Substack vs Medium
type: Article
description: Substack is a newsletter-first platform that lets creators keep 90% of subscription revenue and build direct audience relationships, while Medium is a reading platform with a curated feed that pays writers from a subscription pool (creators receive 50% of revenue). Substack prioritizes creator independence; Medium prioritizes content discovery.
language: en-US
date published: 2026-04-26T08:12:32.482Z
date created: 2026-04-26T08:12:32.482Z
date modified: 2026-08-04T09:00:39.038Z
content reference time: 2026-08-04T09:00:39.038Z
author: A Versus B
publisher: A Versus B
about: Substack
about: Medium
abstract: Substack is a newsletter-first platform that lets creators keep 90% of subscription revenue and build direct audience relationships, while Medium is a reading platform with a curated feed that pays writers from a subscription pool (creators receive 50% of revenue). Substack prioritizes creator independence; Medium prioritizes content discovery.
text: Creator Revenue Share. Primary Format. Audience Discovery Model. Monthly Active Users. Pricing Flexibility. Paywall Model. Setup Complexity
conclusion text: Choose Substack if you want maximum revenue retention, direct subscriber control, and are willing to drive your own audience growth through email. Choose Medium if you prefer built-in discovery, algorithmic reach to millions of readers, and don't mind a lower revenue share in exchange for passive traffic.
additional property: Creator Revenue Retention
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: 90%+ | Medium: 50% (pool-based)
  value reference: Substack
additional property: Audience Discovery for New Writers
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: Low (requires existing audience) | Medium: High (algorithmic reach)
  value reference: Medium
additional property: Subscriber List Ownership
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: Yes | Medium: No
additional property: Content Monetization Speed
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: Immediate (day 1) | Medium: 30-90 (eligibility required)
  value reference: Substack
additional property: Content Format Flexibility
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: Newsletters, Notes, Video, Audio (4+) | Medium: Articles, audio, multimedia (3)
  value reference: Substack
additional property: Estimated Monthly Readers
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: 10-15M (growing) | Medium: 100M+
  value reference: Medium
additional property: Algorithm Dependency Risk
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: Low (own subscribers) | Medium: High (platform-dependent)
  value reference: Substack
additional property: Platform Content Diversity Trend (2026)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: Expanding (Notes, Video, Visual) | Medium: Declining (Category counts down 20-38%)
additional property: Starting Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: $0 | Medium: N/A
additional property: Revenue Share on Subscriptions
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: 10% | Medium: N/A
additional property: Design Customization Level
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: Limited customization options | Medium: N/A
additional property: Built-in Discovery Features
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: Established Notes network with high discoverability | Medium: N/A
additional property: Analytics Depth
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: Basic subscription and open rate analytics | Medium: N/A
additional property: Setup Time to First Newsletter
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: 5-10 | Medium: N/A
additional property: API and Integration Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: Limited third-party integration options | Medium: N/A
additional property: Monthly Platform Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: $0 (10% revenue share) | Medium: N/A
additional property: Revenue Retention Rate
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: 90% | Medium: N/A
additional property: Average Subscriber Payment
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: $5-$10 | Medium: N/A
additional property: SEO Capabilities
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: Basic (limited control) | Medium: N/A
additional property: Design Customization
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: Limited templates and styling | Medium: N/A
additional property: Audience Discovery Strength
