The Substack wave has spread across the creator industry. Independent voices now have an exclusive avenue for publishing and even earning.

But is Substack the only publishing platform to reign undefeated in this industry?

The answer is a clear no. Beyond Substack is a wide range of highly customizable options that help creators reach more people, try different content formats, and earn more.

In this blog, we have covered twelve Substack alternatives so that you can choose what best suits your vision and needs.

TL;DR – Our 12 Favorite Substack Alternatives

Here are the twelve most recommended Substack alternatives if you’re planning to shift from Substack:

1. Hello Audio
2. ConvertKit
3. Beehiiv
4. Medium
5. Hubspot
6. WordPress
7. Sendfox
8. Ghost
9. Mailchimp
10. Flodesk
11. Gumroad
12. Patreon

All the above tools are great options, but if you are eager to create audio-first content that people can consume on the go, your best bet is Hello Audio. It is a private podcast creation platform that transforms your media content into engaging private podcasts at the click of a button. Sign up for a free trial with us to test it out for your business.

Now, let’s dive into the world of Substack and understand what the platform is and what it does.

What is Substack?

Substack is an internet platform created exclusively for creators to publish and monetize their work via email newsletters and, more recently, podcasts.

Since its 2017 launch, this popular platform has provided content creators like you with various tools to manage their subscriber base and create and publish content. With Substack, creators can make money through sponsored content, paid posts, and subscriptions.

How Does Substack Work? What is Substack Used For?

Substack empowers you with its comprehensive set of tools integrated directly into the platform.

• It makes it easier for creators to build online communities by simplifying everything.
  
• From creating and publishing newsletters with their user-friendly interface to managing membership tiers and tracking audience engagement through analytics, it helps with everything.
• Creators also use Substack’s secure payment processing for subscriptions, guaranteeing they receive their earnings directly and effortlessly.

Speaking of what it’s used for — Substack is evolving and is no longer limited to being a newsletter publishing platform. To provide content creators with a one-stop shop, they have consciously increased the scope of their features and offers.

Here’s what Substack is used for:

• Website Hosting: Using Substack, creators can now create customized publication websites on their platform.

• Discussion Threads: Substack has a comment thread within newsletters. This helps creators foster a sense of belonging and spark interesting discussions.

• Podcasting: Considering how well audio content performs in today’s age, Substack recently added podcasting features.

Why People Dislike Substack

In April 2023, Substack was under fire for cloning a segment-leading networking app with its latest built-in feature, Notes. With this feature, users can share posts, leave comments, or interact—in general—in a timeline-ish feed like Twitter. In retaliation, Twitter allegedly suppressed all Substack founders/writers’ accounts and marked their domain unsafe.

But is this only why people aren’t big fans of Substack? Apparently, the list of reasons behind Substack’s negative publicity is long, including these reasons:

Limited Monetization Options

On Substack, creators’ earning potential is limited. Sites like Patreon provide numerous industry-standard features, including merchandise integration, pay-per-view material, and even bonus content for higher tiers. Due to Substack’s monetization bottleneck, their platform pales in comparison.

Content Moderation Controversies

Substack struggles to balance preserving free expression and preventing the spread of harmful/offensive content. This makes some users feel unsafe or unwelcome, while others believe their voices are being suppressed.

In November 2023, users reported that many antisemitic blogs were up and running for monetization on their platform. Amid this content moderation controversy, hundreds of writers issued open letters, and many left the platform permanently.

Basic Features, Limited Potential

Here’s the thing: Substack is user-friendly for basic publishing. However, it lacks advanced tools and customization features compared to other platforms. Those who often require more integrated tools, customized design elements, or in-depth audience data should look for other alternatives.

Creative Ways to Engage With Your Audience

To be a successful content creator, you must first build a devoted and active following.

While posting constantly and creating relevant content is necessary, truly successful creators go above and beyond. Here are five ways you can use to maximize audience engagement while posting:

Know Your Audience Inside and Out

Understanding is the foundation for engagement. Research and analyze your target audience’s demographics, interests, and preferences.

• What questions are they asking?
• What challenges do they face?
• What content do they resonate with the most?

