of which are paid subscriptions. Writers can import existing content they wrote on other platforms such as:

Mailchimp

WordPress

Tinyletter

Medium

Tumblr

Some custom-built sites

Writers can also set up a new site from scratch in a few minutes. Once live, the creator chooses which posts are free and which are gated behind the Substack paywall.

Substack Best Features and Functionalities

Alternatives to Substack

Simple to Use

Substack has carved out a niche for itself by being a platform that’s incredibly accessible and straightforward to use, especially for those who may not be tech-savvy. Whether you're a seasoned writer or just getting started, you won’t need advanced technical knowledge to publish your content. This user-friendly approach is a huge draw for bloggers and writers who want to focus on their craft without getting bogged down by complicated software.

All About the Written Word

What sets Substack apart is its laser focus on serving writers. The platform offers exactly what you need to create and share your written content—no more, no less. This simplicity is refreshing, especially in a world where many platforms try to be everything to everyone. Substack’s audience knows they’re there for the writing, so you’re not competing with creators from vastly different fields like music or video. It’s all about the words, and that’s a powerful appeal.

Build Your Community

Another fantastic feature of Substack is how it fosters community. The platform is built to encourage interaction through comments and discussions, making it easier to build a loyal reader base. Engaging directly with your audience helps you grow and creates a sense of belonging for your readers, turning them into an active part of your writing journey.

Monetize with Ease

Substack also shines when it comes to monetization. Many creators find its model particularly convenient because it’s seamlessly integrated into the platform. There’s no need to jump through hoops to set up a paid newsletter—it’s all right there, ready to go when you are. This ease of use makes it simpler for writers to turn their passion into a profitable venture.

Predictable Revenue

Substack offers the advantage of predictable revenue through its subscription and membership model. This approach allows you to develop a steady stream of recurring income, which can be incredibly sustainable in the long run. Knowing that you have a consistent source of revenue can give you peace of mind and the freedom to focus on what you do best—writing.

Discover How Feather Can Help Your Business Grow

Feather is a powerful solution for those seeking an alternative to Magento. Not only does Feather cater to beginners with its user-friendly interface, but it also offers a range of features that make it a compelling choice for businesses of all sizes. With Feather, you can:

Enjoy a seamless transition from Notion to a professional blog platform

Benefiting from SEO-friendly practices

The ability to manage all your blog content within the familiar Notion ecosystem

Run your blog and newsletter with Feather today — create a new account and send emails from Notion or go from notion to blog in minutes!

Substack vs Patreon

So, Why Look for Alternatives to Substack? Downsides Of Substack

Alternatives to Substack

Scaling a newsletter business on Substack is tough. It’s a one-person show. Many writers struggle to scale without a team or productization. Substack provides little support or functionality to help you manage your operations as you grow.

Low-Ticket Revenue Won’t Help You Get Rich

Substack newsletters are low-ticket products. The average monthly subscription is just $7, and you’ll need hundreds (if not thousands) of subscribers to earn a decent living. At that point, you’re simply selling a job.

You Can’t Stop Writing Without Losing Subscribers

Writing for a month and earning from Substack subscriptions is exhilarating. But over the long term, it can be exhausting. You need to pump out content month after month, and if you stop, you lose your subscribers.

Substack says it’s free to use, but it takes 10% of revenue from subscriptions. The economics of using Substack are hard to justify as your newsletter grows. Say you get 500 people to pay $10 monthly for your newsletter—that’s a real accomplishment. It also means your newsletter pulls in $5,000 monthly, of which Substack will take $500. Annually, you’ll be paying Substack $6,000, which only gets more expensive as your success builds.

Weak Email Features and Analytics

Growing and nurturing an email list is crucial for monetization on Substack. Email analytics provided by the platform aren’t as advanced as those offered by professional email marketing platforms. You can only track open and click-through rates in Substack, and that’s it.

Advanced email features like A/B testing and automation aren’t available. So, for those willing to learn some email marketing, Substack’s lack of functionality can be a hindrance.