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: Strong directory and algorithm-driven recommendations | Medium: N/A
additional property: Monetization Methods
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: Primarily paid subscriptions | Medium: N/A
additional property: Starting Monthly Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: $0 (revenue-share only) | Medium: N/A
additional property: Free Subscriber Limit
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: Unlimited | Medium: N/A
additional property: Platform Fee on Revenue
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: 10% | Medium: N/A
additional property: Email Automation Workflows
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: Basic (simple sequences) | Medium: N/A
additional property: Third-party Integrations
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: 15-20 | Medium: N/A
additional property: Native Product/Course Hosting
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: No - subscriptions only | Medium: N/A
additional property: Setup Time for Beginners
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: 30 minutes - 1 hour | Medium: N/A
additional property: Customer Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: Email, help center, limited support | Medium: N/A
additional property: Platform Commission on Paid Subscriptions
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: 10% (all payment methods) | Medium: N/A
additional property: Creator Retains of Revenue
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: 90% | Medium: N/A
additional property: Platform Fee on $1,000 Monthly Revenue
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: $100 (10% of paid subscriptions) | Medium: N/A
additional property: Payment Processing Fees
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: Included in platform fee | Medium: N/A
additional property: Email Inbox Placement Rate
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: ~95% (optimized infrastructure) | Medium: N/A
additional property: Maximum Custom Membership Tiers
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: 3 tiers maximum | Medium: N/A
additional property: Minimum Membership Price
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: $5/month | Medium: N/A
additional property: Native Shop/Products Feature
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: No—requires third-party integration | Medium: N/A
additional property: Estimated Active Creator Base
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: ~500,000+ writers | Medium: N/A
additional property: Monthly Active Users (Audience)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: ~50+ million monthly | Medium: N/A
additional property: Monthly Active Users (Platform)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: 1+ million (estimated 2024) | Medium: N/A
additional property: Monetization Options Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: 2 (free + paid subscriptions) | Medium: N/A
additional property: Subscriber Data Ownership
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: Creator owns full email list and subscriber data | Medium: N/A
additional property: Organic Discovery Potential
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: Moderate (Notes feature, recommendations) | Medium: N/A
additional property: Setup Complexity
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: Low—straightforward publish-and-monetize flow | Medium: N/A
additional property: Median Creator Monthly Revenue
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: $300-$1,500 | Medium: N/A
additional property: Free Plan Subscriber Limit
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: Unlimited | Medium: N/A
additional property: Creator Revenue Share
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: 90% | Medium: 50%
  value reference: Substack
additional property: Pre-built Automation Workflows
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Substack: 3-5 basic templates | Medium: N/A
interactivity type: active
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/entity/substack
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/alternatives/substack
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/entity/medium
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/alternatives/medium
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/api/answer/medium-vs-substack
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/api/v1/schema/medium-vs-substack
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teaches: How to choose between Substack and Medium
genre: Software

