Terms
Most of you be aware that Revue, a platform for creating an audience via email newsletters and online publishing is being shut down by its main company Twitter. Revue was founded in the year 2015 and was purchased by Twitter in 2021.
On 15 December 2022, only a few days after the new Twitter chief Elon Musk expressed an desire to purchase Substack (another newsletter platform), Twitter announced that they were sunsetting Revue. So what newsletter platform options are left?
The first question is what exactly is Substack?
Substack is an online platform that revolutionized the way independent writers and journalists can earn money from their writing through the ability to write and distribute newsletters and other written material.
The substack.com home page (c) Substack
However, it is certainly not the only platform of its kind, and there are many Substack competitors that offer similar features. In this post, we will take deeper examine several of the major competitors to Substack and compare their features and capabilities.
In this article, we'll take a deep dive into different newsletter software products, so you can best determine what suits your individual preferences. We'll also include the pricing of each platform.
Pricing models for Substack
It's free to post your content on Substack regardless of the number of subscribers you've got. When you enable paid subscriptions and begin charging your subscribers, Substack takes a 10% fee on each transaction , and their payment processing platform Stripe is charged 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction.
Ghost - great for blogging
Another competitor in the same space as Substack is Ghost, an open-source blogging platform. Ghost is comparable to Substack by allowing users to write and publish articles, however it has extra features Substack is missing that might make it an appealing option for bloggers with a long history of independence or small publications.
The ghost.org homepage (c) Ghost
One of the primary difference among Ghost and Substack is the amount of control the users enjoy on their content. Ghost lets users do more 'heavy lifting' in terms of customization by offering customized templates and themes to edit the look and feel of their publications, while Substack offers a less extensive range of options. Ghost is also able to support multi-authors and allows multiple authors to be able to make contributions to a single blog or website, making Ghost a great choice to work in teams.
Ghost's pricing strategy
Ghost prices start at $11/month, and $108/year for the Starter plan, including an employee user, free Ghost web themes as well as integrated integrations that are standard, as well as the possibility of having up to 500 members. There are three higher tiers starting with the Creator plan which is 25 dollars per month for 1,000 members with additional features like customized integrations.
Medium - great for publishing in a community
Medium is another website which offers similar features to Substack. Medium is a writing and blogging platform that allows users to write stories, and has a large community of readers and writers. Medium is known for its simple, clean interface, and its emphasis on content that is of high quality. The site encourages users to explore ideas, thoughts and knowledge on any subject.
The medium.com home page (c) medium.com
Medium is the ideal platform for writers and journalists who want to engage an crowd, and thus easily qualifies as one of the top contenders to Substack, since it's got a built-in community of readers however, the audience is concentrated online or in the app and not emails. Medium's membership plan as well as paywall features allow writers to monetize their content.
Medium's pricing system
It's free for publishing on Medium no matter how many subscribers or members that you be able to. Medium makes its money by charging readers to read your stories and other people's stories, for $5/month or $50/year.
Indeed, members of Medium Partner Program can earn money. Medium Partner Program can earn income through referrals. The successful referrals earn you the equivalent of half of a new member's subscription fee for while they're as a paid member, less the standard 2.9 percentage plus $0.30 on processing costs. So, if you got 100 people to enroll in the Medium monthly membership, you'd receive an average of $227 for each month.
ConvertKit is great for automating
ConvertKit is an automated and marketing email platform that is designed specifically for creators such as bloggers or journalists as well as podcasters. It's made to assist users build an email list and automate emails, and create segments for audiences to be specific marketing. ConvertKit includes features like the opt-in form, landing page, and email comms , just like the other Substack rivals.
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One of the main focuses of Convertkit is to automate the process of connecting to prospective subscribers, and then nurturing the process of turning them into clients. Convertkit also includes a graphic automation tool that allows you to create complicated automation flow without programming. It also includes tools to manage affiliate relationships and providing exclusive content for customers who pay.
ConvertKit's pricing model
For new creators, ConvertKit can be used for free, with as many as 300 subscribers. For those with a growing audience, ConvertKit costs from $15/month or $108/year, again for up to 300 subscribers, but also with access to email sequences, automation builders and integrations with third party companies plus the addition of a team member.
MailChimp is a great email service.
