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Substack VS Polygon

Compare Substack VS Polygon and see what are their differences

Polymemo
A multilingual content platform supporting 200+ languages. Authors, readers, and translation investors create value together. featured
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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.

Polygon logo Polygon

Polygon is a video gaming website being operated by the Vox Media.
  • Substack Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-10-26
  • Polygon Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-17

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.

Polygon features and specs

  • Comprehensive Coverage
    Polygon provides extensive coverage of the video game industry, including news, reviews, features, and guides, offering readers a one-stop-shop for gaming-related content.
  • Diverse Content
    The site covers a wide range of topics beyond gaming, such as entertainment, comics, and technology, catering to a broad audience with varied interests.
  • High-Quality Writing
    Polygon is known for its well-researched and engaging articles, often providing in-depth analysis and critical perspectives on industry trends and new releases.
  • User-Friendly Design
    The website has an aesthetically pleasing and easy-to-navigate design, enhancing the overall user experience by making content easily accessible.
  • Podcasts and Videos
    Polygon offers multimedia content, including popular podcasts and video series, providing alternative formats for users who prefer audio or visual content.

Possible disadvantages of Polygon

  • Frequent Ads
    Users often encounter a significant number of advertisements and sponsored content, which can detract from the browsing experience and slow down page loading times.
  • Bias Perception
    Some readers perceive a bias in the coverage and reviews, believing that certain aspects of games or industry figures are not covered as objectively as they could be.
  • Comment Section Moderation
    The comment sections can sometimes be poorly moderated, leading to unproductive discussions or toxic behavior, which can negatively impact community engagement.
  • Content Overlap
    Given its diverse range of topics, some users may find that there is a lack of depth in specific areas, particularly in niche gaming topics where content can overlap with broader subjects.
  • Site Navigation Complexity
    While generally user-friendly, some users have reported difficulty finding older articles or navigating specific sections due to the volume of content on the site.

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

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

Polygon videos

+ Add

Polygon's $2,369 Siskiu Review: Value-Packed | 2021 Pinkbike Field Trip

More videos:

  • Review - Polygon (MATIC): Could It WIN The ETH Scaling Race?? ๐ŸŽ
  • Review - POLYGON - What Is POLYGON Token - How It Works -POLYGON MATIC Token Review

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Substack and Polygon)

Substack

Polygon

Blogging
100 100%
Blogging
0% 0
Game Reviews
0 0%
Game Reviews
100% 100
CMS
100 100%
CMS
0% 0
Movie Reviews
0 0%
Movie Reviews
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using Substack and Polygon. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Reviews

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

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

Polygon Reviews

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

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Substack should be more popular than Polygon. It has been mentiond 101 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 (101)

  • Ask HN: What are your favorite blogs not about AI?
    Https://substack.com/@yelluwcomedy. - Source: Hacker News / 1 day 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 / 10 days 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 / 6 days 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 / about 1 month 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 / about 1 month ago
View more

Polygon mentions (12)

  • Game websites
    Polygon (Polygon: Gaming and Entertainment News, Reviews, and More): Polygon focuses on providing in-depth features, analysis, and game reviews. It covers a wide range of gaming-related topics, including news, culture, and industry trends. Source: about 3 years ago
  • I know that this is about Magic and not strictly ttrpg but considering that it's still WOTC doing some very questionable practices I tought it was worth posting here-Magic publishers sent Pinkertons to YouTuberโ€™s house over leaked cards
    I mean, sure we've got this youtuber going "they made my wife cry and took the cards back" going through the filter of fucking polygon.com...which is known to be such an objective outlet in the first place... /s. Source: about 3 years ago
  • meirl
    I just asked Google, "what is good against flying" in reference to Pokemon types and it came back with a table from polygon.com showing what it's strong and weak against. I don't even have to say, "Pokemon, flying type, strong against". I can just type the query as I think it now. Source: over 3 years ago
  • pfblockerng and Safari on iOS - Getting some blank pages on first load for a few sites
    So I recently installed pfblockerng (devel version) on PFsense. On my Mac and Windows in both Safari and Chrome I have no issues loading pages at all. However, when I'm on my iPhone and using Safari and I visit a site like polygon.com or 9to5mac.com on first load most of the time I'll get a blank page. The page will then load correctly on 2nd load (refresh). Source: over 3 years ago
  • Want to flip a domain for 25,000 USD or more?
    This domain contains a word โ€œPOLYGONโ€ which refers to a trending polygon technology. Polygon is a decentralised Ethereum scaling platform that enables developers to build scalable user-friendly dApps with low transaction fees without ever sacrificing on security. polygon.com is worth more than 25,000 USD at present (Potential to sell in millions). This is going to be trending in future just like bitcoin was... Source: almost 4 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Substack and Polygon, 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.

GameSpot - GameSpot is the world's leading source for PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U, PS Vita, Wii, PC, 3DS, and DS video game news, reviews, previews, trailers, walkthroughs, and more.

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

IGN - IGN is your #1 destination for all video game news, expert reviews, and walkthroughs.

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

Kotaku - Kotaku is the definitive digital hub for video game news, reviews, cheats, design, and...

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