Medium is a free, algorithm-driven publishing platform ideal for reaching broad audiences, while ConvertKit is a paid email marketing platform designed specifically for creators to monetize and own their subscriber relationships. They serve fundamentally different purposes: Medium for content discovery, ConvertKit for audience ownership and revenue generation.
Medium vs ConvertKit — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Ad-supported publishing platform with 100M+ monthly readers and revenue-sharing model.
Creator-focused email marketing platform with advanced automation and audience management.
Primary Purpose. Audience Ownership. Monetization Model. Starting Cost. Email Subscriber Management. Learning Curve & Setup Time. Data Portability
Choose Medium if you want free publishing with algorithmic discovery and are content-focused without monetization urgency. Choose ConvertKit if you're a serious creator seeking direct audience ownership, subscriber monetization, and want to build an independent business asset—the paid investment pays off through retained audience control and multiple revenue streams.
Medium: 50% (pool-based) | ConvertKit: N/A
Medium: High (algorithmic reach) | ConvertKit: N/A
Medium: 30-90 (eligibility required) | ConvertKit: N/A
Medium: Articles, audio, multimedia (3) | ConvertKit: N/A
Medium: High (platform-dependent) | ConvertKit: N/A
Medium: Declining (Category counts down 20-38%) | ConvertKit: N/A
Medium: Free ($0) | ConvertKit: $300 minimum
Medium: 100+ million | ConvertKit: 0 (creator-owned only)
Medium: 0% (platform owned) | ConvertKit: 100% (creator owned)
Medium: None; platform follows only | ConvertKit: Full-featured email marketing with automation
Medium: 5-10 minutes | ConvertKit: 60-120 minutes
Medium: Limited/not available | ConvertKit: Full export available
Medium: $5,000+ (top writers) | ConvertKit: Unlimited (creator-controlled)
Medium: Free (or $5-12/month premium) | ConvertKit: N/A
Medium: 15-20 official templates | ConvertKit: N/A
Medium: Limited to native features | ConvertKit: N/A
Medium: 50% (Medium takes 50%) | ConvertKit: N/A
Medium: Very difficult (2/10) | ConvertKit: N/A
Medium: 0 hours (fully managed) | ConvertKit: N/A
Medium: 50% (Member program) | ConvertKit: N/A
Medium: $5-12 (Pro required) | ConvertKit: N/A
Medium: Medium retains rights (creators license) | ConvertKit: N/A
Medium: No (requires paid membership) | ConvertKit: N/A
Medium: General interest + business + tech | ConvertKit: N/A
Medium: $168/year (Premium membership) | ConvertKit: N/A
Medium: 3/10 (template-based) | ConvertKit: N/A
Medium: 2-5 minutes (sign up and publish) | ConvertKit: N/A
Medium: 50+ (official partnerships) | ConvertKit: N/A
Medium: Shared (Medium retains platform rights) | ConvertKit: N/A
Average Writer Earnings (Partner Program)
Medium: $50-500 (Medium Partner Program) | ConvertKit: N/A
Medium: 5/10 (limited meta controls) | ConvertKit: N/A
Medium: 15-20 built-in templates | ConvertKit: N/A
Medium: Limited native features | ConvertKit: N/A
Medium: $0 free, $120 premium optional | ConvertKit: N/A
Medium: 4/10 (limited meta control) | ConvertKit: N/A
Medium: 3/10 (difficult export) | ConvertKit: N/A
Medium: $0 (free plan) | ConvertKit: $29/month (1,000 subscribers)
Medium: 5 minutes (sign up and publish) | ConvertKit: 60-120 minutes (setup, integrations, templates)
Medium: 180M monthly active users | ConvertKit: 500K+ creators (estimated 15M engaged readers)
Medium: Basic digest, no automation workflows | ConvertKit: Advanced sequences, conditional logic, behavioral triggers
Medium: $1,000 (Medium Partner average) | ConvertKit: $15,000+ (ConvertKit creator average)
Medium: Not available | ConvertKit: Unlimited tags, dynamic segments, behavioral rules
Medium: Algorithmic feed with 180M+ potential readers | ConvertKit: None - requires external traffic sources
Medium: 15-20% (industry standard) | ConvertKit: 40-50% (ConvertKit creator average)
Medium: Limited (restricted deletion/export) | ConvertKit: N/A
Medium: 100+ followers required | ConvertKit: N/A
Medium: Yes, throughout platform | ConvertKit: N/A
Medium: Basic (views, reads, engagement) | ConvertKit: N/A
Medium: Yes, free tier available | ConvertKit: N/A
Medium: Yes (Member-only stories) | ConvertKit: N/A
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: $25 (paid plan)
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: Basic subscriber management
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: Standard (simple sequences, tags)
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: $119 (10k subscriber tier)
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: $33/month (Creator plan, billed yearly)
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: 1,000 subscribers
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: Advanced (sequences, conditionals, tags, delays)
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: Yes - full course and digital product platform
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: Email, help center, community forum
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: No (third-party required)
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: Basic API integration only
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: Tags, purchase history, custom fields
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: 12-18 hours average
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: Tag-based (limited)
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: None (paid only)
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: Creator sequences
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: Paid add-on ($9+/mo)
