Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Bill.com VS Substack

Compare Bill.com VS Substack and see what are their differences

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Bill.com logo Bill.com

Your financial operations platform. The intelligent way to create and pay bills, send invoices, manage expenses, control budgets, and access the credit your business needs to growโ€”all on one platform.

Substack logo Substack

With Substack, anyone can start a publication that combines a personal website, blog, and email newsletter or podcast. It's quick and simple.
  • Bill.com Landing page
    Landing page //
    2025-05-08
  • Substack Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-10-26

Bill.com features and specs

  • Automation
    Bill.com automates many of the repetitive tasks involved in accounts payable and receivable, such as invoice creation, approval workflows, and payment processing. This reduces manual entry and minimizes errors.
  • Integrations
    Bill.com integrates with various accounting software platforms like QuickBooks, Xero, and NetSuite, streamlining financial data synchronization and reporting.
  • Cloud-Based
    As a cloud-based solution, Bill.com allows users to access their accounts and perform tasks from anywhere with internet access, improving flexibility and remote work capabilities.
  • Security
    Bill.com provides robust security features, including encrypted data transmission and storage, role-based access controls, and compliance with industry standards such as SOC 1 and SOC 2.
  • Document Management
    Bill.com offers extensive document management features, allowing users to store and organize invoices, receipts, and other financial documents in a centralized location.

Possible disadvantages of Bill.com

  • Cost
    Bill.com can be relatively expensive, especially for smaller businesses or those with tight budgets. Pricing is based on a monthly subscription model, with additional fees for certain transactions.
  • Learning Curve
    New users may find Bill.com challenging to navigate initially due to its comprehensive set of features and settings. Proper training or time to familiarize oneself with the platform may be necessary.
  • Customer Support
    Some users have reported issues with customer support, including difficulty reaching representatives and delays in resolving issues. This may impact the user experience, especially during critical financial operations.
  • Transaction Fees
    Bill.com charges fees for certain types of transactions, such as ACH payments and international payments. These fees can add up, particularly for businesses with a high volume of transactions.
  • Complexity for Small Businesses
    While Bill.com is feature-rich, some small businesses may find it overly complex for their needs. The extensive features and customization options might be more suited to larger organizations.

Substack features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    Substack offers a user-friendly interface that makes it easy for writers to publish and monetize their newsletters.
  • Built-in Monetization
    Writers can easily charge readers for subscriptions, allowing for straightforward monetization.
  • Direct Audience Connection
    Substack allows writers to build a direct relationship with their audience via email, which can lead to a more engaged readership.
  • Discovery and Community
    Features like staff picks and recommendations help writers get discovered by new readers.
  • No Upfront Costs
    Substack does not charge upfront fees; instead, it takes a percentage of subscription revenues, making it easier to start.
  • Content Ownership
    Writers retain full ownership of their content, giving them more control over their work.

Possible disadvantages of Substack

  • Revenue Share
    Substack takes a 10% cut of subscription revenues, which can add up for writers with a large subscriber base.
  • Limited Customization
    The platform has limited customization options compared to building a custom website or using more flexible CMS options.
  • Dependency on Platform
    Relying on Substack means depending on its policies and infrastructure, which could pose risks if the platform changes its terms or features.
  • Competition
    As more writers join Substack, it can become challenging to stand out amidst the growing competition.
  • Email Deliverability
    Writers may face issues with email deliverability, as some newsletters may end up in spam folders.
  • Payment Processing Fees
    Besides Substack's fee, payment processors like Stripe also take a percentage, further reducing net earnings for writers.

Analysis of Bill.com

Overall verdict

  • Overall, Bill.com is a reputable and beneficial tool for many organizations, particularly small to midsize businesses looking to improve their financial workflow. However, it may not be the best fit for extremely large enterprises with highly complex accounting needs.

Why this product is good

  • Bill.com is considered a good service due to its user-friendly platform for managing accounts payable and receivable. It helps streamline financial operations for businesses by automating billing, invoicing, and payment processes. The service integrates well with major accounting software like QuickBooks, Xero, and NetSuite, allowing for seamless data synchronization. This reduces manual data entry and helps minimize errors. Known for saving time and improving financial accuracy, users often appreciate its robust reporting features and secure online payment options.

Recommended for

  • Small to midsize businesses looking to streamline their invoicing and payment processes.
  • Companies seeking integration with existing accounting software like QuickBooks, Xero, or NetSuite.
  • Businesses aiming to reduce manual entry and improve financial accuracy.
  • Organizations desiring a secure platform for handling online payments and vendor management.

