Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Substack VS Brevo

Compare Substack VS Brevo and see what are their differences

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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.

Brevo logo Brevo

Innovative online Email Marketing solution to manage your contacts, create & send your newsletters and track your results. More than 80 000 clients. Best prices and attractive features.
  • Substack Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-10-26
  • Brevo Landing page
    Landing page //
    2026-04-29

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.

Brevo features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Brevo offers a clean, intuitive interface that is easy to navigate for both beginners and experienced users. This makes setup and ongoing use straightforward, allowing users to focus on their core messaging strategies.
  • Comprehensive Analytics
    Brevo provides in-depth analytics and reporting tools that help users track campaign performance, understand user engagement, and optimize future messaging efforts.
  • Customization Options
    The platform offers a wide range of customization options for email templates, allowing users to create unique, branded messages that resonate with their audience.
  • Automation Features
    Brevo includes robust automation tools that enable users to set up automated workflows for email campaigns, helping to save time and improve efficiency.
  • Customer Support
    Brevo offers solid customer support through various channels, including live chat, email, and a comprehensive knowledge base. This ensures users can get help when they need it.
  • Integration Compatibility
    The platform integrates seamlessly with many popular CRM systems and other third-party applications, allowing for a more cohesive marketing and sales strategy.

Possible disadvantages of Brevo

  • Price Point
    Brevo's pricing can be on the higher side, making it less accessible for small businesses or startups with limited budgets. The cost could be prohibitive for extensive use over long periods.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    While the basic functions are easy to use, some advanced features have a steep learning curve, which may require additional time and resources to master.
  • Limited Template Variety
    Although Brevo offers customization, the range of available templates is somewhat limited compared to other platforms, potentially restricting creative options for users.
  • Occasional Deliverability Issues
    Some users have reported issues with email deliverability, such as messages landing in spam folders. These issues can impact campaign effectiveness and require monitoring.
  • Resource Intensive
    The platform can be resource-intensive, potentially slowing down other applications or requiring more robust hardware, which could be a drawback for users with limited IT 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

Analysis of Brevo

Overall verdict

  • Brevo is generally considered a good option for businesses of all sizes due to its comprehensive feature set, flexible pricing, and ease of use. It is especially favorable for small to medium-sized enterprises due to its scalability and affordability.

Why this product is good

  • Brevo, formerly known as Sendinblue, is a popular email marketing and automation platform. It is known for offering a comprehensive suite of tools that include email marketing, SMS marketing, chat, CRM, and marketing automation. Its pricing models are competitive, with a free tier that provides essential features for startups and small businesses. The platform is user-friendly, with robust analytics, and good deliverability rates, making it a reliable choice for businesses looking to engage with their audience effectively.

Recommended for

  • Small to medium-sized businesses looking for a cost-effective email marketing solution.
  • Startups seeking a user-friendly platform with a free tier for initial growth.
  • Businesses needing an integrated marketing platform with CRM and automation features.
  • Organizations that require multilingual support for diverse customer bases.

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

Brevo videos

Sendinblue Review - It's affordable, but is it any good?

More videos:

  • Review - SendinBlue Review - The Pros & Cons of the Newsletter Tool
  • Review - SendinBlue Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives
  • Review - Brevo Review (Formerly Sendinblue): Best Email Marketing Platform?
  • Review - Brevo Review (2024): Pros, Cons & The Real Cost to Your Business
  • Review - Brevo Review: The Ultimate Email Marketing Solution?

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Substack and Brevo)
Blogging
100 100%
0% 0
Email Marketing
0 0%
100% 100
CMS
100 100%
0% 0
Email Marketing Platforms

User comments

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Reviews

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

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?

Brevo Reviews

  1. luckys
    ยท Co-Founder at Drumbeats.io ยท
    Easy and fast

    300emails/day rich free tier helped us to develop drumbeats.io. It has fast setup time, easy to explore features and good deliverability. Will work with Brevo more.

    ๐Ÿ Competitors: Postmark, Resend
    ๐Ÿ‘ Pros:    Free basic plan|Gdpr compliant
    ๐Ÿ‘Ž Cons:    Offers various pricing plans

10 Best CRMs for WooCommerce 2026: Pricing, Features, and Honest Verdicts
Brevo is the ultimate budget-friendly all-in-one platform. Its biggest differentiator is that it charges based on emails sent, not the number of contacts in your database. This makes it incredibly cheap for stores with massive lists that donโ€™t email every single day.
Source: crmlytics.com
7 Best Klaviyo Alternatives forย Shopify Stores on a Budget
Brevo is a robust platform designed to recover carts, promote sales, and send tailored messages through multiple channels. If you run a small business that needs all these features, Brevo could be a great, affordable solution for you.
10 Best Twilio Alternatives & Competitors in 2024 (Affordable & Best)
Brevo, formerly Sendinblue, is a SaaS solution for relationship marketing, offering an integrated all-in-one marketing platform. The platform comes with several comprehensive features, including robust automation capabilities, multichannel messaging options, and detailed reporting tools.
Source: doubletick.io
Comparing 16 Campaign Monitor Alternatives: In-depth Analysis
Third on our list of Campaign Monitor alternatives is Brevo, formerly Sendinblue. Its advanced segmentation allows you to segment and categorize your contact database into multiple lists, which helps you send targeted emails and convert leads faster.
The 6 Best Campaign Monitor Alternatives for 2024
Brevo is an excellent alternative to Campaign Monitor when it comes to SMS marketing, offering core strengths that cater specifically to this type of marketing strategy. One of Brevoโ€™s standout features is its focus on SMS automation and personalization. It provides robust tools that allow businesses to automate their SMS campaigns, segment their audience, and send targeted,...

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Substack should be more popular than Brevo. It has been mentiond 98 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.

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 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 / 18 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 / 24 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 โ€“ 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
View more

Brevo mentions (14)

  • CLEAN Hosting for an SMTP server?
    If you want more smooth delivery process you can also use SMTP relay services like AWS SES, sendinblue.com, smtp2go.com. Source: about 3 years ago
  • [Showoff Saturday] I created cybernated -- the unified crypto newsletter for all the latest happenings around the crypto space (this includes all the different outlets)
    This is essentially a watered down version of the "MVC" architecture. I use http lib of node for server and requests, cheerio for webscraping and Sendinblue for sending the emails and mongodb (atlas) for storing all of the data. I am a beginner in backend tech, so I am tryna learn, open to any input. Source: over 3 years ago
  • free VPS SMTP relay?
    I got it working with sendinblue.com it allows up to 300 per day and is not hassle at all to setup! :). Source: over 3 years ago
  • Anyone Expeirence with SMTP Problems (bounces etc.)?
    In the mean time, I got integration working with sendinblue.com, which was fairly easy. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Best Email practices, tips and tricks
    Always use a specific service for newsletters and transactional emails, such as Mailchimp or Sendinblue. - Source: dev.to / over 3 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

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

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

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

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.

GetResponse - Email marketing from GetResponse. Send email newsletters, campaigns, online surveys and follow-up autoresponders. Simple, easy interface. FREE sign up.

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

MailerLite - Affordable Email Marketing Software. Get all features (Segmentation, Automation, A/B testing) for up to 1,000 subscribers & send unlimited emails for free!