Jekyll VS Substack

Compare Jekyll 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

Contents:

» Base Details
» Videos
» Reviews
» Alternatives

Jekyll

Jekyll is a simple, blog aware, static site generator.

Substack

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

Landing page //
2023-01-17

Landing page //
2022-10-26

Jekyll

Website: jekyllrb.com
$ Details
Startup details
Country: United States

Edit details

Substack

Website: substack.com
$ Details: -
Startup details
Country: United States

Edit details

Jekyll features and specs

Speed and Performance
Jekyll generates static websites, which means they load faster compared to dynamic websites. No database queries are required, reducing server overhead and improving performance.
Security
Static sites have a smaller attack surface compared to dynamic sites because they don't rely on databases or server-side code. This means fewer vectors for potential compromises.
Simplicity
Jekyll setups are relatively straightforward, especially if you are comfortable writing in Markdown and HTML. This can make it easier to manage and maintain your website.
Integration with GitHub Pages
Jekyll is designed to work seamlessly with GitHub Pages, allowing you to host your website for free with automatic deployment directly from your GitHub repository.
Customizability
Jekyll allows for extensive customization through its support for plugins, themes, and templates. This can be helpful to create a unique look and functionality for your website.

Possible disadvantages of Jekyll

Learning Curve
While Jekyll is simpler than some other static site generators, it does require some familiarity with the command line, version control (Git), and YAML configuration.
Build Time
For large websites, the build times can become lengthy, which can slow down the development process, especially if you are making frequent updates.
Lack of Real-time Content Updates
Since Jekyll generates static sites, real-time content updates (e.g., comments, dynamic forms) aren't natively supported and require third-party services or additional tooling.
Dependence on Ruby
Jekyll is built with Ruby, so you will need to have Ruby installed and occasionally deal with Ruby-specific issues. This might be a drawback for developers who are not familiar with the Ruby ecosystem.
Limited Built-in Functionality
While Jekyll is very flexible, it doesn’t have built-in support for many features out of the box, which might require you to manually implement or rely on plugins.

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 Jekyll

Overall verdict

Jekyll is a good choice for individuals and organizations looking for a straightforward, reliable, and efficient way to build static websites. Its strengths include simplicity, flexibility, and strong community support, which contribute to a smooth development experience.

Why this product is good

Jekyll is a popular static site generator that is widely appreciated for its simplicity, speed, and ease of use. It is particularly suited for creating blogs and simple websites, leveraging Markdown and Liquid templates to generate static HTML content. Its integration with GitHub Pages also makes it a convenient choice for developers and non-developers alike who want to host their sites directly from their GitHub repositories without additional setup or cost.

Recommended for

Bloggers and content creators looking for a simple way to publish content online.
Developers who prefer writing in Markdown and managing content with a version control system.
Users who want to host their sites for free using GitHub Pages.
Anyone in need of a static site generator that is easy to set up, customize, and maintain with minimal resources.

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

Jekyll videos

+ Add

Getting Started With Jekyll, The Static Site Generator

Substack videos

+ Add

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

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Jekyll and Substack)

Substack

CMS

83 83%

CMS

17% 17

Blogging

77 77%

Blogging

23% 23

Static Site Generators

100 100%

Static Site Generators

0% 0

Creators

0 0%

Creators

100% 100

User comments

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

Reviews

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

Jekyll Reviews

Best Gitbook Alternatives You Need to Try in 2023

Jekyll is a static site generator often used to create blogs and websites, similar to Gitbook in its ability to generate documentation from markdown files. Jekyll is built in Ruby and is known for its flexibility and ease of use. It also has a large community and a wide variety of plugins and themes available. Jekyll's main advantage is that it is highly customizable,...

Source: www.archbee.com

11 Popular Free And Open Source WordPress CMS alternatives in 2021

Unlike some listed alternatives, Jekyll is also a static site generator so it lays in the same category. It uses Ruby and we would say it's simpler, free, and open-source CMS software.

Source: medevel.com

10 static site generators to watch in 2021

Perhaps most conveniently described as Jekyll implemented with JavaScript rather than Ruby, Eleventy has now moved beyond that while retaining a clear and simple on-ramp, and only shipping to the browser what you tell it too. As with Jekyll and Hugo, no JavaScript frameworks are auto-baked in.

