Software Alternatives & Startups

Substack VS Embedly

Compare Substack VS Embedly 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.

Rating
0 reviews
Embedly

Embedly helps publishers and consumers manage embed codes from websites and APIs.

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 should be more popular than Embedly. It has been mentioned 111 times since March 2021.

social mentions
111 vs 13
Blogging popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
240+ vs 83

Base details

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

Substack
Embedly
Website substack.com embed.ly
Pricing —
Company Startup from the United States —
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Substack 6 features
Embedly 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
    Embedly provides a simple API that allows developers to embed content from a wide variety of sources with minimal effort.
  • Content Versatility
    Supports embedding content from many major providers such as YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and more, enhancing the versatility of web content.
  • Customization
    Offers customizable embed options so developers can tailor the appearance and behavior of the embedded content to fit their needs.
  • Aggregated Data
    Provides enriched metadata from embedded content, which could be useful for SEO and content analysis.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    Embeds are responsive and work well across different devices and platforms, providing a consistent user experience.

Possible disadvantages

  • Cost
    Embedly offers a freemium model, but the free tier has limitations, and the premium plans can be expensive for small businesses or individual developers.
  • Dependency
    Relying on a third-party service means developers are dependent on Embedly for uptime and performance, which could be a potential risk if the service experiences issues.
  • Privacy Concerns
    Using Embedly means sharing data with a third-party service, which could raise privacy concerns depending on the type of content being embedded.
  • Limitations in Custom Sources
    While Embedly supports many major providers, it may not support lesser-known or niche content sources, which could be a drawback for certain use cases.
  • API Rate Limits
    The API has rate limits even on premium plans, which could be restrictive for high-traffic websites or applications requiring extensive embedding.

Analysis

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

Substack
Embedly

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

Overall verdict

  • Embedly is generally considered a good option for content embedding due to its comprehensive API and ease of use.

Why this product is good

  • Embedly provides a robust platform that allows developers to easily embed multimedia content from a wide range of sources. The service simplifies the process of extracting and displaying content such as images, videos, and articles by providing a unified API. It supports a vast number of providers and offers customization options, making it a flexible tool for developers. Additionally, Embedly delivers content in a mobile-optimized way, ensuring a better user experience across different devices.

Recommended for

  • Developers looking to integrate multimedia content into websites or applications
  • Content creators and publishers who want to enrich their platforms with external content
  • Web and mobile app developers needing a simple solution for embedding content from multiple sources

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Substack 5 videos + Add
Embedly 1 video + Add

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

More videos

  • - E1016 Substack CEO Chris Best empowers writers via email newsletter platform, raised $15M from a16z
  • - Why EVERYONE should be on Substack | What it is, How it Works, $$$
  • - Beehiiv vs Substack (2024) - Which is Better?
  • - My Experience with SUBSTACK: An Honest Review of Substack

Tips On Embedding In Blogs And Websites Using Embedly

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
Embedly
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 Embedly. 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
Embedly no reviews yet

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

Social recommendations and mentions

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

Substack 111 mentions
Embedly 13 mentions
  • UK Defence Startups Are Being Denied Banking Services Under ESG Rules
    Books have already been written on this, some as early as 1945 (That Hideous Strength, C.S. Lewis). Otherwise I can recommend basically everything by Curtis Yarvin and Kevin Dolan (https://substack.com/@exitgroup,... - Source: Hacker News / 11 days ago
  • Show HN: Sphinx – a hook that quizzes you on your AI agent's code before push
    We built something quite similar 6 months ago called PEAK (Proof of Effort And Knowledge). Blog post and YT video here: https://substack.com/@jeffksmithjr/p-195763168 Our version has its own TUI and was intended for semi-adversarial... - Source: Hacker News / 13 days ago
  • Why Isn't the Industry Freaking Out About DeepSeek 4.1 Flash?
    Https://substack.com/@rubenafo/note/c-332218129?r=26y5kn&utm_source=notes-share-action&utm_medium=web. - Source: Hacker News / 23 days ago

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  • Automod remove videos less than 1second long?
    You can see what kinds of properties you can see for media - I fed the URL of a video into embed.ly as that document suggested, but none of the fields returned gave me a video length... You may want to try with one of the images posted... Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Embedding videos on reddit
    Some people report success with getting approved by https://embed.ly/, others report that service never responded to them. Source: over 3 years ago
  • free-for.dev
    Embed.ly — Provides APIs for embedding media in a webpage, responsive image scaling, extracting elements from a webpage. Free for up to 5,000 URLs/month at 15 requests/second. - Source: dev.to / almost 4 years ago

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Alternatives to Substack and Embedly

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