Software Alternatives & Startups

Hasura VS Substack

Compare Hasura VS Substack and see what are their differences

Hasura

Hasura is an open platform to build scalable app backends, offering a built-in database, search, user-management and more.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
Substack

With Substack, anyone can start a publication that combines a personal website, blog, and email newsletter or podcast. It's quick and simple.

Rating
0 reviews
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.

Which is more popular?

Hasura might be a bit more popular than Substack. We know about 123 links to it since March 2021 and only 110 links to Substack.

social mentions
123 vs 110
GraphQL popularity
100% vs 0%

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Hasura
Substack
Website hasura.io substack.com
Pricing
Open source Official pricing
—
Company — Startup from the United States
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Hasura 8 features
Substack 6 features
  • Real-Time Data
    Hasura provides built-in support for GraphQL subscriptions, allowing you to easily implement real-time data updates in your applications.
  • Auto-Generated APIs
    With Hasura, you can instantly generate a fully-functional, scalable GraphQL API from your existing databases without writing any code.
  • Authorization and Authentication
    Hasura provides granular authorization controls and integrates well with various authentication services, helping to secure your data access.
  • Microservices & Event Triggers
    Hasura allows you to create event-driven architectures by allowing you to trigger webhooks based on specified database events.
  • Scalability
    Designed for performance, Hasura can handle large-scale applications by optimizing database queries and offering load-balancing capabilities.
  • Multi-Data Source Support
    Hasura can connect to multiple data sources and databases, making it a versatile choice for complex architectures.
  • Developer Productivity
    The tool significantly reduces the time required for backend development, allowing developers to focus on building frontend features and improving user experience.
  • Community and Support
    Hasura has a growing community and offers comprehensive documentation, which can be invaluable for troubleshooting and getting the most out of the platform.

Possible disadvantages

  • Complex Initial Setup
    Although Hasura simplifies many tasks, setting it up initially can be complex and may require a good understanding of both GraphQL and your underlying database.
  • Vendor Lock-In Concerns
    Depending heavily on Hasura can create vendor lock-in situations, making it difficult to switch technologies later without significant redevelopment effort.
  • Learning Curve
    Developers unfamiliar with GraphQL, event-driven architectures, or advanced database concepts may face a steep learning curve when adopting Hasura.
  • Limited Customization
    Some advanced use cases may require lower-level customizations not easily achievable through Hasura’s auto-generated APIs.
  • Performance Overhead
    Although optimized for performance, the additional layer Hasura introduces can still introduce latency, especially in highly complex queries.
  • Debugging Complexity
    Diagnosing issues can sometimes be complicated due to the number of components involved, including the database, Hasura, and the generated APIs.
  • Cost
    While Hasura offers a free tier, advanced features and enterprise-level support come at a cost, which can add up as your project scales.
  • 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

  • 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

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Hasura
Substack

No analysis of Hasura yet.

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

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Hasura 3 videos + Add
Substack 5 videos + Add

Scott Tries Hasura - A Realtime GraphQL API Builder

More videos

  • - Evaluating Hasura
  • - The founder of Hasura teaching me about Hasura - FUN!

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

More videos

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

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Hasura
Substack
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
CMS
100% 100%

User comments

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

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

Hasura no reviews yet
Substack no reviews yet

We have no reviews of Hasura yet. Be the first one to post

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Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Hasura 123 mentions
Substack 110 mentions
  • Boring on Purpose: Bold Moves in Internal Tooling
    A few years back, I decided to replace our spreadsheet-based host and service registries with a proper, Web-based asset registry. It took us a few days to hack together a simple system that we could use to track our infrastructure... - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • Supabase Alternatives 🔄 in 2025 😼
    Hasura is a neck-to-neck competitor to Supabase as a BaaS, but with a crucial difference: its GraphQL-first approach. Unlike Supabase, Hasura doesn't bundle database services, allowing it to work with virtually any database including... - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • Automatically Generate REST and GraphQL APIs From Your Database
    Hasura and PostGraphile lead the PostgreSQL GraphQL landscape. Hasura provides real-time subscriptions and a powerful permissions system, while PostGraphile offers deep PostgreSQL integration and excellent performance for complex queries. - Source: dev.to / almost 2 years ago

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  • Show HN: Sphinx – a hook that quizzes you on your AI agent's code before push
    We built something quite similar 6 months ago called PEAK (Proof of Effort And Knowledge). Blog post and YT video here: https://substack.com/@jeffksmithjr/p-195763168 Our version has its own TUI and was intended for semi-adversarial... - Source: Hacker News / about 22 hours ago
  • Why Isn't the Industry Freaking Out About DeepSeek 4.1 Flash?
    Https://substack.com/@rubenafo/note/c-332218129?r=26y5kn&utm_source=notes-share-action&utm_medium=web. - Source: Hacker News / 11 days ago
  • Effective Altruism Conquered the World
    Https://substack.com/@gurwinder/posts. - Source: Hacker News / 15 days ago

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Alternatives to Hasura and Substack

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