Source: www.netlify.com

Hugo vs Jekyll: an Epic Battle of Static Site Generator Themes

Jekyll isn’t strict with its content location. It expects pages in the root of your site, and will build whatever’s there. Here’s how you might organize these pages in your Jekyll site root:

Source: www.freecodecamp.org

9 Reasons I Think Craft is the Best CMS on the Market Today

Craft CMS is simple, minimalistic, agile and has every capability a modern CMS framework needs. Over the past ten years we have worked with every CMS you could think of (Wordpress, Drupal, Rails+ActiveAdmin, Ghost, Weebly, DjangoCMS, Jekyll, Joomla, Tumblr, Squarespace, Expression Engine, Statamic, Blogger)… here are the reasons why we’ve landed firmly with Craft as our №1...

Source: hackernoon.com

Substack Reviews

25+ Medium Alternative Platforms for Publishing Articles

Substack offers writers of all experience levels the ability to write an email newsletter that’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 it’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 sеts Substack apart is its sеamlеss intеgration of contеnt crеation and subscription-basеd monеtization. Substack’s usеr-friеndly intеrfacе, distribution tools, and support for various contеnt formats make it a popular choice for indеpеndеnt crеators looking to connеct dirеctly with thеir audiеncе and turn thеir passion into a sustainablе incomе strеam.

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 we’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, Jekyll should be more popular than Substack. It has been mentiond 203 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.

Jekyll mentions (203)

Setting up a hugo static site hosted with Porkbun
This is a static site generated with hugo with the PaperMod theme. I wanted an easy to use static site generator. I considered Jekyll And believe it to be a good choice for static sites. There seemed to be slightly more themes I liked with Hugo so I went with that. That's a pretty superficial choice but I also don't plan on hacking on the Site generation itself so I was agnostic to the Go versus Ruby choice. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
So, you want to vibecode a linkblog?
First of all, I modified my publishing programs to keep a (local) copy of each link published modulePublicationCache and then I thought about using it for my linkblog. I like very much jekyll for a blog and I requested to some AIs (mainly Qwen and Gemini) to help me to develop a blog based on the links I has posted the previous day, prepare a list with them, and prepare a Jekyll post. I also requested to set up a... - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
Migrating from Jekyll to Hugo... or not
I started this blog on WordPress. After several years, I decided to migrate to Jekyll. I have been happy with Jekyll so far. It's based on Ruby, and though I'm no Ruby developer, I was able to create a few plugins. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
Introducing Ⓜ️ Meddler! A Medium Export Converter
So, I created Ⓜ️ Meddler, a command-line tool and website that will take the .ZIP of your export that Medium gives you and turn it into clean, portable Markdown formats for Jekyll, Hugo, Eleventy, or Astro.js. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
Introducing: Postwave
After writing your posts in Markdown you can then display them however you'd like on your site through the built in Postwave Ruby client. This is where Postwave differs from static blog engines like Jekyll or Hugo which take the Markdown posts and generate a site for you. - Source: dev.to / 10 months ago

Substack mentions (98)

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 Mussolini‘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 / 16 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 / 22 days 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
CBP Directive 3340-049B: Border Search of Electronic Devices
The vast majority of people from the developed world have no problems going through any border in the developed world. Your experience is probably representative, but that's not what we're talking about. My understanding is that de facto you have no rights at all in China. The Americans take this sort of thing very seriously, which is why it's in the news and talked about. Some guy gets imprisoned for 37... - Source: Hacker News / about 1 month ago
GitHub – DOS 1.0: Transcription of Tim Paterson's DOS Printouts
There was never a serious claim DOS copied CP/M code. The controversy was mostly about legality of reimplementation of the API, plus some pretty vague claims about copying the design: https://substack.com/@nemanjatrifunovic/note/p-178321556. - Source: Hacker News / 2 months ago

What are some alternatives?

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

Hugo - Hugo is a general-purpose website framework for generating static web pages.

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

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.

WordPress - WordPress is web software you can use to create a beautiful website or blog. We like to say that WordPress is both free and priceless at the same time.

Buttondown - Buttondown is the best way to start and run your newsletter

GitHub Pages - A free, static web host for open-source projects on GitHub

WordPress vs Substack

Buttondown vs Jekyll

Buttondown vs Substack