Substack is a creator-focused newsletter platform that prioritizes writer revenue sharing and simplicity, while Mailchimp is a comprehensive email marketing suite designed for businesses with automation, segmentation, and advanced analytics capabilities.
Substack vs Mailchimp — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Creator-focused newsletter platform with built-in subscription monetization.
All-in-one marketing platform offering email campaigns, automation, landing pages, and CRM features.
Primary Use Case. Revenue Model. Free Plan Features. Automation Workflows. Segmentation Capabilities. Learning Curve. E-commerce Integration
Choose Substack if you're an independent writer, journalist, or podcaster wanting to monetize a newsletter with minimal setup and maximum revenue retention. Choose Mailchimp if you're a business needing sophisticated automation, detailed audience segmentation, e-commerce integration, and advanced analytics for email marketing campaigns.
Substack: Low (requires existing audience) | Mailchimp: N/A
Substack: Immediate (day 1) | Mailchimp: N/A
Substack: Newsletters, Notes, Video, Audio (4+) | Mailchimp: N/A
Substack: 10-15M (growing) | Mailchimp: N/A
Substack: Low (own subscribers) | Mailchimp: N/A
Substack: Expanding (Notes, Video, Visual) | Mailchimp: N/A
Substack: Limited customization options | Mailchimp: N/A
Substack: Established Notes network with high discoverability | Mailchimp: N/A
Substack: Basic subscription and open rate analytics | Mailchimp: N/A
Substack: Limited third-party integration options | Mailchimp: N/A
Substack: $0 (10% revenue share) | Mailchimp: N/A
Substack: Basic (limited control) | Mailchimp: N/A
Substack: Limited templates and styling | Mailchimp: N/A
Substack: Strong directory and algorithm-driven recommendations | Mailchimp: N/A
Substack: Primarily paid subscriptions | Mailchimp: N/A
Substack: $0 (revenue-share only) | Mailchimp: N/A
Substack: Basic (simple sequences) | Mailchimp: N/A
Substack: No - subscriptions only | Mailchimp: N/A
Substack: 30 minutes - 1 hour | Mailchimp: N/A
Substack: Email, help center, limited support | Mailchimp: N/A
Platform Commission on Paid Subscriptions
Substack: 10% (all payment methods) | Mailchimp: N/A
Substack: $100 (10% of paid subscriptions) | Mailchimp: N/A
Substack: Included in platform fee | Mailchimp: N/A
Substack: 3 tiers maximum | Mailchimp: N/A
Substack: No—requires third-party integration | Mailchimp: N/A
Substack: ~500,000+ writers | Mailchimp: N/A
Substack: ~50+ million monthly | Mailchimp: N/A
Substack: 1+ million (estimated 2024) | Mailchimp: N/A
Substack: 2 (subscriptions, paid posts) | Mailchimp: N/A
Substack: Creator owns full email list and subscriber data | Mailchimp: N/A
Substack: Moderate (Notes feature, recommendations) | Mailchimp: N/A
Substack: 0.5-1 hour (minimal onboarding) | Mailchimp: N/A
Substack: 90% | Mailchimp: 0% (SaaS model)
Substack: 3-5 basic templates | Mailchimp: 300+
Substack: 5 (list-based only) | Mailchimp: 50+
Substack: 0 (built-in subscriptions only) | Mailchimp: 50+
Substack: 5-10 minutes | Mailchimp: 30-60 minutes
Substack: 12 (Professional plan) | Mailchimp: 20 (1K-contact plan)
Substack: 500K publications | Mailchimp: 20M+ users
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Yes (500 contacts)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: 7 (moderate to high)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Sophisticated data-driven rules
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Yes, varies by plan
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Yes, with international expansion
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Free on all plans
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Not available
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Basic (Customer Journey Builder)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: A/B testing and design testing (free)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: More extensive platform coverage
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Basic contact management
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Beginner-friendly
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Limited (abandoned cart via integrations)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Yes - charges per contact/send overages
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Comprehensive campaign performance and subscriber insights
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Basic personalization features
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Available but less intuitive setup
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Full SMS suite with 2026 international expansion
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Legacy interface, steep learning curve
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Full native CRM platform integrated
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Limited core features only
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Extensive design variety and customization
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Standard audience segmentation
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Basic contact data syncing
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: No (API integration only)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Yes (added 2026, supports international markets)
Contact List Size Limit (Standard Pricing)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Unlimited growth with pro-rated pricing
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: 1,000 emails/month
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Capped by contact tier multipliers
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: 13 million users
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Full CRM suite with advanced segmentation
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Limited e-commerce via integrations
Price Scaling Factor at 5,000 Subscribers
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Steep 3-4x multiplier
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Basic add-on CRM
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Manual segmentation only
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Email, basic social
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Minimal (intuitive interface)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Standard quarterly updates
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Yes, full CRM suite
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Email, SMS, landing pages, ads
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Moderate, marketing-focused
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: 10-20 minutes
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: 300,000 (based on plan)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: $13/month (Essentials)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: $800/month (100,000 contacts)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Full-featured free plan
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Yes (up to 500 contacts)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Modern and professional
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Advanced automation included
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Third-party integrations
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Transactional email and small business
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Yes (drag-and-drop, AI-assisted)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Full CRM with customer profiles
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: All paid plans
