Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Substack VS Textual Blog

Compare Substack VS Textual Blog and see what are their differences

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.

Textual Blog logo Textual Blog

Write freely, publish globally, load instantly.
  • Substack Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-10-26
  • Textual Blog Homepage
    Homepage //
    2024-09-03
  • Textual Blog Blogs
    Blogs //
    2024-09-03
  • Textual Blog Blog Details
    Blog Details //
    2024-09-03

Textual is a minimalist blogging platform designed for writers who value simplicity and speed. It strips away the complexities often associated with online publishing, offering a straightforward path from writing to worldwide distribution.

Concept

At its core, Textual embraces a "write anywhere, publish easily" philosophy. The platform doesn't provide a built-in editor or a complex dashboard. Instead, it allows users to craft their content in any Markdown-compatible environment they prefer and then upload their files to publish.

Technology

Leveraging a global content delivery network, Textual ensures that blogs load quickly for readers worldwide. This focus on performance extends to the publishing process, with a drag-and-drop interface that makes updating a blog as simple as moving a file.

User Experience

Textual caters to bloggers who want to focus solely on their writing. The absence of intricate customization options or built-in editing tools creates a distraction-free environment. This approach appeals to those who prefer to shape their content offline and use their blogging platform purely as a publishing and distribution tool.

Accessibility

All of Textual's features are free, without premium tiers or upsells. This democratized approach to blogging tools aims to make quality hosting and distribution accessible to all writers, regardless of their technical skills or budget.

Longevity

A key promise of Textual is the permanence of content. The platform commits to keeping blogs online indefinitely, addressing concerns about the long-term availability of published work that can arise with other services.

Textual represents a back-to-basics approach in blogging, emphasizing the core elements of writing and sharing over complex features and designs. It's a platform for those who believe good content should speak for itself.

Substack

$ Details
-
Platforms
-
Release Date
-

Textual Blog

$ Details
free
Platforms
Web
Release Date
2024 September
Startup details
Country
Canada
State
BC
City
Victoria
Founder(s)
Nicholas Rempel
Employees
1 - 9

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.

Textual Blog features and specs

  • Drag-and-Drop Publishing
    Upload Markdown files directly to publish posts without a complex interface
  • Content Delivery Network
    Global server network ensures fast loading times for readers worldwide
  • Permanent Web Hosting
    Your content stays online indefinitely, ensuring long-term availability of your posts

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

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

Textual Blog videos

No Textual Blog videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Add video

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Substack and Textual Blog)
Blogging
97 97%
3% 3
Blogging Tools
0 0%
100% 100
Blogging Platform
96 96%
4% 4
Creators
100 100%
0% 0

Questions and Answers

As answered by people managing Substack and Textual Blog.

What makes your product unique?

Textual Blog's answer:

Textual Blog stands out for its minimalist approach, focusing on simplicity and speed. It offers a distraction-free publishing experience with drag-and-drop Markdown file uploads, global content delivery, and permanent web hosting, allowing writers to concentrate solely on their content without the complexities of traditional blogging platforms.

Why should a person choose your product over its competitors?

Textual Blog's answer:

Textual Blog is recommended for its streamlined publishing process, fast global content delivery, and commitment to content longevity. It's ideal for writers who prefer working with their own Markdown editors and want a no-frills platform that prioritizes content over complex features or design customization.

Which are the primary technologies used for building your product?

Textual Blog's answer:

The primary technologies used for building Textual are:

Rust: A systems programming language known for its performance and safety, likely used for backend services and core functionality.

SvelteKit: a modern web application framework built on Svelte that creates the front-end user interface and handles server-side rendering.

GCP (Google Cloud Platform): A suite of cloud computing services used for hosting, scaling, and managing the infrastructure, including services like Cloud Storage, Cloud CDN, and Compute Engine.

These technologies combine to create a fast, efficient, and scalable blogging platform that aligns with Textual's focus on simplicity and performance.

User comments

Share your experience with using Substack and Textual Blog. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

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

Substack Reviews

25+ Medium Alternative Platforms for Publishing Articles
Substack offers writers of all experience levels the ability to write an email newsletter that’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 it’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 sеts Substack apart is its sеamlеss intеgration of contеnt crеation and subscription-basеd monеtization. Substack’s usеr-friеndly intеrfacе, distribution tools, and support for various contеnt formats make it a popular choice for indеpеndеnt crеators looking to connеct dirеctly with thеir audiеncе and turn thеir passion into a sustainablе incomе strеam.
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 we’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?

Textual Blog Reviews

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

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Substack seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 89 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 (89)

View more

Textual Blog mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Textual Blog yet. Tracking of Textual Blog recommendations started around Sep 2024.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Substack and Textual Blog, 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.

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

WordPress - WordPress is web software you can use to create a beautiful website or blog. We like to say that WordPress is both free and priceless at the same time.

Svbtle - Svbtle, a new kind of magazine.

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

TinyLetter - Start writing your own newsletter instantly.