The Mailchimp email marketing service which allows organizations and businesses to create and send emails to (often large) audience. Mailchimp provides the capability to create custom email templates, segment and target your audiences, measure the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns, and also integrate with different tools and services in order for a replica of an Substack competitor.
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home page. The mailchimp.com homepage (c) Mailchimp
Through Mailchimp it provides analysis and tracking tools that assist you to understand the effectiveness of your campaigns and make data-driven decisions. The company is less focused on publishing , and is more focused on marketing via email or online; consequently, it integrates with website builders, e-commerce platforms, and other software that help with creating and sending email campaigns.
Pricing model for MailChimp
Mailchimp has a trial planthat allows users to access the basics features, and as little as 2,500 emails at up to 500 users using basic reporting. Paid plans for larger lists and more advanced features begin at $20 per month for up to 6000 emails sent with up to 500 users.
Patreon is a great way to support creators.
Patreon allows independent creators like musicians and writers to get financial backing from their audience, to help them continue to create new content. Creators create a page through the Patreon platform. Their fans, or "patrons," can choose to support them with regularly scheduled monetary contributions. Patrons in return receive unique content or other perks.
The patreon.com home page (c) Patreon
Patreon operates on a subscription model, so patrons are charged a set amount that is recurring (usually every month). Creators may choose to offer various levels of support, with various rewards at every level. This means that patrons can choose to contribute to a modest or substantial amount according to their budgets as well as the amount of interaction they're hoping for. It allows independent creators to continue producing content without having to rely on the traditional gatekeepers or advertisers.
Pricing model for Patreon
Patreon Lite costs 5% of your monthly earnings you earn on Patreon as well as the cost of processing payments, and includes an artist page, communications tools and access to Patreon workshops. Patreon Pro is the most expensive plan. Patreon Pro plan takes 8 percent of the income you earn , plus processing and includes more membership levels, analytic and insights and a tool to run promotional campaigns.
SendFox - great for campaigns
Sendfox is a program in software which lets users create tracks, distribute, and monitor emails for marketing. The platform offers many features including email templates as well as automation, segmentation and analytics. Sendfox is designed specifically for companies of all sizes and can be used to promote the products and services of your business, increase the customer relationship, and improve sales.
0. 0yeAR0hSBm3pjHsWmX The sendfox.com home page (c) SendFox
There's a no-cost version of SendFox which allows sending newsletters to 1000 contacts with branding from SendFox and no automated messages. Lifetime Plan Lifetime Plan costs just one payment of $49 (not per-month) and allows as many as 5000 members and a limited SendFox branding and unlimited automated emails. This is possibly the least expensive of all Substack competition.
Pricing model of SendFox
The Sendfox free plan permits unlimited emails 1000 members, however messages are branded with SendFox branding. Its Lifetime Plan costs just $49 per month - it's currently reduced from $480. The plan also includes the possibility of 5,000 members as well as increased deliverability.
- great for membership
It would be remiss of us in not mentioning ourselves! is membership management software that lets creators manage their membership programs with custom price tiers as well as access levels to monetize their content. It is ideal for online course (eCourse) creators, podcast hosts, and others who are looking to grow their audience.
The .com home page
Particularly relevant here is our Posts feature, which replicates Substack's "combined mail and online' approach! allows you to publish only to members via newsletters and a hosted website. It is possible to add text or images, select who you wish are to be targeted, and then either publish the post or schedule it for in the future. Check out our help documentation to find out more details.
's pricing model
The Starter plan is completely free, with 10% charge on all transactions. There are two membership plans with unlimited membersand web-only integrations. To use the Posts feature, you'll require the Pro plan for $25 per month (or the Premium plan for $100/month but the transaction fee is reduced to 4.9 percent. It also grants unlimited plans and unlimited members, plus all integrations along with upgrades like selling private podcasts.
Conclusion
There's a great choice for someone searching for Substack competitors: there's raft of platfroms that let you publish and distribute email ewsletters to an audience, and to create revenue for the process.
What you're looking for in a platfrom that focuses on email, the concept of community publishing, or membership or another, depends on the type of content you wish to produce along with other aspects like the frequency of publication and the desired amount of customisation.
Hope this will help to make publishing more enjoyable!