Substack's Reputation Issues Could Hurt Your Brand

The platform has found itself at the center of a scandal lately. In short, it’s been called out for not banning the usage of some Nazi symbols by its content creators. Substack refused to take radical action even after the scandal — although the company agreed to make a few changes to its policies.

What Should You Look for In Substack Alternatives?

Alternatives to Substack

Alternatives to Substack come in various forms, including email marketing platforms, blogging services, and membership site tools. The best Substack alternatives share some common characteristics:

Ease of Use: Whether it’s a minimalist interface or an easy onboarding process, successful Substack alternatives are easy to use and have advanced features.

Relevant Templates: Consider the benefits of an online platform having a template for your content marketing strategy or custom landing pages

Custom Themes: The more you can inject your brand into your exclusive content, the better your promotion and monetization rewards will be

Flexible Pricing: Different subscription tiers help you build your online presence on budget as your target audience grows

Monetization Options: Part of what makes Substack’s platform so successful is the ability to monetize paid content—something any membership platform should include

Integration with Other Platforms: Your newsletter platform should integrate directly with your writing tools of choice or, even better, your website.

Ease of Migration: First and foremost, the transition should be easy. Look for a service that effortlessly imports your existing subscriber list. This is crucial for maintaining your reader base and making sure everything runs smoothly.

Customer Support: Flexible customer service is invaluable. Quick and helpful support can make all the difference in managing your newsletter effectively.

Alternatives to Substack

1. Feather

Feather is an SEO-friendly blog and email newsletter service.

Key Features

Publish blog content and newsletters directly through Notion, with no coding or design skills required.

Automatically publish blog content written in Notion to your Feather blog.

Set up a subfolder blog (domain.com/blog) for better SEO, rather than a subdomain (blog.domain.com).

Manage your CRM and website blog entirely through Notion, offering a HubSpot-like experience.

Customize your design with custom CSS, collect emails, and access additional features.

Write on Notion and automatically publish to an SEO-friendly blog, collaborating effortlessly with your team. Feather lets you set up and send newsletters directly from Notion to your email subscribers.

Run your blog and newsletter with Feather today — create a new account and send emails from Notion or go from notion to blog in minutes!

2. Medium

Medium is another platform that offers features similar to Substack. It's a blogging and writing platform that allows users to share stories, and it has a large community of readers and writers. Medium is known for its:

Clean

Easy-to-use interface

Emphasis on quality content

A Platform for Diverse Perspectives

Medium encourages readers to discover stories, thinking, and expertise on any topic. It is an ideal platform for writers and journalists looking to reach an engaged audience, and so easily qualifies as one of Substack’s top competitors. Medium has a loyal built-in community of readers, but the readership is focussed online or on the app, not in email newsletters.

Medium's Monetization Model

Medium's membership program and paywall options allows writers to monetize their content. There’s no cost to publish on Medium for any number of members/subscribers you may have. Medium makes its money by charging people to read your stories and other people’s stories, at $5/month or $50/year.

3. ConvertKit

ConvertKit is an email marketing and automation platform designed for creators such as bloggers, journalists, and podcasters. It helps users build an email list, automate email sequences, and segment audiences for targeted marketing. Like other Substack alternatives, ConvertKit offers functionality such as:

Opt-in forms

Landing pages

Email comms

Streamlining Subscriber Engagement

One of Convertkit's main focuses is automating the process of connecting with new potential subscribers and nurturing them into customers. It also has a visual automation builder allowing you to create complex workflow without coding. It includes tools for managing affiliate relationships and providing exclusive content to paying subscribers.

ConvertKit's Pricing Plans

For new creators, ConvertKit is free for up to 300 subscribers. For creators with growing audiences, ConvertKit costs from $15/month or $108/year, again for up to 300 subscribers, but also with access to email sequences, automation builders, third-party integrations, and an additional team member.

