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Substack Chat VS PickThe.Games

Compare Substack Chat VS PickThe.Games and see what are their differences

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Contents:
  1. ยป Base Details
  2. ยป Reviews
  3. ยป Alternatives

Substack Chat logo Substack Chat

Your own private social network where you make the rules.

PickThe.Games logo PickThe.Games

Find multiplayer games your group can play together. Check crossplay compatibility across PC, PS5, Xbox, and Switch. Free game night picker for friend groups.
Visit Website
  • Substack Chat Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-04
  • PickThe.Games Home title
    Home title //
    2026-07-01
  • PickThe.Games Streamer live screen
    Streamer live screen //
    2026-07-01
  • PickThe.Games streamer vote screen
    streamer vote screen //
    2026-07-01
  • PickThe.Games pickthe.games/try
    pickthe.games/try //
    2026-07-01
  • PickThe.Games discord
    discord //
    2026-07-01
  • PickThe.Games game details
    game details //
    2026-07-01
  • PickThe.Games full home page
    full home page //
    2026-07-01
  • PickThe.Games games
    games //
    2026-07-01

What it does

Gaming groups waste time deciding what to play. Someone suggests a game, half the group doesn't own it. Someone else finds one that's free, but it doesn't have crossplay between PC and PlayStation. The conversation goes in circles.

PickThe.Games fixes this. One person creates a board, everyone joins and swipes through games (yes, no, maybe, or ban). The app already knows what's available on each platform and which games support crossplay between specific console pairs. After everyone swipes, it shows a ranked list of games that work for the group.

There's also a Discord bot that handles the whole flow inside Discord, and a new Streamer Mode where broadcasters share a link and their audience votes on what to play next.

Features

Swipe voting (yes, maybe, no, ban) on game cards
Platform matching across PC, PS5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
Crossplay compatibility checking between every platform pair
Discord bot with slash commands and embedded Activity
Streamer Mode with public voting and live OBS overlay
Anonymous try mode (swipe without an account)
6,100+ single player and multiplayer games
Free to use, all features included, optional ad-free subscription

Substack Chat

Website
on.substack.com
Platforms
-
Release Date
-
Categories -
Edit details

PickThe.Games

Website
pickthe.games
Platforms
Web Mobile iOS Android Discord
Release Date
2026 May
Startup details
Country
United Kingdom
Employees
1 - 9
Edit details

Substack Chat features and specs

  • Direct audience engagement
    Substack Chat allows writers to communicate directly with their subscribers in real time, fostering a deeper and more personal connection between creators and their audience beyond traditional newsletter formats.
  • Integrated with Substack ecosystem
    Chat is built directly into the Substack platform, meaning writers don't need to set up or manage a separate community tool. Subscribers can access it seamlessly alongside the newsletter, podcasts, and notes they already follow.
  • Segmentation options
    Writers can choose to make Chat available to all subscribers or restrict it to paid subscribers only, providing an additional incentive for readers to upgrade to a paid subscription and helping creators monetize their community.
  • Low barrier to entry
    Since Chat is a free built-in feature for Substack publishers, there's no additional cost or complex setup required. Writers can quickly launch a community space without needing technical expertise or third-party integrations.
  • Mobile-friendly experience
    Substack Chat is accessible through the Substack mobile app, making it convenient for both writers and subscribers to participate in conversations on the go, increasing engagement and accessibility.

Possible disadvantages of Substack Chat

  • Limited feature set compared to alternatives
    Substack Chat offers relatively basic messaging functionality compared to dedicated community platforms like Discord, Slack, or Circle. It lacks advanced features such as multiple channels, threads, bots, integrations, and rich media management.
  • Moderation challenges
    As a community grows, managing conversations and moderating content in Chat can become difficult. Substack provides limited moderation tools compared to more established community platforms, potentially leading to spam or off-topic discussions.
  • Platform lock-in
    Using Substack Chat ties your community to the Substack platform. If a writer decides to migrate to another newsletter or community platform, there's no easy way to export chat history or move the community elsewhere.
  • Notification overload for subscribers
    Active Chat groups can generate a high volume of messages, which may overwhelm subscribers with notifications. This can lead to subscriber fatigue and potentially cause people to mute or disengage from the community entirely.
  • Discoverability and organization issues
    Without robust threading, search, or channel organization, valuable conversations and information shared in Chat can quickly get buried in a stream of messages, making it hard for members to find or revisit important discussions.