Analysis of Substack

Overall verdict

  • Substack is a good choice for writers seeking autonomy and a straightforward way to monetize their content. However, it may not be the best fit for those who prefer working within the framework of a larger publication or those unfamiliar with the challenges of building and maintaining a subscriber base.

Why this product is good

  • Substack is a platform that allows writers, journalists, and content creators to publish and monetize their newsletters. It is praised for its ease of use, built-in subscription system, and direct-to-consumer model which enables writers to retain control over their audience and content. The platform has attracted both independent writers and established journalists seeking the freedom to monetize their work without traditional media constraints.

Recommended for

  • Independent writers and journalists
  • Content creators looking to monetize their work
  • Individuals seeking a direct relationship with their audience
  • Those who appreciate simplicity in publishing

Bill.com videos

Bill.com Review by LedgerGurus

More videos:

  • Review - How the Bill.com Intelligent Business Payments Platform Works
  • Review - Bill.com Review 2025: In-Depth Look at Features & Pricing
  • Review - Bill.com Honest Review - Watch Before Using
  • Review - What is Bill.com - bill.com Review - Bill.com Plans Explained
  • Review - Is Bill.com Worth It in 2025? Full Review

Substack videos

Monetizing Podcasts and Newsletters - Chris Best of Substack and Jonathan Gill of Backtracks

More videos:

  • Review - E1016 Substack CEO Chris Best empowers writers via email newsletter platform, raised $15M from a16z
  • Review - Why EVERYONE should be on Substack | What it is, How it Works, $$$
  • Review - Beehiiv vs Substack (2024) - Which is Better?
  • Review - My Experience with SUBSTACK: An Honest Review of Substack

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Bill.com and Substack)
Online Payments
100 100%
0% 0
Blogging
0 0%
100% 100
Billing & Invoicing
100 100%
0% 0
CMS
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using Bill.com and Substack. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Bill.com and Substack

Bill.com Reviews

What Are the Best Bill.com Alternatives?
Are you looking for an alternative to Bill.com for your invoicing needs? Weโ€™ve got you covered! We asked nine business leaders and experts to share their top alternatives to Bill.com for invoicing. From affordable options like Easy Invoice Manager to affordable solutions like SlickPie, discover the best invoicing tools to streamline your business processes in 2023.
The Top Alternatives to Bill.com
Bill.com is suitable for slower-growth small businesses with low payment volumes and limited remittances capabilities. The average revenue per customer of Bill.com is $1,500. Therefore, many AP automation capabilities are not available via Bill.com, so you need to manage them manually or outside of Bill.com.
Source: tipalti.com
4 Best Bill.com Competitors And Alternatives (2022)
Plastiq is a simplified and more affordable option compared to Bill.com. They offer a solution for accounts payable and receivable without a sign-up fee, subscription fee, or fees for most transactions. They do, however, charge a 2.85% fee for both credit and debit transactions. This is a key distinction to keep in mind when comparing Plastiq to not only Bill.com, but to...
Source: smbillion.com
Best Accounts Payable Software for 2022
Why we like it: Bill.com offers multiple pricing options, including plans starting at $39 a month, which may make it more accessible for many small-business owners. Youโ€™ll get a centralized inbox for receiving invoices. The software can read invoices, capture the data on them and even flag if something looks off. However, youโ€™ll need to upgrade from the lowest-priced plan to...

Substack Reviews

25+ Medium Alternative Platforms for Publishing Articles
Substack offers writers of all experience levels the ability to write an email newsletter thatโ€™s profitable through subscriptions. Substack provides purpose-built web and newsletter publishing tools to enable writers to monetize their newsletters. It is a service often favoured by readers because itโ€™s a convenient all-in-one solution for writing a successful podcast that...
Source: forgefusion.io
10 Best Medium Alternatives for Reading and Publishing
What sะตts Substack apart is its sะตamlะตss intะตgration of contะตnt crะตation and subscription-basะตd monะตtization. Substackโ€™s usะตr-friะตndly intะตrfacะต, distribution tools, and support for various contะตnt formats make it a popular choice for indะตpะตndะตnt crะตators looking to connะตct dirะตctly with thะตir audiะตncะต and turn thะตir passion into a sustainablะต incomะต strะตam.
9 Best Medium Alternatives for Making Money With Your Writing in 2023
Substack and Medium differ primarily in their monetization methods. Medium pays creators based on reader engagement, while Substack enables writers to monetize directly through paid subscriptions to their newsletters. This business model allows Substack users to build a direct relationship with their readers via their email inboxes, whereas Medium interactions primarily...
11 Patreon Alternatives for Audience Monetization in 2023
Like a few of the other platforms weโ€™ve looked at, Substack takes a cut of your earnings rather than charging a 10% platform fee.
Source: www.uscreen.tv
Any good Mailchimp alternatives?
My question for you is, what is keeping you from making $31 per month from your list? Are you using any feature that Substack (free until you get paid) can't handle?

