Substack has quickly become a favorite for writers looking to share newsletters, blogs, and content with their audience. It’s simple, offers a direct way to earn from subscriptions, and gives writers control over their work. Sounds great, right?
But while Substack has its perks, more and more writers are exploring other options. Some feel limited by the platform’s basic design tools, lack of audience segmentation, or limited analytics. These are just a few of the reasons why writers are seeking alternatives that offer more flexibility and features.
If you’re considering making a switch, there are plenty of other platforms offering exciting options. Whether it’s better customization, more control over your mailing list, or enhanced tools for growing your audience, these alternatives are worth exploring.
In this article, we’ll explore the best Substack alternatives and what they offer, so you can find the perfect fit for your writing journey.
Substack is popular, but it's not perfect. Many writers are now exploring alternatives due to its limitations in features, fees, and control.
Here's why you might consider switching.
Substack offers a simple, minimalist interface, but that also means limited flexibility. Writers who want more advanced features—like custom themes, drag-and-drop editors, or visually appealing templates—often feel restricted.
Substack doesn't offer much customization, which can be a drawback if you're looking to stand out or build a unique brand. Many alternatives provide customization options and website builders, which can help enhance your writing platform’s look and feel.
One of the biggest issues with Substack is its fee structure. Substack takes a 10% cut of your revenue from paid subscriptions, on top of Stripe fees (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction). This can be costly, especially if you're managing a growing list of paying subscribers.
For creators seeking more affordable options, many alternatives offer lower fees and additional tools to manage subscriptions, such as subscription tiers and automated payments.
Substack simplicity comes at the cost of email marketing features. You can't track email marketing campaigns, create segmented lists, or set up automation workflows. There's no visual automation builder or conditional content feature, making it difficult to manage and target your audience effectively.
Alternatives like ConvertKit or Mailchimp provide advanced email features, including personalization options, automated sequences, and detailed analytics for tracking your email marketing campaigns.
With Substack, you're limited to collecting only an email address—no names, preferences, or other important details that allow for more targeted marketing.
This can be a challenge if you want to tailor content for different segments of your audience or if you’re managing membership tiers. Other email marketing platforms offer audience segmentation and the ability to create custom flows, allowing you to better cater to your subscribers.
Substack is essentially a hosted version of a newsletter platform, meaning you don’t fully control your content or audience. If Substack changes its policies or fees—or worse, if your account gets suspended—you could lose access to your subscribers.
Many writers are looking for alternatives where they can have more control, such as self-hosted options or platforms that allow for content migration without hassle.
Growing an audience on Substack isn’t easy. While it’s great for sending newsletters to an existing audience, it lacks the tools for driving new traffic.
Unless you have an established following or benefit from Substack recommendation system, building an audience from scratch can be challenging. Other platforms may offer better SEO tools or social media integration, making it easier to attract new readers organically.
| Tool | Membership Management | Recurring Payments | Landing Page Builder | Email Marketing | Built-in Analytics |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venturz | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mailchimp | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Campaign Monitor | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ghost | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| MailerLite | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Memberful | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Buttondown | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| HubSpot | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Curated | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Patreon | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Buy Me a Coffee | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Podia | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| GetResponse | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Revue | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Brevo | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Flodesk | No | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Venturz is a complete platform designed for creators, entrepreneurs, and businesses looking to build and grow their online presence.
It offers everything from community management to email marketing, all within one user-friendly tool. As an all-in-one solution, Venturz stands out as a powerful alternative for creators seeking more control over their content, audience, and monetization efforts.
It combines the best features into one place, making it the go-to platform for those who want to engage their community while managing paid memberships and marketing campaigns effortlessly.
Venturz offers exceptional tools that outshine many alternatives:
- Drag-and-drop editor to easily create stunning emails and web pages.
- Robust community and membership management to foster engagement and loyalty.
- Automatically collect recurring payments, ensuring hassle-free monetization.
- Deliver standalone newsletter subscriptions with full control over your audience and content delivery.
- Create events, polls, and offer courses directly to your audience.
- Intuitive landing page builder with pre-designed templates to get started quickly.