PickThe.Games features and specs

  • Swipe Gestures
    Swipe voting (yes, maybe, no, ban) on game cards
  • Platform Compatibility
    Platform matching across PC, PS5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    Crossplay compatibility checking between every platform pair
  • Discord Bot
    Discord bot with slash commands and embedded Activity
  • Streamer Profiles
    Streamer Mode with public voting and live OBS overlay
  • Anonymity Options
    Anonymous try mode (swipe without an account)
  • Catalog
    6,100+ single player and multiplayer games
  • Free to Use
    Free to use, all features included, optional ad-free subscription

Analysis of Substack Chat

Overall verdict

  • Substack Chat is a solid lightweight community feature for newsletter creators who want direct, informal interaction with subscribers without needing a separate platform, but it's not a full-featured standalone messaging or community app.

Why this product is good

  • Integrates directly with existing Substack newsletters, so no separate sign-up is needed for subscribers
  • Enables real-time, informal conversation between writers and their audience, complementing longer-form posts
  • Simple, clean interface that's easy for both creators and readers to use
  • Free to use as part of the Substack platform
  • Helps build community and deepen reader engagement, potentially increasing subscriber loyalty and retention
  • Supports threaded discussions, reactions, and media sharing for richer interaction

Recommended for

  • Newsletter writers looking to build closer relationships with their subscriber base
  • Creators wanting a low-effort way to foster community without managing a separate Discord or Slack
  • Publications seeking to increase engagement and reduce churn among paid subscribers
  • Writers who want to test content ideas or get quick feedback from readers
  • Niche communities centered around a specific newsletter's topic

Analysis of PickThe.Games

Overall verdict

  • PickThe.Games appears to be a niche platform aimed at helping gamers discover and compare video games, offering curated lists, ratings, and recommendations. Based on available information, it seems to be a useful, straightforward tool for casual game discovery rather than a comprehensive gaming database or review authority like Metacritic or IGN. It's good for quick recommendations but may lack the depth, community reviews, or upโ€‘toโ€‘date content of larger platforms.

Why this product is good

  • Provides curated game recommendations based on genre, platform, or mood
  • Simple, easy-to-navigate interface for quick game discovery
  • Useful for finding lesser-known or niche titles that mainstream sites might overlook
  • Free to use with no paywalls for basic recommendations
  • Can save time compared to manually browsing large marketplaces like Steam or the App Store

Recommended for

  • Casual gamers looking for quick suggestions without extensive research
  • Users seeking niche or indie game recommendations
  • People who want a simple alternative to more complex review aggregator sites
  • Gamers exploring new genres or platforms and wanting curated starting points
  • Those who prefer lightweight tools over feature-heavy gaming databases

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Substack Chat and PickThe.Games)

Substack Chat

PickThe.Games

Productivity
100 100%
Productivity
0% 0
Gaming Analytics
0 0%
Gaming Analytics
100% 100
Writing Tools
100 100%
Writing Tools
0% 0
Gaming
0 0%
Gaming
100% 100

Questions & Answers

As answered by people managing Substack Chat and PickThe.Games.

What makes your product unique?

PickThe.Games's answer:

There is nothing like this on the market currently. It hits a real pain point and solves it!

How would you describe the primary audience of your product?

PickThe.Games's answer:

Anyone that spends 30minutes to DAYS with their friend group trying to decide on a game to play for the weekend, only to turn and play Rust again

Why should a person choose your product over its competitors?

PickThe.Games's answer:

No one is targetting console/pc crossplay. In an ever growing ecosystem where console continues to grow market share, it's time we assist and help the merging of PC gaming and Console gaming

What's the story behind your product?

PickThe.Games's answer:

My friends and I are always trying to find a good game to play. Takes a while - sometimes the game is too expensive, it doesnt support all of our platforms, it looks bad, it's not someones taste! And all of this effort is usually done by one or two people. PickTheGames takes away those pain points by giving everyone the option to pick the games they actually are interested in. So there's a clear list that says "We are ALL interested in this game"

Which are the primary technologies used for building your product?

PickThe.Games's answer:

Next.js, React, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, PostgreSQL, Prisma, Discord API, Node.js

User comments

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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Substack Chat and PickThe.Games, you can also consider the following products

Sparklip - Give Voice to Ideas

Threads - Making work more inclusive.

Floom - Send stunning flowers from NY's and London's best florists

Darto - Community platform that improves online discourse

Authorly - Read | Write | Explore - Connecting Authors

Chip - AI-powered chat bot that automates your savings ๐Ÿ’ธ

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