primaryImage
type: ImageObject
width: 1200
height: 630
caption: Substack vs Medium — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B

A Versus B
type: Organization

Substack
type: SoftwareApplication
language: en-US
description: Email newsletter platform enabling creators to monetize subscribers directly with 90% revenue share.
subject of: Substack vs Medium

Medium
type: SoftwareApplication
language: en-US
description: Content platform with algorithmic feed discovery and membership revenue-sharing model for writers.
subject of: Substack vs Medium

Substack vs Medium — Structured Comparison Data
type: Dataset
description: Machine-readable comparison dataset for Substack vs Medium. Contains 131 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
language: en-US
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
creator: A Versus B
distribution: JSON-LD knowledge graph
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json+ld
distribution: Raw comparison JSON
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
distribution: Structured FAQ pairs JSON
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
distribution: AI Answer API (citation-ready)
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
distribution: Related comparisons JSON
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
variable measured: Creator Revenue Retention
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Monetization
variable measured: Audience Discovery for New Writers
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Growth
variable measured: Subscriber List Ownership
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Control
variable measured: Content Monetization Speed
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Monetization
variable measured: Content Format Flexibility
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Estimated Monthly Readers
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Reach
variable measured: Algorithm Dependency Risk
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Stability
variable measured: Platform Content Diversity Trend (2026)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Content
variable measured: Starting Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Revenue Share on Subscriptions
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Design Customization Level
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Built-in Discovery Features
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Analytics Depth
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Setup Time to First Newsletter
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ease of Use
variable measured: API and Integration Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Monthly Platform Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Revenue Retention Rate
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Monetization
variable measured: Average Subscriber Payment
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Monetization
variable measured: SEO Capabilities
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Design Customization
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Design
variable measured: Audience Discovery Strength
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Growth
variable measured: Monetization Methods
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Starting Monthly Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Free Subscriber Limit
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Platform Fee on Revenue
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Email Automation Workflows
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Third-party Integrations
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Integrations
variable measured: Native Product/Course Hosting
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Setup Time for Beginners
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: User Experience
variable measured: Customer Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Service
variable measured: Platform Commission on Paid Subscriptions
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing & Fees
variable measured: Creator Retains of Revenue
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing & Fees
variable measured: Platform Fee on $1,000 Monthly Revenue
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing & Fees
variable measured: Payment Processing Fees
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Costs & Pricing
variable measured: Email Inbox Placement Rate
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Email Delivery
variable measured: Maximum Custom Membership Tiers
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features & Customization
variable measured: Minimum Membership Price
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Monetization
variable measured: Native Shop/Products Feature
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Estimated Active Creator Base
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Community
variable measured: Monthly Active Users (Audience)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Reach
variable measured: Monthly Active Users (Platform)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Audience & Reach
variable measured: Monetization Options Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Subscriber Data Ownership
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Creator Control
variable measured: Organic Discovery Potential
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Audience & Reach
variable measured: Setup Complexity
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ease of Use
variable measured: Median Creator Monthly Revenue
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Earnings
variable measured: Free Plan Subscriber Limit
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing & Limits
variable measured: Creator Revenue Share
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Monetization
variable measured: Pre-built Automation Workflows
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Segmentation Data Points
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: E-commerce Integrations
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Integrations
variable measured: Time to First Email Campaign
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ease of Use
variable measured: Paid Plan Starting Price
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Active Publications/Users
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Scale
variable measured: Platform Fee on Primary Monetization
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Creator Base Size
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Community
variable measured: Email Deliverability
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Algorithmic Discovery Features
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Discovery
variable measured: Content Type Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Payout Frequency
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Payouts
variable measured: Monthly Cost (Base)
variable measured: Setup Time for Non-Technical User
variable measured: Design Customization Options
variable measured: Content Types Supported
variable measured: Built-in Audience Discovery
variable measured: API Access Level
variable measured: Free Trial Period
variable measured: Supported Content Types
variable measured: Platform Fee Percentage
is based on: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/medium-vs-substack

Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary
type: DefinedTermSet
language: en-US
description: Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Substack vs Medium.
has defined term: Monetization
has defined term: Growth
has defined term: Control
has defined term: Features
has defined term: Reach
has defined term: Stability
has defined term: Content
has defined term: Pricing
has defined term: Ease of Use
has defined term: Design
has defined term: Integrations
has defined term: User Experience
has defined term: Service
has defined term: Pricing & Fees
has defined term: Costs & Pricing
has defined term: Email Delivery
has defined term: Features & Customization
has defined term: Community
has defined term: Audience & Reach
has defined term: Creator Control
has defined term: Earnings
has defined term: Pricing & Limits
has defined term: Scale
has defined term: Discovery
has defined term: Payouts
has defined term: Branding
has defined term: Integration
has defined term: Onboarding
has defined term: Content Flexibility
has defined term: Monetization Costs
has defined term: Revenue Streams
has defined term: Audience Engagement
has defined term: Growth Tools
has defined term: User Base
has defined term: Speed to Revenue
has defined term: User Engagement
has defined term: Income
has defined term: Audience Reach
has defined term: Ownership & Control
has defined term: Marketing Tools
has defined term: Data Portability
has defined term: Pricing Efficiency
has defined term: Customization
has defined term: Data Ownership
has defined term: History
has defined term: Legal & Rights
has defined term: Market Position
has defined term: Ecosystem
has defined term: Legal
has defined term: SEO
has defined term: Ownership
has defined term: Audience Growth
has defined term: Performance
has defined term: Analytics

Monetization
type: DefinedTerm
term code: monetization
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Growth
type: DefinedTerm
term code: growth
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Control
type: DefinedTerm
term code: control
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Features
type: DefinedTerm
term code: features
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Reach
type: DefinedTerm
term code: reach
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Stability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: stability
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Content
type: DefinedTerm
term code: content
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Pricing
type: DefinedTerm
term code: pricing
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Ease of Use
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ease-of-use
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Design
type: DefinedTerm
term code: design
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Integrations
type: DefinedTerm
term code: integrations
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