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: Yes, native feature
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: Yes, built-in matching
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: $0 (0-1K subs), then $29-$99/month
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: 1,000 subscribers included
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: 100+ templates
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: No (requires integration)
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: Landing pages only
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: No (cloud-only, vendor lock-in)
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: Yes (API available)
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: Free tier available
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: Unlimited (free tier)
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: 0.5 weeks (2-3 days)
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: Basic - simple conditional triggers and tags
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: No - email only
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: Yes - built-in subscriber tiers and pricing
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: $25 (up to 1,000 subscribers)
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: No - requires third-party tool
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: Advanced (conditional logic, behavioral triggers, multi-step)
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: Limited (landing pages, basic blog, no custom themes)
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: Yes - 50+ templates included
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: 2 (sign up and start immediately)
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: $350-$500 (pay-as-you-grow pricing)
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: 100+ direct integrations (Stripe, YouTube, Gumroad, etc.)
Creator Plan Monthly Cost (Annual Billing)
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: $25 (Creator plan)
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: No - requires Zapier/API
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: Advanced multi-path sequences
Medium: N/A | ConvertKit: No - requires OpenAI integration
How to choose between Medium and ConvertKit
Medium vs ConvertKit — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Medium vs ConvertKit. Contains 134 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Medium vs ConvertKit — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Medium vs ConvertKit.
Can I use Medium and ConvertKit together?
Yes, absolutely. Many creators use Medium for algorithmic discovery and traffic generation, then funnel interested readers into ConvertKit for email nurturing and direct monetization. You can add ConvertKit signup forms to Medium articles or redirect Medium readers to opt-in landing pages built in ConvertKit.
Which platform pays creators more money?
ConvertKit typically generates higher revenue for serious creators because you own and control all monetization. Medium's Partner Program can generate $500-$5,000+/month for top writers, but income is unpredictable and platform-dependent. ConvertKit allows unlimited revenue through sponsorships, product sales, and paid newsletters with no platform cut.
What happens to my audience if Medium shuts down or changes?
On Medium, you lose access to algorithmic distribution and follower relationships since the platform owns that data. ConvertKit prevents this risk because you own your complete email subscriber list and can export it anytime to another service like Substack or Mailchimp without losing any contacts.
Is ConvertKit worth $25-$300/month for small creators?
For creators with under 500 subscribers just starting out, Medium's free model is better to test audience-building. Once you reach 1,000+ engaged subscribers and want to monetize or build independence from algorithms, ConvertKit's investment typically pays for itself through 2-3 paid newsletter conversions or sponsorships monthly.
No, Medium doesn't have native email list building—followers exist only within the platform. You'd need to redirect Medium readers to an external ConvertKit, Substack, or similar service to capture emails. This requires extra steps compared to platforms designed for email collection.
How to Choose Between Medium and ConvertKit
Primary Purpose: Medium has Content discovery & publishing platform, while ConvertKit has Creator-focused email marketing & monetization.
Audience Ownership: Medium has Medium owns algorithmic distribution; limited audience data access, while ConvertKit has 100% creator-owned subscriber list with full contact details.
Monetization Model: Medium has Revenue share from Medium Partner Program (50% of membership fees), while ConvertKit has Direct control: email sales, affiliate links, sponsorships, courses.
Starting Cost: Medium has Free; optional $168/year for Premium membership, while ConvertKit has $25/month minimum ($300/year) for up to 1,000 subscribers.
Email Subscriber Management: Medium has No email list building; limited to platform followers, while ConvertKit has Unlimited email marketing with advanced segmentation.
Learning Curve & Setup Time: Medium has 5-10 minutes to start publishing; minimal learning needed, while ConvertKit has 1-2 hours for complete setup; moderately complex interface.
Data Portability: Medium has Limited export; algorithmic reach not transferable, while ConvertKit has Full subscriber list export; 100% portable audience.