4. Ghost

Ghost is probably the closest you can get to a 1-to-1 alternative to Substack. The platform has a simple and clean aesthetic and good UX. Creators who use Ghost can mix blogging and/or a newsletter with a subscription fee. Ghost gives you a ton of good publishing tools:

Branding

Gallery cards

Editor

Lots of SEO features

Tools for multi-author companies

Ghost has the same limitations as Substack, though. It's great for publishers but weak on real member experiences, community features, and the other tools you'd need to build a unified member experience. Ghost pricing starts from $9/mo with no transaction fees.

5. Beehiiv

Beehiiv was designed and launched by the team that runs Morning Brew, a business newsletter. It has built-in design and editing tools and a newsletter and website platform. It has a great email platform that includes automation and customizable journeys. It also has AI tools, such as AI personalization features. Then, it comes with monetization features for building a business around your newsletter.

Monetization Options and Limitations

The coolest feature is that it can connect you to relevant ad campaigns to monetize with sponsors. You can also sell a subscription to your readers and monetize that way. The main limitations of Beehiiv are that the website feature is quite basic (just a hosted version of the newsletter), and you need to actually match with an ad campaign before you can be offered one. You can't choose your ad campaigns. All in all, it's a good newsletter platform.

6. MailerLite

MailerLite is an excellent solution for creatives and bloggers who want a simple tool to promote their content. It has a drag-and-drop email editor that enables you to customize your messages with ease fully. You won’t need coding knowledge to design your newsletters, while the tool also offers subscription forms to grow your audience and rich analytics to track your performance.

Advanced Features and Monetization Options

The platform’s automation features will be useful if you want to create custom flows and save valuable time. Another notable thing about MailerLite is its Stripe integration, which enables you to run paid newsletters. While this feature isn’t included in the free plan, it helps content creators monetize their businesses fast and without developer skills. MailerLite’s platform is a solid alternative to what Substack offers due to its more advanced newsletter features, but you’ll need to commit to a paid plan to get the best results.

7. Revue

Revue is a free newsletter tool that everybody can use. It was acquired by the social media platform Twitter. Revue is an ideal choice for writers who want to deliver standalone newsletter subscriptions or a newsletter as a bonus to a membership plan. The platform features an easy-to-use newsletter editor that exceeds the capabilities of the one Substack has.

Free and Customizable Features

What’s more, sending a newsletter with Revue is free, regardless of the size of your audience. This means that even if you have a huge audience, you won’t need much money. The tool also lets you use a custom profile domain and a custom from address.

Revue's Limitations and Cost Structure

One downside of the platform is that it lacks community-building features, so may end up stuck producing content just to keep your existing list engaged. Revue charges a 5% of revenue (flat rate). To sum up, Revue is a well-balanced competitor to Substack that’s more cost-effective while offering a better editor and user experience.

8. Buttondown

Buttondown is an indie newsletter software and a Substack alternative. It was created by someone running newsletters for years, who wanted an “ideal” tool designed for writers, not big editorial teams. This is what you get with Buttondown, namely a minimalist interface that lets you craft beautiful emails while taking care of tasks like:

Typos

Broken links

Low-quality images

You also get a subscription widget that makes it easy for people to subscribe to your content. The owner himself describes Buttondown as a tool rather than a publishing platform, meaning it gives you more control over your newsletter. The main difference between Substack and Buttondown is that the second’s monthly fee doesn’t go up with your newsletter’s success. It increases based on your audience size.

Buttondown's Pricing and Features

On another note, if you have the necessary knowledge, its API will allow you to do exactly what you envision. This isn’t possible in Substack. So, Buttondown is a flexible service with built-in tools for formatting, proofreading, and content delivery. Buttondown pricing starts from $9/mo.

9. Patreon

Patreon is a membership platform that allows content creators to monetize their content by running a subscription service. What sets Patreon apart from similar services is the fact that you can create different subscription tiers. This gives you more flexibility and allows you to leverage your content effectively.

