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Substack VS ConvertKit

Compare Substack VS ConvertKit and see what are their differences

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

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.

ConvertKit logo ConvertKit

Email marketing software for online creators. We help you earn a living online through an intuitive email marketing automation tool.
  • Substack Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-10-26
  • ConvertKit Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-05

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.

ConvertKit features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    ConvertKit offers a user-friendly interface that is straightforward to navigate, making it easy for beginners to set up and use.
  • Automation
    The platform provides robust automation features, allowing users to set up complex email funnels and sequences efficiently.
  • Landing Pages
    ConvertKit includes built-in landing page templates that allow users to quickly create high-converting landing pages.
  • Segmentation
    Users can easily segment their audience based on various factors to send more targeted and personalized emails.
  • Integrations
    ConvertKit integrates with numerous third-party applications and services, facilitating seamless workflow and data synchronization.
  • Support
    Offers excellent customer support, including live chat and email support, as well as a rich knowledge base and community.
  • Affiliate Program
    Provides a lucrative affiliate program that allows users to earn commissions by promoting ConvertKit.

Possible disadvantages of ConvertKit

  • Pricing
    ConvertKit is relatively more expensive compared to some other email marketing platforms, which may be a deterrent for small businesses and startups.
  • Limited Design Flexibility
    Although the templates are clean and functional, ConvertKit lacks the advanced design customization options available in some other platforms.
  • Basic Email Templates
    The email templates are relatively basic and limited in variety, which may not suit users looking for elaborate design options.
  • No Free Plan
    ConvertKit does not offer a free plan beyond the initial trial period, which can be a limitation for users not ready to commit financially.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    While basic functionalities are easy to use, there may be a learning curve for some of the more advanced features and automations.

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 ConvertKit

Overall verdict

  • ConvertKit is a good choice for those who prioritize ease of use and effective email marketing automation, particularly if they are content creators or entrepreneurs seeking a straightforward yet powerful platform.

Why this product is good

  • ConvertKit is generally well-regarded because of its user-friendly interface, powerful automation features, and robust email marketing capabilities tailored specifically for content creators. It offers seamless integration with various platforms and has a supportive community. It lacks the overwhelming complexity of some larger competitors, making it accessible for smaller teams and individuals.

Recommended for

  • Bloggers
  • Podcasters
  • YouTubers
  • Small business owners
  • Online course creators
  • Freelancers and consultants

Substack 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

ConvertKit videos

+ Add

ConvertKit Review - Don't Buy Until You See This! (Top 5 Reasons NOT to use ConvertKit)

More videos:

  • Review - Convertkit Review - Why It's the Best Email Marketing Platform for Bloggers!
  • Review - Convertkit Review- Email Marketing Autoresponder Overview

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Substack and ConvertKit)

Substack

ConvertKit

Blogging
100 100%
Blogging
0% 0
Email Marketing
0 0%
Email Marketing
100% 100
CMS
100 100%
CMS
0% 0
Email Marketing Platforms
0 0%
Email Marketing Platforms
100% 100

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 ConvertKit

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.
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 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?
Source: www.indiehackers.com

ConvertKit Reviews

10 Best Campaign Monitor Alternatives You Can Find
If you are a content creator or active in such activities, then ConvertKit can be an effective Campaign Monitor alternative for you. You can also review some of the finest ConvertKit alternatives.
Source: mailbluster.com
Comparing 16 Campaign Monitor Alternatives: In-depth Analysis
Migrating from other ESPs to ConvertKit is free. Over 500K creators use ConvertKit. It is loved particularly for its intuitive interface and excellent list management feature.
Source: www.engagebay.com
The 6 Best Campaign Monitor Alternatives for 2024
CategoryConvertKitCampaign MonitorBest FeatureAdvanced email template customizationUser-friendly interfacePros1. Flexible design and customization2. Intuitive drag-and-drop editor3. Seamless integration with other tools1. Easy-to-use email editor2. Beautiful customizable templates3. In-depth reporting and analyticsCons1. Limited advanced automation capabilities2. Higher...
Source: www.activecampaign.com
The 10 best landing page builders + the top features you should always look for!
ConvertKit landing pages were designed by world-class pros to be fully customizable and give you the quick data to improve your conversion rates and grow your business.
Source: convertkit.com
12 Top Campaign Monitor Alternatives & Competitors
Summary: ConvertKit is unique in that it is built very intentionally with bloggers and other online storytellers in mind, featuring easy to build visual automations and smart segementations. Itโ€™s a bit pricey for what it offers, but if you are an author, blogger, newsletter creator or brand marketer, it fits like a glove.
Source: thedigitalmerchant.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Substack should be more popular than ConvertKit. It has been mentiond 102 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 (102)

  • Writing by Hand is Good for your Brain
    It's ironic that the article that caused him to write this post (https://substack.com/@justindeschamps/note/c-261265212?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=7y05q) is written by AI. I see this style of informational writing all over the place now. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 month ago
  • Ask HN: What are your favorite blogs not about AI?
    Https://substack.com/@yelluwcomedy. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 month ago
  • Kids (With Phones) Are Alright
    Sure there was basically a cartel in social media. You saw coordinated censorship campaigns to ban the former president of the United States for example. But I wouldn't discount the amount of political interference there as well. The last administration admitted to flagging individual posts for the social media companies. But it's also true there is a lot of coordinated censorship even without state interference.... - Source: Hacker News / about 2 months ago
  • Financing the AI boom: from cash flows to debt [pdf]
    Manhattan Project: $36B, 5 years โ–ซ Apollo Program: $257B, 14 years โ–ซ Interstate Highway System: $620B, 37 years โ–ซ AI data centers: $930B, 6 years and still accelerating From: https://substack.com/@rubendominguez/note/c-244929068. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 month ago
  • 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 / 2 months ago
View more

ConvertKit mentions (22)

  • Ask HN: What Are You Working On? (October 2025)
    Https://SaasCustomDomains.com, it started as a side project while I was working on https://sparkloop.app. https://kit.com acquired SparkLoop and I decided to go full-time on SaaS Custom Domains. It's basically a reverse-proxy-as-a-service. I handle TLS termination and cert management, offer routing rules, rate limiting, WAF + DDOS protection, proxy + web analytics, redirects etc. All accessible via very simple... - Source: Hacker News / 11 months ago
  • Adding Multiple Authors to my Astro Writing Blog: A Technical Walkthrough
    At the end of last year, my brothers and I wrote our first novel together (The Battle for Christmas: Reign of the Nutcrackers). That experience inspired us to continue writing together, starting with a monthly newsletter with short stories. At this point, we decided we wanted a website. We had been using Kit to send emails, and we liked that functionality, but as our writing resumes grow, we also wanted to have a... - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • Low/no code signup/demo page for startup?
    Iโ€™ve used https://convertkit.com/ for this in the past. - Source: Hacker News / about 3 years ago
  • Minimalist email subscription/newsletter for website?
    ConvertKit is my go to and still is for now. Source: about 3 years ago
  • From Pizza Hut to YouTube - Embracing Life's Adventures
    One lazy Saturday afternoon, a sudden epiphany struck me like lightning. I decided to seize every moment and pursue my bucket list dreams while capturing them on YouTube. My aim is to inspire others to cherish their time and embrace life's adventures with a newfound zeal. I want you to do the things on your bucket list. When I was sick and thought I was dying. The one thing that ruminated in my head was "I just... Source: about 3 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

ActiveCampaign - Integrated email marketing, marketing automation, and small business CRM. Send beautiful newsletters, setup behavioral based automations, and benefit from sales automation.

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