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: 500 (free) / 5,000 (paid)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: 0.08 months (1 hour)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: 3 (Salesforce, HubSpot, custom)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Behavioral segmentation only
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: 2/10 (simple)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Email-based, no SLA
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Basic (list segmentation only)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: ~5 basic automations
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: No (Zapier third-party only)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: 1 (beginner-friendly)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: 500 free contacts
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: None (requires third-party solutions)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Unlimited (with 10k contacts max)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Not applicable (subscriber-based)
Starter Tier Monthly Cost (50k contacts)
Automation Workflow Steps (Free/Starter Tier)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Unlimited (standard feature)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Unlimited (with pricing increase)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Limited basic sequences
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Phone support on paid plans only
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: 10 calls/second
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: 0% (you handle payments)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Advanced (conditional, behavioral triggers)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: No (third-party required)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Yes (subject lines, send time)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Included in paid plans
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: 30+ (payment processor + Mailchimp config)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: $0 (free tier) or $20 (Pro)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Not offered (email-focused)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: 3 (email, SMS via paid add-on, social)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: 0.5-2 hours (no code required)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Limited (up to 5-10 per plan tier)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: $0.01-0.05 per SMS
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: 100+ templates
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: $2–$7 (plan-dependent)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: 0.5–1 hour (UI-based)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Advanced (subject, send time, content)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Manual review required
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Full CRM with segmentation, tagging, custom fields
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: $200–$350 (based on tier)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: $0.01 (SMS add-on)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: 45+ countries
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: 100+ professional templates
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: 1 day (no-code signup)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: 12M+ users (2025)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Unlimited steps
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: 1,000+ templates
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: No (paid add-on)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: No (add-on only)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: 500+ templates including AI-generated
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: $20 additional per month
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Advanced abandoned cart, product recommendations, dynamic pricing
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Basic automation on free plan
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Advanced AI copywriter with subject line optimization
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Limited - basic integration support only
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Advanced visual builder included
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: 15-20 minutes
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: List management only
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Yes - iOS and Android
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Yes (drag-and-drop)
Substack: N/A | Mailchimp: Available at higher tiers
How to choose between Substack and Mailchimp
Substack vs Mailchimp — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Substack vs Mailchimp. Contains 217 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Substack vs Mailchimp — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Substack vs Mailchimp.
Can I use Substack to send marketing emails to my business customers?
Substack is optimized for creator newsletters, not business marketing. It lacks automation, segmentation, and e-commerce integration. While you can use it to email a list, Mailchimp is significantly better for business campaigns with triggered workflows, behavioral targeting, and Shopify sync.
Does Mailchimp offer revenue sharing for content creators?
No. Mailchimp uses a SaaS pricing model where you pay monthly fees (starting at $20) regardless of revenue generated. Substack's 90% creator revenue share is exclusive to Substack and designed specifically for individual writers monetizing subscriptions.
Which platform is better for someone just starting an email list?
Substack is better for beginners due to its 5-minute setup, unlimited free subscribers, and no learning curve. Mailchimp has a steeper learning curve (2-4 hours) and limits free users to 500 contacts, but it scales better once you need automation and segmentation.
Can I migrate my subscribers from one platform to another?
Yes. Both platforms allow CSV export of your subscriber list, so you can switch platforms. However, migration does not transfer email history, open rates, or click data. If you've built automation workflows in Mailchimp, you'll need to recreate them manually in Substack.
Which platform integrates with my e-commerce store?
Mailchimp integrates natively with Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and 300+ apps. Substack does not integrate with e-commerce platforms; it only supports direct subscription payments. If you need to sync customer purchase data with email marketing, Mailchimp is required.
How to Choose Between Substack and Mailchimp
Primary Use Case: Substack has Individual creator newsletters, while Mailchimp has Business email marketing campaigns.
Revenue Model: Substack has Creator keeps 90%, Substack takes 10% of paid subscriptions, while Mailchimp has Tiered SaaS pricing; no revenue sharing.
Free Plan Features: Substack has Unlimited subscribers, basic newsletter, no automation, while Mailchimp has Up to 500 contacts, basic email, limited automation.
Automation Workflows: Substack has Minimal; basic welcome series only, while Mailchimp has Advanced; 300+ pre-built automations and custom workflows.
Segmentation Capabilities: Substack has Basic subscriber lists only, while Mailchimp has Advanced segmentation with 50+ behavioral data points.
Learning Curve: Substack has Minutes to set up and launch, while Mailchimp has 2-4 hours for beginners; requires platform training.
E-commerce Integration: Substack has Built-in paid subscriptions; no shopping cart, while Mailchimp has Integrates with Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce.