Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Substack VS unDraw

Compare Substack VS unDraw and see what are their differences

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.

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.

unDraw logo unDraw

Open-source illustrations for every project you can imagine and create.
  • Substack Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-10-26
  • unDraw Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-26

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.

unDraw features and specs

  • Free to Use
    unDraw offers a wide range of illustrations for free, making it accessible for anyone without budget constraints.
  • Customizable Colors
    Users can easily change the color of any illustration to match their brand's color palette.
  • No Attribution Required
    The platform allows users to utilize the illustrations without the need to give credit, which is great for commercial projects.
  • High Quality
    The illustrations are of high quality, professional, and modern, making them suitable for various applications.
  • Broad Range of Topics
    unDraw covers a wide array of categories and topics, making it easier to find relevant illustrations.
  • Ease of Use
    The website interface is user-friendly, allowing for quick searches and easy downloads of illustrations.

Possible disadvantages of unDraw

  • Limited Styles
    Although high-quality, the illustrations have a uniform style, which might not fit every brand's aesthetic.
  • No Custom Illustrations
    Users cannot request custom illustrations directly from the platform, limiting personalized options.
  • Dependence on Updates
    Users rely on the platform to update and add new illustrations periodically, which may not always meet evolving trends or needs.
  • No Source Files
    Illustrations are only available in SVG format, which might be limiting for more advanced design modifications requiring source files.
  • Requires Internet Access
    An active internet connection is required to browse and download illustrations, which may not be convenient for all users.

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 unDraw

Overall verdict

  • unDraw is a highly recommended resource for individuals and teams looking for high-quality illustrations. Its combination of ease of use, free licensing, and a wide variety of illustrations makes it a valuable tool for many creatives and developers.

Why this product is good

  • unDraw is a platform that offers a wide range of open-source illustrations that are customizable and can be used in various projects without any attribution or cost. It is praised for its beautiful, modern, and versatile designs that can enhance the visual appeal of websites, applications, and presentations. Additionally, the illustrations are SVG-based, making them easily scalable and editable to fit the needs of any project.

Recommended for

  • Web designers looking to incorporate visually appealing illustrations
  • Developers needing scalable graphics for projects
  • Marketing teams creating visually rich presentations
  • Content creators who want graphics that can be customized to match their brand's style
  • Educators needing visual aids for teaching materials

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

unDraw videos

Adobe XD Landing Page Design Tutorial with unDraw

More videos:

  • Review - UnDraw - Free Illustrations for Designers and Developers

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Substack and unDraw)
Blogging
100 100%
0% 0
Design Tools
0 0%
100% 100
CMS
100 100%
0% 0
Illustrations
0 0%
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 unDraw

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?

unDraw Reviews

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

Social recommendations and mentions

Substack might be a bit more popular than unDraw. We know about 101 links to it since March 2021 and only 71 links to unDraw. 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 / 2 days 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 / 11 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 / 7 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

unDraw mentions (71)

View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Substack and unDraw, 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.

Getillustrations - Bring life to your designs while saving time and effort using this massive library of creative illustrations.

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

Unsplash - Unsplash is a website with high-quality free HD images. It has a catalog of more than three hundred thousand striking images that are neatly organized with tags. Read more about Unsplash.

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

Iconbuddy - 200K+ open source SVG icons, fully customizable!