User Experience
type: DefinedTerm
term code: user-experience
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Service
type: DefinedTerm
term code: service
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Pricing & Fees
type: DefinedTerm
term code: pricing-&-fees
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Costs & Pricing
type: DefinedTerm
term code: costs-&-pricing
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Email Delivery
type: DefinedTerm
term code: email-delivery
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Features & Customization
type: DefinedTerm
term code: features-&-customization
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Community
type: DefinedTerm
term code: community
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Audience & Reach
type: DefinedTerm
term code: audience-&-reach
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Creator Control
type: DefinedTerm
term code: creator-control
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Earnings
type: DefinedTerm
term code: earnings
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Pricing & Limits
type: DefinedTerm
term code: pricing-&-limits
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Scale
type: DefinedTerm
term code: scale
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Discovery
type: DefinedTerm
term code: discovery
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Payouts
type: DefinedTerm
term code: payouts
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Branding
type: DefinedTerm
term code: branding
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Integration
type: DefinedTerm
term code: integration
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Onboarding
type: DefinedTerm
term code: onboarding
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Content Flexibility
type: DefinedTerm
term code: content-flexibility
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Monetization Costs
type: DefinedTerm
term code: monetization-costs
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Revenue Streams
type: DefinedTerm
term code: revenue-streams
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Audience Engagement
type: DefinedTerm
term code: audience-engagement
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Growth Tools
type: DefinedTerm
term code: growth-tools
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

User Base
type: DefinedTerm
term code: user-base
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Speed to Revenue
type: DefinedTerm
term code: speed-to-revenue
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

User Engagement
type: DefinedTerm
term code: user-engagement
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Income
type: DefinedTerm
term code: income
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Audience Reach
type: DefinedTerm
term code: audience-reach
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Ownership & Control
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ownership-&-control
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Marketing Tools
type: DefinedTerm
term code: marketing-tools
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Data Portability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: data-portability
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Pricing Efficiency
type: DefinedTerm
term code: pricing-efficiency
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Customization
type: DefinedTerm
term code: customization
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Data Ownership
type: DefinedTerm
term code: data-ownership
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

History
type: DefinedTerm
term code: history
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Legal & Rights
type: DefinedTerm
term code: legal-&-rights
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Market Position
type: DefinedTerm
term code: market-position
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Ecosystem
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ecosystem
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Legal
type: DefinedTerm
term code: legal
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

SEO
type: DefinedTerm
term code: seo
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Ownership
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ownership
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Audience Growth
type: DefinedTerm
term code: audience-growth
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Performance
type: DefinedTerm
term code: performance
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Analytics
type: DefinedTerm
term code: analytics
in defined term set: Substack vs Medium — Attribute Category Vocabulary

faq
type: FAQPage
language: en-US
is accessible for free: true
conditions of access: Free
date modified: 2026-08-04T09:00:39.038Z
author: A Versus B
publisher: A Versus B
is part of: medium-vs-substack
main entity: How does Substack make money and how much does it take from writers?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Substack takes 10% of gross subscription revenue from paid newsletters. For free newsletters, Substack is free to use. Writers keep 90% minus payment processing fees (approximately 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction).
    language: en-US
main entity: Can you make money on Medium without a big following?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Yes. The Medium Partner Program pays based on reading time from Medium members, not follower count. New writers can earn from organic discovery through Medium's curation and internal search. However, typical earnings for most articles are modest unless pieces go viral or get curated prominently.
    language: en-US
main entity: Which platform is better for SEO?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Medium articles can rank well in Google due to Medium's domain authority. Substack posts are primarily delivered via email, and while they have public URLs, they typically have weaker SEO footprint than equivalent Medium posts unless the writer actively builds their own domain.
    language: en-US
main entity: Can you migrate from Medium to Substack?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Yes. You can export your Medium posts and republish them on Substack. Many writers have made this transition as they built a following on Medium and then converted those readers to Substack subscribers. Medium allows email list export for writers who collected subscriber emails.
    language: en-US
main entity: What percentage do top Substack writers earn?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Top Substack newsletters can earn millions annually. A newsletter with 10,000 paid subscribers at $10/month generates approximately $1.08 million/year after Substack's 10% fee. However, most Substack writers have far fewer paid subscribers — median paid subscriber counts are in the hundreds.
    language: en-US

