Software Alternatives & Startups

Substack VS Blocks

Compare Substack VS Blocks and see what are their differences

Substack

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

Substack Landing page
Rating
0 reviews
Blocks

Empowering designers to build great websites without writing a line of code. For web and OS X.

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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?

Based on our record, Substack seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 105 times since March 2021.

social mentions
105 vs 0
Blogging popularity
100% vs 0%

Base details

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

Substack
Blocks
Website substack.com tryblocks.com
Company Startup from the United States
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Substack 6 features
Blocks 5 features
  • 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.
  • Ease of Use
    Blocks offers an intuitive and user-friendly interface that allows users to create websites and web applications without needing extensive coding knowledge.
  • Customizability
    It provides a range of customizable templates and elements, making it easy to tailor designs to specific needs and preferences.
  • Speed of Development
    Users can quickly assemble web pages and applications, significantly reducing development time compared to traditional coding methods.
  • Responsive Design
    Blocks ensures that all designs are responsive and mobile-friendly, which is essential for modern web usage.
  • Integration Capabilities
    The platform supports integration with various third-party tools and services, enhancing its functionality and utility.

Possible disadvantages

  • Limited Advanced Customization
    While Blocks is highly customizable, there may be limitations for users who require deep, advanced customization or specific code-level adjustments.
  • Subscription Costs
    Blocks operates on a subscription model, which could be a con for users or small businesses with tight budgets.
  • Dependency on Platform
    Users are dependent on the Blocks platform for maintenance and updates, which could be a risk if the platform faces technical issues or goes out of business.
  • Learning Curve for Non-designers
    Despite its ease of use, there may still be a learning curve for users without any design background to fully harness the platform's capabilities.
  • Performance Limitations
    Compared to hand-coded websites, there might be performance limitations and less optimization potential when using a drag-and-drop builder like Blocks.

Analysis

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

Substack
Blocks

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

No analysis of Blocks yet.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Substack 5 videos + Add
Blocks 2 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

ROLI Blocks Review

More videos

  • Review - SEABOARD BLOCK - is it good?!? | ROLI Blocks Impressions

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
Substack
Blocks
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
CMS
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using Substack and Blocks. 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.

Substack no reviews yet
Blocks no reviews yet

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

Social recommendations and mentions

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

Substack 105 mentions
Blocks 0 mentions
  • Benchmarking Qwen3.8 27B quantizations: 4-bit holds up, 1-bit collapses
    For anyone that would like to see more quantizations tested, I can highly recommend paying a few bucks for oobabooga's testing, which is published on his Substack: https://substack.com/@oobabooga. - Source: Hacker News / 8 days ago
  • Discovery of a new OpenAI agent message board
    Reminds me of this meme: https://substack.com/@tomasbjartur/note/c-323840878?r=6cjtqn. - Source: Hacker News / 12 days ago
  • How accurate have Ed Zitron's AI skeptic predictions been?
    Valid criticisms of AI - safety critics who think AI can take over the world like Yud (I find this the least credible but still valid) - Bernie type of critics who think AI can cause widespread job losses - Ruxandra Teslo who thinks AI... - Source: Hacker News / 15 days ago

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Tracking Blocks since Mar 2021.

Alternatives to Substack and Blocks

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