You can conduct surveys, polls, or interviews to acquire information about their preferences and personalize your approach.

Aim for Two-Way Conversation

Dialogue is a two-way street. Actively listen to your audience instead of just blindly publishing content. Respond to comments and questions, debate, and hold live Q&A sessions.

Encourage open dialogue and feedback, making your audience feel heard and valued.

Go Beyond the Obvious

We’ve got four words for you: think outside the box!

Pique their interest and promote involvement. Here’s how:

• Try experimenting with more interactive content formats to see what works best with your target audience.
• Add a personal touch and boost audience engagement with private podcasts, interviews, or AMA sessions.

Collaborate and Connect

Partnerships can be effective, especially for content creators. Collaborate with others in your field, attend industry events, and host guest interviews.

By doing this, you can attract new audiences and build strong networks with industry professionals.

Build Community Spirit

An active and exclusive community promotes loyalty and a sense of belonging.

Build private spaces for dialogue, promote member introductions, and recognize every member’s contribution.

Encourage audience members to collaborate and provide avenues for networking. This way, creators can build a loyal following that engages and supports their content.

Top 12 Substack Alternatives

Here are twelve top-rated apps like Substack you can use if you have diverse content creation and growth needs:

1. Hello Audio

Hello Audio is an industry-leading option for creators looking to maximize audience engagement with audio-first content. It converts existing media content, such as audio and video, into high-quality private podcasts. In a busy schedule, during a workout, or a commute, your audience can now consume your message on the go.

Creating a podcast on Hello Audio is super easy, as is distributing your content across major platforms like Apple Music, Spotify, etc.

You can:

• Add dynamic intros & outros for personalization.
• Explore analytics to understand who’s engaging for how long.
• Invite specific audiences to listen to your podcasts based on their listening behavior.

Book an instant demo, and let us show you how Hello Audio can help you achieve your marketing goals!

2. Substack vs. Convertkit

Substack and ConvertKit both come in handy for creators to build their audiences and earn money.

• Substack is great for essential email/newsletters but lacks community features and monetization flexibility. In contrast, ConvertKit supports more content types and integrates with multiple email automation and monetization tools. 
• Substack’s simplicity mainly appeals to creators focused on essential newsletters and subscriptions. ConvertKit’s broader features might better fit those with diverse content and active community-building goals.

3. Beehiiv vs. Substack

Although they both serve creators creating paid newsletters, Substack and Beehiiv have some important differences.

• Substack is suitable for beginners, mostly writers trying to build a subscriber base. Beehiiv offers more features like landing pages, advertisements, and community tools. However, the learning curve is comparably higher. 
• Substack charges 10% of each payment if you plan on launching paid subscriptions. Beehiiv gives creators 100% of the revenue they’ve earned through subscriptions. Instead, they charge a fixed platform fee of $42/month. 
• Beehiiv promotes community building through events and debates, but Substack does not.

4. Substack vs. Medium

Medium is an open platform with multiple content forms.

Substack lacks in terms of creator discoverability and different content formats. Medium, on the other hand, has a broader audience, visibility, and diversified content. However, it trades control over audience and branding, and its algorithm limits revenue.

If you want control, direct audience connection, and paid memberships, go with Substack. If you want more reach, numerous formats, and revenue sharing, go with Medium.

5. HubSpot vs. Substack

While Substack and HubSpot both offer content production services, their target demographics vary.

Substack’s user-friendly UI, built-in email marketing, and strong community focus make it worthwhile for freelancers. However, it does not have advanced customization or marketing automation tools.

On the other hand, HubSpot is a business-focused marketing platform that includes integrated sales and service tools, extensive analytics, and scalability. However, it has a steeper learning curve and may cost more.

6. Substack vs. WordPress

Substack’s limited design, community, and scalability features hinder growth. WordPress CMS provides incredible versatility and customization and supports different content types, community building, and revenue tactics.

With WordPress, you can manage text, photos, videos, and audio content in numerous ways. With total control over revenue, the platform also provides a range of monetization options, including e-commerce, advertising, and subscriptions. However, it takes additional setup work and technical understanding.