Building Community and Offering Incentives

Patreon helps you incentivize your audience with bonuses (e.g., a PDF, personal handwritten letter, etc.). It also allows your audience to communicate directly with you, which helps you build stronger relationships and interact better with your patrons.

Patreon's Pricing and Flexibility

You have more freedom and “room” to experiment with how you want to run your business. On the other hand, all this freedom might not be what you’re looking for if you want a simple solution. Patreon is free to start, and monetization plans range from 5% to 12% of your monthly revenue.

10. Mailchimp

Mailchimp is among the largest email marketing services globally and it has a suite of business tools. These tools allow users to:

Craft sleek email campaigns

Grow their audience with popups

Create automation workflows to streamline processes

Creators and publishers have a powerful drag-and-drop editor to craft their newsletters. The editor also lets you organize your subscribers into segments and groups, while the merge fields function helps you track your member plans.

Multivariate Testing and Payment Integration

One definitive advantage of Mailchimp over Substack is the multivariate testing capabilities. This helps you identify what resonates with your audience and what needs further optimization. Despite all these, Mailchimp requires integration with Chargebee (or another processor) to automatically collect recurring payments for your newsletter services or subscription-based services of an eCommerce store, let’s say.

This means there is no direct way to monetize your newsletter without spending extra money or doing extra work. Mailchimp pricing starts at $20/month, and there is also a free plan.

11. SendFox

Sendfox is a software platform that allows users to create, send, and track email marketing campaigns. It provides a range of features including:

Email templates

Automation

Segmentation

Analytics

Sendfox is designed for businesses of all sizes and can be used to:

Promote products and services

Grow customer relationships

Increase conversions

A free version of SendFox allows sending newsletters to 1000 contacts with SendFox-branded emails and no automations. The Lifetime Plan costs just one payment of $49 (not recurring) and allows up to 5000 members, reduced SendFox branding, and unlimited automations. This could be the cheapest of all Substack competitors.

12. Smore

Smore is an online platform that simplifies the creation of newsletters and presentations and focuses particularly on education and training materials. It provides a variety of visually appealing templates, allowing users to build multimedia content quickly and easily. If used in an educational setting, it's recommended to purchase the education version to gain access to education-themed clip art and in-depth features.

Smore is particularly praised for its user-friendly interface and versatility. Users can easily customize their newsletters with various:

Background images

Colors

Fonts

It's possible to add a wide array of content to the newsletters, including:

Text

Images

Video content

Attachments

Forms

Audio

Calendar options

Once created, these newsletters can be easily shared on social media or via email through a copied link. Smore also provides analytics, allowing users to track how many views their newsletters have received. Setting up an account is straightforward with just an email address.

Smore's Pricing and Free Trial

You can try the product for free before purchasing. Free accounts come with 5 free 'smores' (creations), while Educator accounts come with unlimited smores. Smore Educator Basic costs $99/year, Smore Educator Pro costs $179/year and Smore Educator Premium costs $299/year.

13. HubSpot

If you’re familiar with marketing, sales, and CMS software, you've probably heard of HubSpot. It is an interesting Substack alternative if you’re already using HubSpot’s full-stack software for other aspects of your business. The HubSpot interface is beautifully designed and easy to use.

If you’re already using HubSpot for marketing and sales, starting your newsletter with their CMS is incredibly convenient. Not only will it keep your content under one roof, but you’ll be able to make informed decisions based on the data from HubSpot itself.

14. Curated

Curated is a really neat newsletter software concept and a good Substack alternative for people who curate content. It comes with a Chrome extension for clipping content from around the web. You can then work this into a newsletter, easily collaborating with other editors if necessary.

You can sell sponsorships and paid subscriptions--the platform even handles your sponsor management. And it has a great newsletter layout and lots of choices for designs. The biggest limitation to Curated is that its list-building tools could be better. It's better for newsletter creation than list-building.

