Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups
Register | Login

DISQUS VS Substack

Compare DISQUS VS Substack and see what are their differences

Polymemo
A multilingual content platform supporting 200+ languages. Authors, readers, and translation investors create value together. featured
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.
Contents:
  1. ยป Base Details
  2. ยป Videos
  3. ยป Reviews
  4. ยป Alternatives

DISQUS logo DISQUS

Disqus is a global comment system that improves discussion on websites and connects conversations across the web.

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.
  • DISQUS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-18
  • Substack Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-10-26

DISQUS

Website
disqus.com
Pricing URL
Official DISQUS Pricing
$ Details
freemium $10.0 / Monthly (Up to 50,000 total daily pageviews)
Edit details

Substack

Website
substack.com
Pricing URL
-
$ Details
-
Startup details
Country
United States
Edit details

DISQUS features and specs

  • User Engagement
    DISQUS provides robust features to foster user interaction and engagement, such as threaded comments and upvoting/downvoting systems.
  • Moderation Tools
    It offers extensive moderation capabilities, including spam filtering, blocking, and role-based permissions, which help maintain the quality of discussions.
  • Social Integration
    Users can log in using their social media accounts, making it easier for them to participate without creating new profiles.
  • Analytics
    DISQUS provides insightful analytics on user activity and engagement, helping site owners understand their audience better.
  • SEO Benefits
    Properly implemented, DISQUS comments can be crawled by search engines, potentially enhancing the SEO value of a siteโ€™s content.

Possible disadvantages of DISQUS

  • Ad Display
    The free version includes advertisements, which might not be desirable for all site owners.
  • Data Privacy
    There are concerns regarding user data privacy, as DISQUS collects and sometimes shares user data for targeted advertising.
  • Load Time
    Integrating DISQUS can increase page load times, which could negatively impact user experience and site performance.
  • Customization
    While customizable, it might not offer the level of customization that some advanced users or developers require.
  • Platform Dependency
    Relying on a third-party service means you depend on DISQUS's uptime and long-term viability, which might pose risks if the service discontinues or changes dramatically.

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 DISQUS

Overall verdict

  • Disqus can be a good solution for websites seeking to implement or improve comment sections with minimal technical effort. Its rich features and ease of integration make it a strong contender. However, consideration of privacy concerns and potential page load impacts should be taken into account.

Why this product is good

  • Disqus is a popular comment hosting service widely used on blogs and websites to facilitate audience interaction. It offers features such as threaded discussions, social media integration, moderation tools, and analytics, which enhance user engagement and content moderation. However, some users have raised privacy concerns, as it requires a login to comment and collects data for advertising purposes.

Recommended for

    Disqus is recommended for bloggers, publishers, and website owners who want a robust comment system with moderation capabilities and engagement analytics. It is particularly advantageous for those looking to increase interaction on their platforms without developing their own comment system.

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

DISQUS videos

+ Add

Best WordPress comment system - NATIVE vs FACEBOOK vs DISQUS

More videos:

  • Review - 6 Things To Do After Installing Disqus
  • Review - Disqus vs Livefyre vs Jetpack Comments - PressThis

Substack videos

+ Add

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 DISQUS and Substack)

DISQUS

Substack

Social Networks
100 100%
Social Networks
0% 0
Blogging
0 0%
Blogging
100% 100
Project Management
100 100%
Project Management
0% 0
CMS
0 0%
CMS
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using DISQUS and Substack. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

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

DISQUS Reviews

Pando Talkee vs Disqus - A detailed comparison and analysis | Pando Proto
If youโ€™re wondering what the differences are between Talkee and Disqus for creators and publishers running a premium newsletter, we put together this no-nonsense overview.
Source: pando.im

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.
Source: www.geeksforgeeks.org
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...
Source: www.authorityhacker.com
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?
Source: www.indiehackers.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Substack should be more popular than DISQUS. It has been mentiond 101 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.

DISQUS mentions (40)

  • Migrating from WordPress to Jekyll: Save Money with a Static Site
    Dynamic Content: One of WordPressโ€™s biggest advantages is its ability to handle dynamic content like comments, forms, or membership systems. While services like Disqus or Staticman can add dynamic features like comments to Jekyll sites, they donโ€™t offer the same level of functionality or flexibility that WordPress does. For bloggers who want more interactive features like user logins, contact forms, or complex... - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • Screw it! I've Developed My Own Static Site Generator!
    Since I was working with basically no database or no backend service at all, I had to choose an external service for this and what else does this better than Disqus . - Source: dev.to / almost 2 years ago
  • How I Built My Personal Website for Free with Hugo
    Since our site is a static site, we need to rely on external services to provide a comment system. The most famous one is Disqus. However, its free plan forces use to show a lot of ADs to the users, which I dont like. So I chose giscus, which uses GitHub Discussions as the storage place for comments. The only downside is that it doesnt allow users to log in and comment with Google or social media accounts like... - Source: dev.to / almost 2 years ago
  • A list of SaaS, PaaS and IaaS offerings that have free tiers of interest to devops and infradev
    Disqus - Disqus is a networked community platform used by hundreds of thousands of sites all over the web. - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • Getting Comments by Disqus on Obsidian Publish
    And This is a script for setting Disqus in Publish site. You should replace disqusShortname with your name. You can get your name in Disqus site. Source: over 2 years ago
View more

Substack mentions (101)

  • Ask HN: What are your favorite blogs not about AI?
    Https://substack.com/@yelluwcomedy. - Source: Hacker News / 1 day 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 / 10 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 / 7 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
  • AMA: I'm Eric Ries (The Lean Startup) & Author of New Bestseller Incorruptible
    Yes, it's much different in other countries. See https://substack.com/@doks/p-198191751. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 month ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing DISQUS and Substack, you can also consider the following products

utterances - A lightweight comments widget built on GitHub issues.

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.

IntenseDebate - IntenseDebate's comment system enhances and encourages conversation on your blog or website.

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

giscus - A comments system powered by GitHub Discussions. Let visitors leave comments and reactions on your website via GitHub!

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

Loading...