7. SendFox vs. Substack

Unlike Substack, Sendfox offers more content formats, including landing pages and basic websites. It also offers various monetization alternatives, such as items and events, but it takes more technical expertise to use effectively.

Sendfox provides personalized support and additional features like automation and integrations, while Substack has a bigger community and basic support.

8. Ghost vs. Substack

Ghost, another site like Substack, provides full ownership over branding and creator account data. Users also get multiple revenue streams (other than subscription fees) and a sizable plugin ecosystem for additional features.

Because it’s open-source, code customization and seamless integration become effortless. Its scalable architecture also supports growth over time and beyond Substack’s constraints. In brief, Ghost gives creators flexibility and control, allowing them to construct a truly unique and long-lasting online presence.

9. Substack vs. Mailchimp

Here’s the thing: Substack provides a basic platform with restricted functionality and a cost % per subscriber.

Mailchimp is more comprehensive, catering to various marketing requirements through a greater feature set, extensive analytics, and tiered price plans. Substack has a larger creator community, whereas Mailchimp’s is more diverse.

With its advanced features, Mailchimp is a better option for broader marketing and communication purposes.

10. Flodesk vs. Substack

Flodesk stands out with its premium drag-and-drop editor and extra features like landing pages and automation. Creators pay a flat monthly charge, even when their subscriber count increases.

However, it is a premium subscription service with a smaller community. Though it lacks advanced design options and community-building features, Substack impresses with its free plan and writing-focused approach.

11. Gumroad vs. Substack

Gumroad‘s greater range of features would appeal to producers looking for multiple formats, one-time purchases, or more flexible monetization approaches.

While Substack provides basic community features, Gumroad interfaces with third-party sites for greater engagement. Lastly, early-stage creators would benefit from Substack’s free plan and commission-based payment system.

However, Gumroad’s transaction and monthly plans are designed for users with varying requirements and pre-existing audiences.

12. Substack vs. Patreon

Patreon is better for creators from other fields, such as podcast hosts, musicians, and artists.

It runs on a reward-based subscription model, providing exclusive content, early access, and merch to reward continuous support. Being a dynamic Substack alternative, it welcomes various content formats like text, music, video, and photos. Creators can further use community tools like forums, direct messaging, and live streaming.

How to Choose The Best Option

Are you ready to choose a platform that best fits your content creation requirements?

Here are a few points to remember while making the selection:

Know Your Content, Know Your Audience

Ask yourself: are you an author who writes long articles? Or does your content include a multimedia experience like imagery, films, and podcasts?

Find out what your audience prefers.

• Do they like In-depth analysis or bite-sized audio clips?
  
• Public communities or exclusive communities like private podcasts?

It is critical to align your platform with your content style and target audience.

Choose Versatility for Long-term Growth

While Substack thrives at text-based content, other platforms have a larger scope. You can combine text, audio, and video to create an engaging experience by using platforms that support different formats.

Think about whether such versatility fits your vision and appeals to your target audience. Additionally, you can also repurpose your content into multiple formats to get the most out of one asset.

Following a Community-first Approach

Building a strong community is key to growth for someone pursuing creative work. Platforms like Hello Audio help build communities around your work and exclusive interactions with your audience. Podcast coach Angie Jordan sold out her launch in just 36 hours after switching from webinars to private podcasts with Hello Audio.

Identifying Your Source of Revenue

Different platforms have different monetization models. For example:

• Some apps offer tier-based subscriptions
• While others offer more diverse revenue-earning opportunities

To select the appropriate platform, narrow down your financial goals and the most suitable income/revenue model. Once you’ve narrowed that down, see which platforms suit your needs and sign up for a trial to test it out.

Conclusion

Not sure which Substack alternative is ideal for you? The only way to find out is by experimenting. Sign up for a trial, test out the features, and see what works best for you. Use this blog as a reference to shortlist the platforms you want to test.

Amongst all the alternatives discussed today, Hello Audio helps you form stronger connections with your audience with exclusive audio content. Convert your media content into high-quality podcasts today with Hello Audio’s 7-day trial (no credit cards required).