15. Memberful

Memberful is membership management software that lets creators manage membership programs with custom price tiers and access levels to monetize their content. It works well for online course (eCourse) creators, podcast hosts, and other content creators who want to grow their audience.

A Hybrid Approach

Particularly relevant is their Posts feature, which replicates Substack’s ‘combined email and online’ approach. Memberful allows you to publish members-only content via a newsletter and a Memberful-hosted website. You can add text and images, select which members to target, and publish the post or schedule it for later.

16. Gumroad

Gumroad is a different type of Substack alternative; it's made for selling pretty much anything. You could create a newsletter with it--it's one of the many products you can sell. You can sell anything from photography to music to online courses, so if you're looking for a newsletter business that also reaches into other areas of commerce, it's got tools to work with.

Gumroad's Marketplace and Revenue Model

Gumroad also has a marketplace component, so people can discover your products. The downside is that its revenue model is identical to Substack's. You'll pay a 10% percentage fee, which eats into your profits.

17. ActiveCampaign

If you want an email service provider that can do it all, ActiveCampaign is for you. While there is no free tier, the monthly fees are similar to what you would pay for ConvertKit. ActiveCampaign shines in the automation and customization department.

Also, in ActiveCampaign, you can:

Create conditional content in emails, tag, and score contacts

Build automations based on reader behavior

18. Flodesk

Flodesk is a woman-owned email service provider founded in 2019. It emphasizes simplicity and was launched as a response to other email service providers becoming heavy and complex. Although Flodesk doesn’t have the same features as other providers, the price is hard to beat: Unlimited subscribers for $35 per month.

Gumroad's Marketplace and Revenue Model

Flodesk also has a checkout function, which is a separate cost, but you can bundle them together for $58 per month. If you have a large list, an email service provider can get expensive because most ESPs tier their pricing by subscriber count. For example, a list of 25,000 subscribers on ConvertKit would cost $166 per month to maintain. A list of 50,000 would cost $266 per month. Flodesk is one price, no matter your list size.

Convertkit vs Activecampaign

Choosing the Best Substack Alternative for Your Needs

Alternatives to Substack

Think about the type of content you want to create. Are you focusing solely on email newsletters, or are you interested in expanding into other formats like:

Blog posts

Podcasts

Videos

Some platforms, like Ghost or WordPress, offer more flexibility regarding content types and customization, which might be beneficial if you plan to diversify your offerings.

Consider Audience Engagement

If fostering a community is high on your priority list, you’ll want to choose a platform emphasizing audience interaction. Substack has built-in tools for comments and discussions, but platforms like Patreon or Circle might be more suitable if you're looking for something more robust. These alternatives offer enhanced community features, allowing for deeper engagement and a stronger connection with your audience.

Evaluate Monetization Options

Monetization is a key consideration for most creators. Substack’s straightforward model is great for getting started, but you might need more advanced options as you grow. For instance, platforms like Ghost offer multiple revenue streams, including:

Memberships

Paid newsletters

Online stores

This flexibility can be crucial as you look to expand your income sources.

Assess Customization Needs

Substack is known for its simplicity, which is perfect for beginners but can feel limiting as your brand evolves. If you’re seeking more control over the design and functionality of your platform, alternatives like Feather or Notion could be worth exploring.

Feather, for example, is designed with scalability in mind. It allows you to build a more customized and expansive brand presence without being constrained by the limitations of a more basic platform like Substack.

Growth and Scalability

Think about where you see your brand in the future. While Substack is a good place to start, it may not offer the scalability you need as your audience and ambitions grow. Platforms like Feather are specifically designed to support growth, helping you to transition from just managing subscribers to building a loyal audience that drives a successful business. With tools that cater to scaling your brand, these platforms provide the infrastructure you need to take your writing to the next level.

Send Emails From Notion and Go From Notion to Blog With Ease Today With Feather

Feather is an SEO-friendly blog and email newsletter service that allows you to publish blog content and a newsletter through Notion. It requires no coding or design skills.