- Referral program to help grow your audience organically.
- Built-in email marketing features for seamless audience communication.
- Comprehensive built-in analytics to track performance and optimize strategies.
- Generous free plan
- Custom options for specific needs of your business
ConvertKit is more than just a newsletter platform—it's a full-fledged email marketing platform aimed at content creators and writers who want to build a sustainable income through paid subscriptions and automated marketing workflows.
As an alternative to Substack, ConvertKit shines with its flexibility in creating automated email marketing campaigns and seamless management of subscriber lists.
ConvertKit offers robust features for creators who need more advanced email tools:
- Visual automation builder to craft detailed email sequences.
- Full control over landing pages and sales pages for converting readers into subscribers.
- Easy to manage paid subscriptions and offer members only content.
- Tag-based subscriber system for better audience segmentation.
- Integration with other platforms for advanced email marketing and affiliate management.
- Offers an extensive range of free education and training materials.
- Free Plan: Available for up to 1,000 subscribers with basic email marketing features.
- Creator (Starter): $15 per month
- Creator Pro (Regular): $29 per month
- Enterprise: Custom pricing for larger businesses requiring additional features and support.
Mighty Networks is designed for creators looking to build and grow communities alongside their content. Unlike Substack, which focuses purely on newsletters, Mighty Networks offers a more holistic approach by combining membership management, community engagement, and content distribution in one place.
It’s a great option for those who want to go beyond newsletters and create a thriving membership platform.
Mighty Networks provides unique tools that stand out from Substack:
- Built-in community and membership management software to foster engagement.
- Ability to host exclusive content and set up subscription tiers.
- Custom landing pages and website features for a more personalized experience.
- Allows content creators to offer courses, events, and paid memberships all in one platform.
- Perfect for those looking to integrate social media platforms like Twitter to drive community interaction.
- A complete platform for managing a sustainable writing business with recurring payments and customizable offerings.
- Free Plan: 14 days
- Paid Plan: $39/month
Beehiiv is a powerful newsletter platform designed with simplicity and scalability in mind, making it a great alternative to Substack. Known for its user-friendly interface and flexibility, Beehiiv caters to both beginners and seasoned content creators looking to manage paid subscriptions or grow their audience without hassle.
Unlike Substack, Beehiiv offers more advanced customization options and seamless tools for managing a growing newsletter business.
Beehiiv provides several features that go beyond Substack’s offerings:
- Generous free plan supporting up to 2,500 subscribers.
- Advanced analytics for tracking user behavior and audience engagement.
- Referral program to help grow your list organically.
- Ability to create and manage subscription tiers with ease.
- Customizable branding with no Beehiiv watermark for premium users.
- Great for automated payments and supporting recurring subscriptions.
- Free Plan: Yes
- Paid Plans: Starting with $42/month (if billed annually)
Mailchimp is a well-established email marketing platform that caters to businesses, creators, and content managers. While it offers many advanced features for managing email campaigns, Mailchimp has evolved to become a comprehensive newsletter and website platform. It’s a perfect alternative to Substack for those looking for a more professional and scalable solution, especially if you're managing larger audiences.
Mailchimp offers many features that appeal to those seeking more control over their content:
- Advanced email marketing tools to craft sleek, targeted campaigns.
- Ability to build custom landing pages and manage subscription widgets.
- Automation platform to design automated workflows and sequences.
- Multiple customizable templates for creating visually appealing emails.
- Integration with e-commerce and other platforms to manage paid subscriptions.
- Offers a free plan with limited features, making it accessible to new users.
- Free Plan: Available for up to 500 contacts with basic features.
- Essentials Plan (Starter): Starts at $13 per month.
- Standard Plan (Regular): Starts at $20 per month.
- Premium Plan (Enterprise): Starts at $350 per month.
Campaign Monitor is another powerful email marketing platform known for its clean design and ease of use. While it lacks the community-building aspects of other platforms, it excels in delivering professional-grade email campaigns and newsletters. As an alternative to Substack, Campaign Monitor is ideal for those seeking a platform that’s straightforward yet feature-rich for email marketing.
