Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Harvest VS Substack

Compare Harvest VS Substack and see what are their differences

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Harvest logo Harvest

Simple time tracking, fast online invoicing, and powerful reporting software. Simplify employee timesheets and billing. Get started for free.

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.
  • Harvest Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-08
  • Substack Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-10-26

Harvest features and specs

  • User Friendly Interface
    Harvest offers an intuitive and clean interface that makes it easy for users to navigate and utilize various features without extensive training.
  • Comprehensive Time Tracking
    It provides detailed time tracking capabilities, allowing users to log hours spent on various tasks and projects, which helps in accurate billing and productivity analysis.
  • Seamless Integrations
    Harvest integrates with numerous third-party applications such as Asana, Trello, Slack, and QuickBooks, enhancing its functionality and fitting into existing workflows effortlessly.
  • Invoicing and Payments
    The platform supports invoicing and payments, enabling users to generate invoices directly from tracked hours and receive payments through different payment gateways.
  • Detailed Reporting
    Harvest offers robust reporting features that provide insights into time usage, project progress, and team performance, aiding in decision-making and resource allocation.

Possible disadvantages of Harvest

  • Cost
    Harvest's pricing can be relatively high for small businesses or freelancers, especially when additional features or seats are needed.
  • Limited Mobile Functionality
    While Harvest does have mobile apps, they are not as fully featured as the desktop version, which can limit usability for those who need to manage tasks on the go.
  • Manual Time Entry
    The process of manually entering time can be cumbersome for some users, especially in scenarios where automatic time tracking would be more efficient.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    Although the basic functionality is easy to use, there can be a learning curve when it comes to mastering more advanced features and reporting tools.
  • Limited Customization
    Harvest offers limited options for customization in terms of the user interface and report formats, which can be a drawback for users who need tailored solutions.

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 Harvest

Overall verdict

  • Overall, Harvest is a reliable and efficient tool for businesses that need meticulous time tracking and effortless invoicing. Its well-rounded feature set and ease of use make it a solid choice for those looking to improve their workflow and financial tracking.

Why this product is good

  • Harvest is considered a good choice for many businesses due to its user-friendly interface, robust time-tracking capabilities, and seamless integration with various project management and accounting tools. It offers features like invoicing, expense tracking, and detailed reporting, which make it a comprehensive solution for freelancers, small businesses, and larger teams looking to streamline their time management and billing processes. The software's ability to provide insights on project profitability and team performance has made it a popular option among companies prioritizing efficiency and productivity.

Recommended for

  • Freelancers who need to track time and bill clients effectively
  • Small to medium-sized businesses seeking streamlined project tracking and invoicing
  • Teams looking for integration with other project management and financial tools
  • Organizations that require detailed reporting and analytics on time usage and project profitability

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

Harvest videos

I TRIED DAILY HARVEST FOR A WEEK // HONEST DAILY HARVEST REVIEW

More videos:

  • Review - Harvest Review - with Tom Vasel
  • Review - I Tried Daily Harvest for a Week | Brutally Honest Daily Harvest 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 Harvest and Substack)
Time Tracking
100 100%
0% 0
Blogging
0 0%
100% 100
Invoicing
100 100%
0% 0
CMS
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using Harvest 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 Harvest and Substack

Harvest Reviews

  1. Handy helper app

    Harvest has significantly improved our workflow. Its reporting make project management a breeze.

  2. Elle Bennett
    ยท Webmaster at UK Landlord Tax ยท
    Excellent for tracking hours

    A nice simple interface and plenty of rich features really make this application essential.

    ๐Ÿ Competitors: Pomodone
  3. stevezapalac
    One of the best Time Tracking App I have ever used.

    Has a lot of features when compared to it's competitors out there.


What Are the Best Bill.com Alternatives?
Invoicing used to take me a couple of days and was one of my most dreaded activities. However, since we started using Harvest (getharvest.com) for our time-tracking and invoicing, it takes less than an hour. Harvest is easy to set up, simple to use, and ideal for freelancers or small businesses.
10 Best RescueTime Alternatives for Time Tracking in 2024
Harvest is an easy-to-use time-tracking platform to create invoices, generate reports, monitor budgets, and track costs. The app integrates seamlessly with accounting and project management tools like Asana, Trello, Basecamp, Quickbooks, Slack, Xero, and Stripe.
Source: clickup.com
10 Top RescueTime Alternatives for 2024 [Detailed Overview]
Harvest turns your billable time tracked and expenses into accurate invoices. Through its integrations with Stripe and PayPal, Harvest lets you accept client payments online.
Source: toggl.com
Discovering rescuetime alternatives for high productivity (2024)
Additionally we also have Harvest in the list as yet another time tracking tool that can be used as an alternative to Rescuetime!
Harvest vs Clockk: 2023 comparison
โ€œHarvest is just really really really easy to use. Setting it up is fast and painless, administering jobs is easy, filling out timesheets is easy. Our team had a hard time tracking time prior to Harvest, and once we started using this software it became (almost) painless overnight.โ€
Source: clockk.com

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, Substack should be more popular than Harvest. It has been mentiond 100 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.

Harvest mentions (14)

  • software for planning upcoming months work
    If thatโ€™s not enough, Iโ€™ve had good experience with http://getharvest.com (and accompanying tools from them). Source: about 3 years ago
  • Software Developer Mac Apps
    Https://getharvest.com/ : time tracker for contract work. Source: about 3 years ago
  • What do you guys for invoicing outside Upwork?
    I use getharvest.com to track hourly and convert them to invoice. The only thing I don't like is that I have to add the task in the web dashboard rather than entering directly in the desktop app. There is 'note' field, but it won't show up in the invoice detail, so it is useless for me. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Need help learning, can anyone suggest search terms so I can wrap my head around what I would like to do? Thanks
    I think for your business the best way to go is with a premade app for time logs and invoicing. My wife uses Harvest for her business: https://getharvest.com. Source: about 3 years ago
  • New to graphic freelancing, how to take payments/send invoice?
    I use Harvestto invoice and track time. You can also use QuickBooks. Source: over 3 years ago
View more

Substack mentions (100)

  • 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 / 5 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 / 1 day 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 / 30 days 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
  • Show HN: Playing with genomics foundation model tutorial/explainer article
    Hi folks, I got curious about how genomics foundation models work and wrote an article explaining how they are trained + can be used. Feel free to use the following as learning resources if you wish to jump into ML for comp bio stuff, it may help: - Code: https://github.com/dillondesilva/nt-promoter-region-classification - Article/Tutorial:... - Source: Hacker News / about 1 month ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

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

Toggl - Toggl is an online time tracking tool. It features 1-click time tracking and helps you see where your time goes. Free and paid versions are available.

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

TimeCamp - Simple and robust time tracking app to help you stay on the same page with your team while working from home.

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.

RescueTime - Time management software that shows you how you spend your time & provides tools to help you be more productive.

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