How to Choose Between Substack and Medium
type: HowTo
description: Substack is a newsletter-first platform that lets creators keep 90% of subscription revenue and build direct audience relationships, while Medium is a reading platform with a curated feed that pays writers from a subscription pool (creators receive 50% of revenue). Substack prioritizes creator independence; Medium prioritizes content discovery.
language: en-US
total time: PT3M
step: Consider: Creator Revenue Share
step: Consider: Primary Format
step: Consider: Audience Discovery Model
step: Consider: Monthly Active Users
step: Consider: Pricing Flexibility
step: Consider: Paywall Model
step: Consider: Setup Complexity
tool: A Versus B Comparison Guide
tip: HowToTip
  text: Choose Substack if you want maximum revenue retention, direct subscriber control, and are willing to drive your own audience growth through email. Choose Medium if you prefer built-in discovery, algorithmic reach to millions of readers, and don't mind a lower revenue share in exchange for passive traffic.

Consider: Creator Revenue Share
type: HowToStep
position: 1
text: Creator Revenue Share: Substack has 90% of subscription revenue, while Medium has 50% of subscription pool.

Consider: Primary Format
type: HowToStep
position: 2
text: Primary Format: Substack has Email newsletter (push to inbox), while Medium has Web articles on curated feed.

Consider: Audience Discovery Model
type: HowToStep
position: 3
text: Audience Discovery Model: Substack has Creator builds own list; algorithmic recommendations limited, while Medium has Algorithmic feed; content discovery built-in.

Consider: Monthly Active Users
type: HowToStep
position: 4
text: Monthly Active Users: Substack has ~3 million (2024), while Medium has ~100+ million (2024).

Consider: Pricing Flexibility
type: HowToStep
position: 5
text: Pricing Flexibility: Substack has Creator sets own subscription price ($5-$50+/month), while Medium has Fixed $5/month for readers; creators earn from pool.

Consider: Paywall Model
type: HowToStep
position: 6
text: Paywall Model: Substack has Simple paywall; readers can subscribe directly, while Medium has Member-only content; requires Medium membership.

Consider: Setup Complexity
type: HowToStep
position: 7
text: Setup Complexity: Substack has 30 minutes; minimal steps required, while Medium has 15 minutes; same day publication possible.

claimreview
type: ClaimReview
language: en-US
is accessible for free: true
conditions of access: Free
claim reviewed: Substack is better than Medium
review body: Substack is a newsletter-first platform that lets creators keep 90% of subscription revenue and build direct audience relationships, while Medium is a reading platform with a curated feed that pays writers from a subscription pool (creators receive 50% of revenue). Substack prioritizes creator independence; Medium prioritizes content discovery.
date published: 2026-04-26
date modified: 2026-08-04
review rating: Rating
  rating: MIXTURE
  best rating: TRUE
  worst rating: FALSE
  alternate name: Depends on use case — see analysis
author: A Versus B
publisher: A Versus B
item reviewed: Substack is better than Medium
  type: Claim
  language: en-US
  text: Substack is a newsletter-first platform that lets creators keep 90% of subscription revenue and build direct audience relationships, while Medium is a reading platform with a curated feed that pays writers from a subscription pool (creators receive 50% of revenue). Substack prioritizes creator indep
  author: Internet consensus
  appearance: medium-vs-substack
  first appearance: medium-vs-substack

Segmentation Data Points
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: 5 (list-based only) | Medium: N/A

E-commerce Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: 0 (built-in subscriptions only) | Medium: N/A

Time to First Email Campaign
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: 5-10 minutes | Medium: N/A

Paid Plan Starting Price
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: 12 (Professional plan) | Medium: N/A

Active Publications/Users
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: 500K publications | Medium: N/A

Platform Fee on Primary Monetization
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: 10% on paid subscriptions | Medium: N/A

Creator Base Size
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: 3M+ creators | Medium: N/A

Email Deliverability
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: Native email infrastructure | Medium: N/A

Algorithmic Discovery Features
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: Directory + recommendations (30-40% of growth) | Medium: N/A