Campaign Monitor provides a set of unique features that Substack doesn’t:
- Intuitive drag-and-drop editor for creating visually appealing newsletters.
- Support for automated email sequences and workflows.
- Integration with other software to manage subscriptions and track monthly revenue.
- Tools for creating landing pages and subscription forms.
- Advanced analytics for tracking user behavior and improving engagement.
- Custom price tiers for different user needs, from individuals to large teams.
- Free Plan: Not available.
- Basic Plan (Starter): Starts at $9 per month.
- Unlimited Plan (Regular): Starts at $29 per month.
- Premier Plan (Enterprise): Custom pricing for advanced features, priority support, and tailored solutions.
Ghost is an open-source publishing platform designed specifically for independent writers and creators. It’s a powerful alternative to Substack for those who want full control over their content.
Ghost allows you to create stunning websites, host newsletters, and publish blogs—all with no transaction fees, making it a top choice for creators focused on growing a sustainable writing business.
Ghost offers a range of features that set it apart from Substack:
- Full control over your website and content with custom themes.
- Ability to host members-only content and manage subscription tiers.
- Built-in email marketing features without the need for external services.
- Ghost pricing allows for scalability without platform cuts on your revenue.
- Ideal for writers looking for a minimalistic yet powerful writing platform.
- Features for creating automated sequences and recurring payments for your audience.
- Free Plan: Available for personal use with limited features.
- Starter Plan: $15 per month.
- Creator Plan: $25 per month.
- Business Plan: $50 per month.
MailerLite is an intuitive email marketing service designed for creators looking for simplicity and effectiveness. With its free plan and straightforward tools, it's an excellent alternative to Substack, especially for those who want to manage newsletters while also creating landing pages and managing paid subscriptions.
MailerLite balance between ease of use and advanced features makes it a strong contender for writers wanting more customization and control.
MailerLite offers several standout features:
- Free accounts for up to 1,000 subscribers with access to key tools.
- Drag-and-drop editor to easily craft sleek newsletters.
- Built-in website builder to create landing pages and custom websites.
- Tools to publish members-only content and manage subscription levels.
- Advanced automation workflows for more personalized audience engagement.
- Easy integration with social media platforms for seamless marketing.
- Free Plan: Available for up to 1,000 subscribers with limited features.
- Growing Business (Starter): Starts at $10 per month for
- Advanced Plan (Regular): Starts at $21 per month
- Enterprise: Custom pricing for large organizations with dedicated features and support.
Memberful is a platform designed for creators who want to build and monetize a membership-based business. As an alternative to Substack, Memberful goes beyond simple newsletters, offering advanced features for managing members-only content and paid subscriptions.
It’s ideal for content creators who want to grow a loyal audience and offer exclusive content.
Memberful stands out for these reasons:
- Allows you to offer custom subscription tiers for different audience segments.
- Integrates with WordPress and other platforms for greater flexibility.
- Publish members-only content directly on your site.
- Fully customizable subscription widgets to match your brand.
- Offers powerful tools for managing affiliate relationships.
- Ideal for growing a community platform with easy recurring payments.
- Free Plan: No
- Paid Plan: From $25/m for an unlimited number of members
Buttondown is a minimalist, no-fuss newsletter platform perfect for solo writers and creators. If you prefer a simple, distraction-free interface, Buttondown is a strong alternative to Substack. It allows users to focus solely on written content, with no extra features to clutter the experience.
Buttondown core features make it appealing for minimalist writers:
- Extremely simple interface designed for easy newsletter creation.
- Supports paid subscriptions with just a few clicks.
- Offers a free plan for writers starting out.
- Built-in analytics to track subscriber growth and engagement.
- Ability to collect just an email address for easy list management.
- Integrates with social media platforms like Twitter for sharing content.
- Free plan: Yes
- Paid plans: Starting at $9/month
HubSpot is a comprehensive automation platform designed to support businesses in their marketing efforts. While it’s not just for writers, it’s a strong alternative to Substack for those who need a powerful tool to manage newsletters and targeted marketing.
With features like email automation and advanced analytics, HubSpot is ideal for content creators who want to grow their audience while streamlining their marketing efforts.
