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ConvertKit vs Substack
A detailed comparison to help you choose between ConvertKit and Substack.
| Feature | ConvertKit | Substack |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Free |
| Free Tier | Yes | Yes |
| Monthly Cost (Solo) | $0 | $0 |
| Target Audience | solopreneurs, creators | creators |
| Verified | Yes | No |
| Solo-Friendly | Yes | Yes |
| Open Source | No | No |
| Editorial Rating | 4.3/5 | 4/5 |
| Categories | Email Marketing | Email Marketing |
| Key Features | Visual automation builder, Landing page builder, Subscriber tagging, Digital product sales, Paid newsletters | Free newsletter publishing, Paid subscription support, Podcast hosting, Community features (Notes, Chat), Custom domains |
| Free Tier Quality | good | excellent |
Pricing Breakdown
ConvertKit
Newsletter (Free): up to 10,000 subscribers, unlimited emails. Creator: $29/month (1,000 subs, automations). Creator Pro: $59/month (subscriber scoring). Prices scale with subscriber count.
Substack
Free to use. Substack takes 10% of paid subscription revenue. Stripe processing: 2.9% + $0.30. Custom domains: free.
Integration Overlap
Shared Integrations (1)
Only in ConvertKit (9)
Only in Substack (4)
Use Case Fit
ConvertKit
- * Creator newsletter management
- * Email automation sequences
- * Digital product and course sales
- * Landing page creation
- * Audience growth and segmentation
Substack
- * Newsletter business creation
- * Paid content and subscription publishing
- * Audience building for writers
- * Podcast distribution
- * Community building for creators
ConvertKit
Pros
- + Purpose-built for creators
- + Visual automation builder is best-in-class
- + Free tier for up to 1,000 subscribers
- + Easy to learn
- + Excellent deliverability
Cons
- - Limited email template designs
- - No A/B testing on free plan
- - Reporting is basic compared to Mailchimp
- - Higher price per subscriber on paid tiers
Substack
Pros
- + Completely free to start (Substack takes 10% of paid subs)
- + Built-in audience network and discoverability
- + No technical setup required
- + Mobile reader app drives engagement
Cons
- - 10% revenue cut on paid subscriptions
- - Very limited design customization
- - No advanced email automation
- - You don't fully own your audience data
Editorial Verdict
For solo founders on a budget, Substack wins with solo-friendly pricing and a excellent free tier. For the highest-rated experience, ConvertKit edges ahead with a 4.3/5 editorial rating.
Sarah Chen
Editor-in-Chief