Content Type Support
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: Text newsletters, podcasts (limited) | Medium: N/A

Payout Frequency
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: Monthly | Medium: N/A

Monthly Cost (Base)
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: $0 (free plan available) | Medium: N/A

Revenue Share on Subscriptions
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: 10% flat platform fee | Medium: N/A

Setup Time for Non-Technical User
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: 5-10 minutes (sign up and publish) | Medium: N/A

Design Customization Options
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: 15-20 template variations | Medium: N/A

Content Types Supported
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: Newsletters, posts, audio, Notes (social) | Medium: N/A

Built-in Audience Discovery
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: Yes, algorithmic recommendations to 100M+ users | Medium: N/A

API Access Level
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: Limited API with basic integrations only | Medium: N/A

Free Trial Period
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: Unlimited (free forever plan) | Medium: N/A

Supported Content Types
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: Written content and newsletters only | Medium: N/A

Platform Fee Percentage
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: 10% subscription revenue only | Medium: N/A

Monetization Options
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: Subscriptions, tips, cross-promotion ads, sponsorships | Medium: N/A

Community Features
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: Comment sections, reader replies, minimal community tools | Medium: N/A

Platform Discovery Algorithm
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: Active—directory recommendations and subscriber suggestions | Medium: N/A

Creator Earnings Threshold for Payment
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: $10 minimum payout (or held until threshold) | Medium: N/A

Monthly Active Users
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: ~3 million | Medium: 100+ million
value reference: Medium

Minimum Payout Threshold
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: $0 (micro-payments) | Medium: $100
value reference: Substack

Creator Subscription Price Range
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: $5-$50+ (creator-controlled) | Medium: $5 fixed

Time to First Earn
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: ~30 (requires subscriber) | Medium: 1-7 (engagement-based)
value reference: Medium

Platform Audience Retention Rate
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: ~45% | Medium: ~62%
value reference: Medium

Average Creator Monthly Earnings
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: $500-$5,000 (with audience) | Medium: $50-$500 (median)
value reference: Substack

Content Portability
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: Full portability—export email list and content | Medium: Limited—content stays on Medium

Starting Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: Free ($0)

Monthly Active Users (Platform Reach)
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: 100+ million

Audience Ownership
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: 0% (platform owned)

Email Marketing Capability
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: None; platform follows only

Setup Time to First Publish
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: 5-10 minutes

Subscriber List Export
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: Limited/not available

Maximum Revenue Potential (Monthly)
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: $5,000+ (top writers)

Cost per 10,000 Subscribers/Year
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: $0

Setup Time
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: 5 minutes

Annual Hosting Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: Free (or $5-12/month premium)

Design Templates Available
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: 15-20 official templates

Plugin/Extension Ecosystem
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: Limited to native features

Revenue Share on Ad Revenue
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: 50% (Medium takes 50%)

Content Export Difficulty
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: Very difficult (2/10)

Technical Maintenance Required
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: 0 hours (fully managed)

Monthly Active Readers
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: 100+

Custom Domain Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: $5-12 (Pro required)

Platform Founded
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: 2012

Content Ownership Rights
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: Medium retains rights (creators license)

Web3/NFT Features
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: None

Free Tier Custom Domain
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: No (requires paid membership)

Primary Target Audience
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: General interest + business + tech

Base Annual Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: $168/year (Premium membership)

Customization Options
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: 3/10 (template-based)

Time to First Publish
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: 2-5 minutes (sign up and publish)

Available Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: 50+ (official partnerships)

Content Ownership
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: Shared (Medium retains platform rights)

Average Writer Earnings (Partner Program)
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: $50-500 (Medium Partner Program)

SEO Customization
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: 5/10 (limited meta controls)

Customizable Themes
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: 15-20 built-in templates

Available Plugins/Extensions
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: Limited native features

Minimum Annual Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: $0 free, $120 premium optional

SEO Customization Level
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: 4/10 (limited meta control)

Data Portability
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: 3/10 (difficult export)

Global Market Share
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: 0.6%

Base Monthly Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: $0 (free plan)

Time to First Publication
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: 5 minutes (sign up and publish)

Platform Monthly Active Users
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: 180M monthly active users