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Bill.com should be more popular than Substack. It has been mentiond 259 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Bill.com mentions (259)

  • Freelancers: Do you allow your clients to pay via card? Processing fees hurt
    I mean.... This is how it is everywhere... You could use bill.com but it still has a monthly fee, however if youre sending multiple invoices like so, the monthly fee is paid for in just 2 clients of yours... Honestly a $66 processing fee for $2K isn't bad... Venmo/Paypal gifted is fee-less but not recommended... Source: over 2 years ago
  • Bank rejected ยฃ850 payment from bill.com - both companies saying they can't do anything
    Bill.com have just gotten back to me saying they haven't received the money back (which nationwide said would have only taken 5 days from the 23rd November) and that SWIFT have told them that they did infact have my full name on the transaction and not my initials or anything else (unlike what nationwide told me). Source: over 2 years ago
  • Best campaign platforms for launching an influencer marketing agency?
    What platforms do you use to collect payment from our clients? I was thinking of using bill.com or stripe for now until I find a new method and then pay out the influencers. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • What do you use for online credit card processing?
    We use bill.com for both our AP and AR. All online, customer can pay with a link, generates all our monthly invoices automatically, easy to generate and send hardware and project invoices on demand, can be used to pay your vendors as well, syncs with Quickbooks, customers can be set up for auto-pay via credit card (charge to us is 2.9%), you can charge a convenience fee if you want. Customers can also pay via ACH... Source: almost 3 years ago
  • 6 Figures International Wire Transfer To BPI Concern
    My employer uses bill.com to process salaries so its thru SWIFT Wire Transfer. Source: about 3 years ago
View more

Substack mentions (102)

  • Writing by Hand is Good for your Brain
    It's ironic that the article that caused him to write this post (https://substack.com/@justindeschamps/note/c-261265212?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=7y05q) is written by AI. I see this style of informational writing all over the place now. - Source: Hacker News / 2 days ago
  • Ask HN: What are your favorite blogs not about AI?
    Https://substack.com/@yelluwcomedy. - Source: Hacker News / 6 days ago
  • Kids (With Phones) Are Alright
    Sure there was basically a cartel in social media. You saw coordinated censorship campaigns to ban the former president of the United States for example. But I wouldn't discount the amount of political interference there as well. The last administration admitted to flagging individual posts for the social media companies. But it's also true there is a lot of coordinated censorship even without state interference.... - Source: Hacker News / 14 days ago
  • Financing the AI boom: from cash flows to debt [pdf]
    Manhattan Project: $36B, 5 years โ–ซ Apollo Program: $257B, 14 years โ–ซ Interstate Highway System: $620B, 37 years โ–ซ AI data centers: $930B, 6 years and still accelerating From: https://substack.com/@rubendominguez/note/c-244929068. - Source: Hacker News / 11 days ago
  • SpaceX to buy Cursor AI coding agent operator Anysphere for $60B
    The thing is, even the center of the road academics who refrain from such comparisons are noting the similarity. The MAGA movement meets the traditional defining characteristics of fascio. We can be rigid and say that only Mussoliniโ€˜s political movement can be properly be called fascist. But if we call Hitler and the Nazis fascists as well, then we open the door to any movement that meets the criteria. And Trump... - Source: Hacker News / about 1 month ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Bill.com and Substack, you can also consider the following products

Zoho Invoice - 100% free online invoicing software for small businesses.

Ghost - Ghost is a fully open source, adaptable platform for building and running a modern online publication. We power blogs, magazines and journalists from Zappos to Sky News.

Wise - Currency exchange Banks and other providers could charge you up to 5% in hidden costs when sending ...

Medium - Welcome to Medium, a place to read, write, and interact with the stories that matter most to you.

The Invoice Machine - The Invoice Machine is an online invoicing service with a simple and elegant user interface.

MailChimp - MailChimp is the best way to design, send, and share email newsletters.