Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

utterances VS Substack

Compare utterances VS Substack and see what are their differences

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utterances logo utterances

A lightweight comments widget built on GitHub issues.

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.
  • utterances Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-03-30
  • Substack Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-10-26

utterances features and specs

  • GitHub Authentication
    Utterances uses GitHub issues for comments, meaning users authenticate via GitHub. This can reduce spam and ensures that commenters have a verified identity.
  • Lightweight and Fast
    Utterances is designed to be lightweight and load quickly, benefiting site performance and user experience.
  • Markdown Support
    Since it leverages GitHub issues, users can write comments in Markdown, which many developers and technical users appreciate.
  • GitHub Integration
    Comments are managed through GitHub issues, making them easy to track, moderate, and integrate into your development workflow.
  • Open Source
    Utterances is open source, allowing developers to review the code, contribute, and customize it to their needs.

Possible disadvantages of utterances

  • Dependency on GitHub
    Comments are entirely reliant on GitHub's infrastructure, which means any downtime or issues with GitHub services can affect the commenting system.
  • Limited to GitHub Users
    Only users with GitHub accounts can comment, which may exclude or discourage participation from users who are not developers or familiar with GitHub.
  • No Anonymity
    Because commenting requires a GitHub account, users cannot comment anonymously, which might be a drawback for some communities.
  • Moderation Complexity
    Moderating comments requires managing GitHub issues, which can be cumbersome compared to dedicated comment moderation tools.
  • Feature Limitations
    Utterances is relatively simple and lacks advanced features found in other commenting systems, like rich media support, voting, or detailed analytics.

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 utterances

Overall verdict

  • Utterances is generally considered a good option for integrating a commenting system.

Why this product is good

  • It is lightweight and doesn't add significant loading time to web pages.
  • Utterances uses GitHub issues to store comments, which integrates well for projects already using GitHub for version control.
  • Installation is straightforward, making it easy to implement on static sites, particularly those generated with Jekyll or Hugo.
  • The comments are stored on GitHub's infrastructure, which is reliable and robust.

Recommended for

  • Developers and bloggers already using GitHub for project hosting.
  • Technical blogs and sites generated with static site generators like Jekyll or Hugo.
  • Users who prefer a minimalistic and efficient commenting system over more feature-rich alternatives.
  • Those looking for an open-source, privacy-friendly commenting solution.

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

utterances videos

SEMANTICS-7: Utterances, Sentences & Propositions

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 utterances and Substack)
Social Networks
100 100%
0% 0
Blogging
0 0%
100% 100
Project Management
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 utterances and Substack

utterances Reviews

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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 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?

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Substack should be more popular than utterances. 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.

utterances mentions (53)

  • Adding Giscus Comments to Next.js Blog Pages
    Utterances: **The primary inspiration for giscus. It uses **GitHub Issues instead of Discussions to store comments. It is extremely lightweight but does not support threaded replies as natively as giscus. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • [TIL][Jekyll] Replacing Disqus with utterances for GitHub issue comments
    Title: [TIL][Jekyll] Removing Disqus and switching to utteranc to use github issue as article comments Published: false Date: 2021-05-14 00:00:00 UTC Tags: Canonical_url: http://www.evanlin.com/jekyll-remove-disqus/ --- ![](http://www.evanlin.com/images/2021/github_comment.jpg) ## Preface: ![](https://jekyllrb.com/img/jekyll-og.png) The escalation of the pandemic disrupted the original travel plans, but... - Source: dev.to / about 5 years ago
  • Add Utterances Comment System in Next.js App in App Router
    'use client'; Import { useEffect, useRef } from 'react'; Const Comments = ({ issueTerm }) => { const commentsSection = useRef(null); useEffect(() => { const script = document.createElement('script'); script.src = 'https://utteranc.es/client.js'; script.async = true; script.crossOrigin = 'anonymous'; script.setAttribute('repo', 'shade-cool/article'); script.setAttribute('issue-term',... - Source: dev.to / about 2 years ago
  • Converting BlogCFC blog to Eleventy
    Handling New Comments: There are excellent lightweight comment utilities available for managing comments on your eleventy blog. I personally use Utterances, but Giscus is also a great alternative. - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • Unleash Your Dev Blog: Write More with GitHub Issues as Your CMS
    We can use utteranc.es, a lightweight comment widget built on GitHub Issues to integrate authed comments in our blog. - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
View more

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 / 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 / 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

What are some alternatives?

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

Commento - A fast, bloat-free comments system to foster discussion on your website

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.

DISQUS - Disqus is a global comment system that improves discussion on websites and connects conversations across the web.

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

giscus - A comments system powered by GitHub Discussions. Let visitors leave comments and reactions on your website via GitHub!

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