What Makes It a Great Substack Alternative?
HubSpot stands out because it offers tools far beyond Substack’s basic features:
- Advanced email automation workflows for personalized marketing.
- Integrates seamlessly with blogging and writing platforms to deliver content.
- Provides detailed analytics to track the success of campaigns.
- Access to ai personalization features for more tailored subscriber experiences.
- Great for creators looking for targeted marketing and advanced segmentation.
- Supports paid content through flexible subscription widgets.
- Starter: $25/mo (when bundled)
- Professional: $360/mo
- Enterprise: $1,200/mo
Curated is a newsletter platform focused on simplifying the process of content curation. It’s a great alternative to Substack for writers and creators who curate content from different sources and want to share it with their audience.
Curated allows users to focus on building newsletters that deliver standalone content, offering powerful tools for managing subscribers and streamlining the editorial process.
Curated offers unique tools that make it ideal for content-focused creators:
- Easy-to-use platform designed for content curation.
- Automatically gather content from multiple sources for your newsletter.
- Simple, clean interface for crafting and sending newsletters quickly.
- Subscription widgets to easily collect paid subscribers.
- Features to help grow your audience with partner programs and integrations.
- Great for building community-driven newsletters and targeted marketing.
- Free Plan: Free for up to 1,000 subs
- Paid Plan: $9/month to include monetization
Patreon is one of the most popular platforms for creators looking to monetize their work through paid subscriptions. As an alternative to Substack, it goes beyond newsletters, enabling creators to offer exclusive content, merchandise, and perks to their subscribers.
Patreon is ideal for creators who want to build a community around their work while offering tiered subscriptions.
What Makes It a Great Substack Alternative?
Here’s why Patreon is a strong choice:
- Allows creators to set up subscription tiers with custom rewards.
- Offers tools to deliver members-only content and create exclusive experiences.
- A built-in community building feature that allows interaction with subscribers.
- Flexibility to offer not just newsletters but videos, podcasts, and more.
- Easy to integrate with other platforms, including blogging and writing platforms.
- Ideal for creators seeking to build a sustainable income with recurring payments.
- Lite costs 5% of the monthly income you earn on Patreon
- Pro plan takes 8% of the monthly income
Buy Me a Coffee is a simple, creator-friendly platform that lets fans support their favorite creators through small, one-time payments or recurring subscriptions. As an alternative to Substack, Buy Me a Coffee is perfect for writers, artists, and bloggers who want a no-frills way to monetize their work while building a supportive community.
Buy Me a Coffee stands out for several reasons:
- Easy to set up and use with no complex tools required.
- Supports both one-time donations and subscription-based memberships.
- Offers a simple members-only content feature for exclusive posts.
- Perfect for creators looking to build a community without a heavy focus on newsletters.
- No platform fees for donations, making it easy to earn without hidden costs.
- Great for creating a loyal fanbase with flexible community-building features.
- Basic: $5/month
- Pro: $15/month
- Advance: $25/month
Podia is an all-in-one online platform designed for creators who want to sell digital products, run memberships, and offer online courses. It's a strong alternative to Substack because it goes beyond newsletters, allowing you to create a full-fledged business with subscriptions and community building tools.
Podia offers several advanced features:
- Supports selling digital products alongside your newsletters.
- Built-in tools to create and sell online courses.
- Easy to manage subscription tiers with custom pricing.
- Provides advanced newsletter features to send targeted emails.
- Includes tools for community engagement, letting you build a loyal audience.
- Integrates seamlessly with your existing blogging and writing platform.
- Free: $0/mo
- Lite Plan: $33/mo
- Pro Plan: $75/mo
GetResponse is a powerful email marketing platform known for its robust tools and automation features. It’s a great alternative to Substack for those looking to go beyond simple newsletters.
GetResponse is ideal for creators and businesses wanting to craft sleek email campaigns and grow their audience with advanced marketing tools.
GetResponse offers a range of tools that stand out:
- Create automation workflows to target different audience segments.
- Built-in landing pages to grow your subscriber base.
- More advanced newsletter features such as segmentation and A/B testing.