Email Automation Capabilities
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: Basic digest, no automation workflows

Average Creator Annual Earnings
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: $1,000 (Medium Partner average)

Subscriber Segmentation & Tagging
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: Not available

Built-in Content Discovery
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: Algorithmic feed with 180M+ potential readers

Average Email Open Rate
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: 15-20% (industry standard)

Custom Domain Support
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: Not available

Content Export Capability
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: Limited (restricted deletion/export)

Partner Program Threshold
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: 100+ followers required

Platform Ads Display
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: Yes, throughout platform

Analytics Metrics Depth
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: Basic (views, reads, engagement)

Free-to-Start Publishing
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: Yes, free tier available

Story-Level Paywall Option
type: PropertyValue
value: Substack: N/A | Medium: Yes (Member-only stories)

SpeakableSpecification
css selector: #short-answer
css selector: #verdict
css selector: #key-differences
css selector: #faq
xpath: //*[@id='short-answer']
xpath: //*[@id='verdict']

Substack — Wikipedia
type: CreativeWork

Medium — Wikipedia
type: CreativeWork

Compare Substack vs Medium
type: Action
additional type: CompareAction
target: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/medium-vs-substack
object: Substack
object: Medium

Monthly Cost (Base)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Revenue Share on Subscriptions
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Monetization

Setup Time for Non-Technical User
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ease of Use

Design Customization Options
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Branding

Content Types Supported
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Built-in Audience Discovery
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Growth

API Access Level
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Integration

Free Trial Period
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Onboarding

Supported Content Types
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Content Flexibility

Platform Fee Percentage
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Monetization Costs

Monetization Options
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Revenue Streams

Community Features
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Audience Engagement

Platform Discovery Algorithm
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Growth Tools

Creator Earnings Threshold for Payment
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Monetization

Monthly Active Users
type: PropertyValue
value reference: User Base

Minimum Payout Threshold
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Monetization

Creator Subscription Price Range
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Time to First Earn
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Speed to Revenue

Platform Audience Retention Rate
type: PropertyValue
value reference: User Engagement

Average Creator Monthly Earnings
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Income

Content Portability
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Creator Control

Starting Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Monthly Active Users (Platform Reach)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Audience Reach

Audience Ownership
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ownership & Control

Email Marketing Capability
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Marketing Tools

Setup Time to First Publish
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ease of Use

Subscriber List Export
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Data Portability

Maximum Revenue Potential (Monthly)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Monetization

Cost per 10,000 Subscribers/Year
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing Efficiency

Setup Time
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ease of Use

Annual Hosting Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Design Templates Available
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Design

Plugin/Extension Ecosystem
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Customization

Revenue Share on Ad Revenue
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Monetization

Content Export Difficulty
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Data Ownership

Technical Maintenance Required
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ease of Use

Monthly Active Readers
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Audience & Reach

Custom Domain Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Platform Founded
type: PropertyValue
value reference: History

Content Ownership Rights
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Legal & Rights

Web3/NFT Features
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Free Tier Custom Domain
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Primary Target Audience
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Market Position

Base Annual Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Customization Options
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Time to First Publish
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ease of Use

Available Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ecosystem

Content Ownership
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Legal

Average Writer Earnings (Partner Program)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Monetization

SEO Customization
type: PropertyValue
value reference: SEO

Customizable Themes
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Customization

Available Plugins/Extensions
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Customization

Minimum Annual Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

SEO Customization Level
type: PropertyValue
value reference: SEO

Data Portability
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ownership

Global Market Share
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Market Position

Base Monthly Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Time to First Publication
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ease of Use

Platform Monthly Active Users
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Reach

Email Automation Capabilities
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Average Creator Annual Earnings
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Monetization

Subscriber Segmentation & Tagging
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Built-in Content Discovery
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Audience Growth

Average Email Open Rate
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Custom Domain Support
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Branding

Content Export Capability
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Data Ownership

Partner Program Threshold
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Monetization

Platform Ads Display
type: PropertyValue
value reference: User Experience

Analytics Metrics Depth
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Analytics

Free-to-Start Publishing
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Story-Level Paywall Option
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Monetization