Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

The Outline VS Substack

Compare The Outline VS Substack and see what are their differences

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The Outline logo The Outline

A new kind of publication for a new kind of human

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.
  • The Outline Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-07-27
  • Substack Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-10-26

The Outline features and specs

  • Innovative Design
    The Outline is known for its unique and visually appealing design that sets it apart from traditional news websites, making content more engaging.
  • Focus on Niche Topics
    It covers a range of niche topics that are often overlooked by mainstream media, providing readers with diverse perspectives.
  • High-Quality Journalism
    The publication is recognized for its deep dives and investigative journalism that often challenge established norms and provoke thought.
  • Strong Voice and Style
    The Outline employs a distinct editorial voice and style, which resonates with readers looking for a fresh take on news and culture.

Possible disadvantages of The Outline

  • Limited Content
    Compared to larger news outlets, The Outline offers a smaller quantity of content, which might not satisfy readers looking for comprehensive news coverage.
  • Niche Appeal
    Its focus on niche topics and its unique style may not appeal to readers seeking mainstream news or those with different aesthetic preferences.
  • Navigational Challenges
    The innovative design, while visually interesting, can sometimes make navigation less intuitive for users accustomed to traditional layouts.
  • Potential Polarization
    The strong editorial voice may polarize readers, potentially alienating those who prefer a more neutral or balanced approach to reporting.

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.

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

The Outline videos

The Outline Bible review

More videos:

  • Review - The Outline Bible by Harold L Willmington
  • Review - The Outline Bible by Harold Wilmington | Free Resource

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

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to The Outline and Substack)
Tech
100 100%
0% 0
Blogging
0 0%
100% 100
Startups
100 100%
0% 0
CMS
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 The Outline and Substack

The Outline Reviews

We have no reviews of The Outline yet.
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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?

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Substack seems to be a lot more popular than The Outline. While we know about 103 links to Substack, we've tracked only 8 mentions of The Outline. 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.

The Outline mentions (8)

  • Vice website is shutting down
    For example a site that I liked called The Outline stopped publishing content in 2020 and they leave the site online at least for now https://theoutline.com/. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • Meta’s reportedly planning to lay off ‘thousands’ of workers this week
    The Verge did a whole website redesign in an attempt to stay relevant, having not learned the lessons from the failures of Joshua Topolsky's The Outline, which imploded due in part to its horrific design. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • Verge gets a redesign
    Reminds me of some the design decisions made on https://theoutline.com/. Same school of thought, design over functionality. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • Verge gets a redesign
    It basically reeks of whatever Joshua Topolsky was involved with (https://theoutline.com). I've always thought a large reason why it failed was the messy web design, looks like The Verge wants to go that way too. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • Best UX
    Since you asked, I thought The Outline had a unique and compelling UI/UX but sadly it’s parent company shit it down so it’s been dormant for 2 years: https://theoutline.com. Source: over 4 years ago
View more

Substack mentions (103)

  • How accurate have Ed Zitron's AI skeptic predictions been?
    Valid criticisms of AI - safety critics who think AI can take over the world like Yud (I find this the least credible but still valid) - Bernie type of critics who think AI can cause widespread job losses - Ruxandra Teslo who thinks AI can remove meaning which I feel is the most serious one [1] What are not valid - environmental like emissions and water usage - AI is useless and it will take the economy with it... - Source: Hacker News / about 21 hours ago
  • 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 ▫ Apollo Program: $257B, 14 years ▫ Interstate Highway System: $620B, 37 years ▫ AI data centers: $930B, 6 years and still accelerating From: https://substack.com/@rubendominguez/note/c-244929068. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 months ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

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

Product Hunt - A website that lets users share and discover new 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.

aat.ee - A simple way to showcase your product and find what’s next.

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

Tedium - This long-form newsletter, active since 2015, takes on the questions that nobody thought to ask and makes them interesting and compelling, uncovering fascinating stories along the way.

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