- Supports relevant own ad campaigns to drive traffic and grow your audience.
- A perfect choice for creators looking to manage both newsletters and revenue-generating marketing.
- Free Plan: Available for up to 500 contacts with basic features.
- Email Marketing (Starter): $19 per month.
- Marketing Automation (Regular): $59 per.
- Max (Enterprise): Custom pricing for large businesses with dedicated support and advanced tools.
Revue is a newsletter tool tailored specifically for writers and journalists who want a simple platform to connect with their audience. Acquired by Twitter, Revue integrates social media with newsletters, making it easy to reach followers and grow your subscriber list.
As an alternative to Substack, Revue shines for those looking for an easy way to share content without complex tools.
Revue offers features that cater to writers:
- Direct integration with Twitter for seamless audience growth.
- Simple editor for quick and easy newsletter creation.
- No complicated setup—ideal for writers who want to focus on content.
- Free to use with paid features available only for monetized newsletters.
- Built-in analytics to track engagement and growth.
- Free Plan: Not available.
- Starter: Not applicable (since the platform charges based on subscription revenue, not a flat fee).
- Regular: Not applicable.
- Enterprise: Not applicable.
Brevo, formerly known as Sendinblue, is a comprehensive marketing platform known for its flexibility in handling email campaigns and more. Unlike Substack, Brevo offers a range of marketing automation tools to manage customer relationships and grow your audience effectively.
It's perfect for creators who want to manage not just newsletters, but a full communication strategy.
Brevo stands out with several key features:
- All-in-one platform combining email, SMS, and chat tools.
- Advanced marketing automation to tailor your campaigns.
- Easy-to-use interface designed for creators and small businesses.
- Scalable pricing based on your needs, from free to premium plans.
- Options for multi-channel communication beyond just email.
- Free Plan: Available.
- Starter: $25 per month.
- Business (Regular): $65 per month.
- Enterprise: Custom pricing for tailored solutions and dedicated support.
Flodesk is a visually-focused email tool that helps creators design stunning newsletters effortlessly. If you're looking for a beautiful and straightforward way to send engaging emails, Flodesk is a great alternative to Substack.
With its drag-and-drop design tools, Flodesk is perfect for creators who value aesthetics and ease of use.
Flodesk offers unique features for design-conscious creators:
- Beautiful, customizable email templates that require no coding.
- Flat pricing model, with unlimited emails and subscribers for one fee.
- Simple and elegant design tools that prioritize user experience.
- Great for small businesses and creators who want a stylish, user-friendly platform.
- No complex features—just an intuitive, easy-to-use interface.
- Free Plan: Not available.
- Starter: $19 per month.
- Regular: Flat rate of $29 per month.
- Enterprise: Not applicable.
When choosing a Substack alternative, it's important to look for features that cater to various types of content creation, from newsletters and blog posts to podcasts. Depending on your needs as a writer or creator, here are the key features you should consider:
- Email Marketing: Easy-to-use tools for crafting and sending newsletters with options for automation and segmentation.
- Monetization: Support for paid subscriptions, recurring payments, and membership tiers to earn from your content.
- Customization: Flexible design options like drag-and-drop editors and customizable templates for emails and landing pages.
- Community Building: Features for membership management, hosting events, and engaging with your audience.
- Podcast and Blog Support: Hosting options for both written content and podcasts.
- Analytics: Built-in analytics to track performance and optimize content strategies.
These features will help you find a platform that meets your content creation and audience growth needs.
There are so many alternatives to Substack that offer exciting new ways to grow your audience and build a sustainable income. Whether you're a writer, creator, or entrepreneur, choosing the right platform can make a huge difference in how you connect with your audience and manage your business.
For those who want free newsletter tool with advanced built-in features, platforms like Venturz bring everything together—from community management to email marketing—in one place. Imagine being able to easily create beautiful emails, manage memberships, collect payments, and even host events, all without switching between multiple tools.
The best part? You can start with Venturz for free and explore all the premium features without commitment. It’s the perfect opportunity to test what works for your creative journey. Give it a try today and experience the future of content creation.
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