ConvertKit vs Substack
ConvertKit is email marketing platform built for creators — newsletters, automations, and digital products, while Substack is newsletter and publishing platform with built-in paid subscriptions. The biggest difference up front: Substack is free, while ConvertKit starts at $25/mo. ConvertKit is built for creators and solo businesses who want simple, powerful email, whereas Substack targets writers who want to monetize with paid subscriptions.
| Feature | ConvertKit | Substack |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier available | ✓ | ✓ |
| Open source | — | — |
| Automations | ✓ | — |
| Community | — | ✓ |
| Digital Products | ✓ | — |
| Discovery Network | — | ✓ |
| Landing Pages | ✓ | — |
| Mobile App | — | ✓ |
| Paid Subscriptions | — | ✓ |
| Podcasts | — | ✓ |
| Sequences | ✓ | — |
| Tagging | ✓ | — |
Pricing: Substack is completely free, which makes it the obvious pick if budget is the top concern. ConvertKit starts at $25/mo, but Free for up to 1,000 subscribers. That cost buys you a more polished or feature-rich experience, so it comes down to whether the extras justify the spend.
Feature gaps: ConvertKit offers Automations, Digital Products and Landing Pages that Substack lacks. Substack brings Community, Discovery Network and Mobile App that ConvertKit does not have.
Team fit: Both tools target individuals teams, so the decision hinges on features and workflow fit rather than scale.
Where each tool shines: ConvertKit's biggest strengths are: built specifically for creators and solopreneurs. excellent automation and sequence builder. Substack's biggest strengths are: free to use — takes 10% of paid subscriber revenue. built-in discovery and recommendation network.
Watch out for: With ConvertKit, users commonly note that limited email template design options. With Substack, the main complaint is that 10% revenue cut is steep at scale.
choose ConvertKit if
- You need a tool built for creators and solo businesses who want simple, powerful email
- You specifically need Automations and Digital Products
- You care about excellent automation and sequence builder
- The free tier works for you: free for up to 1,000 subscribers
choose Substack if
- You need a tool built for writers who want to monetize with paid subscriptions
- Budget is a hard constraint — Substack is free, ConvertKit is not
- You specifically need Community and Discovery Network
- You care about built-in discovery and recommendation network
frequently asked
What is the difference between ConvertKit and Substack?
ConvertKit is email marketing platform built for creators — newsletters, automations, and digital products, while Substack is newsletter and publishing platform with built-in paid subscriptions. The biggest difference up front: Substack is free, while ConvertKit starts at $25/mo. ConvertKit is built for creators and solo businesses who want simple, powerful email, whereas Substack targets writers who want to monetize with paid subscriptions.
Should I use ConvertKit or Substack?
Substack is the free option; ConvertKit charges $25/mo but may offer more polish. Here is how they compare.
When should I choose ConvertKit over Substack?
Choose ConvertKit if You need a tool built for creators and solo businesses who want simple, powerful email; You specifically need Automations and Digital Products; You care about excellent automation and sequence builder; The free tier works for you: free for up to 1,000 subscribers.
When should I choose Substack over ConvertKit?
Choose Substack if You need a tool built for writers who want to monetize with paid subscriptions; Budget is a hard constraint — Substack is free, ConvertKit is not; You specifically need Community and Discovery Network; You care about built-in discovery and recommendation network.
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