software
Medium vs ConvertKit 2026: Which Creator Platform Wins
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.
M
Medium
Ad-supported publishing platform with 100M+ monthly readers and revenue-sharing model.
Hobbyist writers, journalists, and thought leaders prioritizing content discovery over monetization; writers without immediate revenue needs
Score63%
VS
C
ConvertKit
Creator-focused email marketing platform with advanced automation and audience management.
Professional creators, course creators, and newsletter writers with existing audiences who want to monetize and own their subscriber relationships; businesses needing email automation
Score63%
134 attributes7 differences16 pros/cons
Quick Answer
AI SummaryMedium 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.
Our Verdict
AI-assistedChoose 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.
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M
Medium
8.5/10
ConvertKit
6.5/10
C
M
Choose Medium if
Best pickHobbyist writers, journalists, and thought leaders prioritizing content discovery over monetization; writers without immediate revenue needs
C
Choose ConvertKit if
Professional creators, course creators, and newsletter writers with existing audiences who want to monetize and own their subscriber relationships; businesses needing email automation
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Key Differences at a Glance
- Primary Purpose:Content discovery & publishing platform vs Creator-focused email marketing & monetization
- Audience Ownership:✓ ConvertKit wins(100% creator-owned subscriber list with full contact details vs Medium owns algorithmic distribution; limited audience data access)
- Monetization Model:✓ ConvertKit wins(Direct control: email sales, affiliate links, sponsorships, courses vs Revenue share from Medium Partner Program (50% of membership fees))
Key Facts & Figures
75 numeric metrics compared
| Metric | Medium | ConvertKit | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creator Revenue Retention(percentage) | 50% (pool-based) | — | — |
| Content Monetization Speed(days to first sale) | 30-90 (eligibility required) | — | — |
| Content Format Flexibility(format count) | Articles, audio, multimedia (3) | — | — |
| Estimated Monthly Readers(millions) | 100M+ | — | — |
| Starting Cost(USD/year) | Free ($0) | $300 minimum | |
| Monthly Active Users (Platform Reach)(millions) | 100+ million | 0 (creator-owned only) | |
| Setup Time to First Publish(minutes) | 5-10 minutes | 60-120 minutes | |
| Maximum Revenue Potential (Monthly)(USD) | $5,000+ (top writers) | Unlimited (creator-controlled) | — |
| Cost per 10,000 Subscribers/Year(USD) | $0 | $360 | |
| Annual Hosting Cost(USD) | Free (or $5-12/month premium) | — | — |
| Design Templates Available(templates) | 15-20 official templates | — | — |
| Revenue Share on Ad Revenue(percent) | 50% (Medium takes 50%) | — | — |
| Content Export Difficulty(ease score (1-10)) | Very difficult (2/10) | — | — |
| Technical Maintenance Required(hours per month) | 0 hours (fully managed) | — | — |
| Monthly Active Readers(millions) | 100+ | — | — |
| Creator Revenue Share(%) | 50% (Member program) | — | — |
| Custom Domain Cost(USD/month) | $5-12 (Pro required) | — | — |
| Platform Founded(year) | 2012 | — | — |
| Base Annual Cost(USD) | $168/year (Premium membership) | — | — |
| Time to First Publish(minutes) | 2-5 minutes (sign up and publish) | — | — |
| Available Integrations(integrations) | 50+ (official partnerships) | — | — |
| Content Ownership(percentage of rights) | Shared (Medium retains platform rights) | — | — |
| Average Writer Earnings (Partner Program)(USD per month) | $50-500 (Medium Partner Program) | — | — |
| SEO Customization(scale 1-10) | 5/10 (limited meta controls) | — | — |
| Customizable Themes(count) | 15-20 built-in templates | — | — |
| Minimum Annual Cost(USD) | $0 free, $120 premium optional | — | — |
| SEO Customization Level | 4/10 (limited meta control) | — | — |
| Global Market Share(%) | 0.6% | — | — |
| Base Monthly Cost(USD) | $0 (free plan) | $29/month (1,000 subscribers) | |
| Time to First Publication(minutes) | 5 minutes (sign up and publish) | 60-120 minutes (setup, integrations, templates) | |
| Platform Monthly Active Users(millions) | 180M monthly active users | 500K+ creators (estimated 15M engaged readers) | |
| Average Creator Annual Earnings(USD) | $1,000 (Medium Partner average) | $15,000+ (ConvertKit creator average) | |
| Average Email Open Rate(%) | 15-20% (industry standard) | 40-50% (ConvertKit creator average) | |
| Partner Program Threshold(followers) | 100+ followers required | — | — |
| Analytics Metrics Depth(count) | Basic (views, reads, engagement) | — | — |
| Base Monthly Price(USD) | $25 (paid plan) | $25 (paid plan) | |
| Native Integrations(count) | 50+ | 50+ | |
| Cost at 10,000 Subscribers(USD/month) | $119 (10k subscriber tier) | $119 (10k subscriber tier) | |
| Starting Monthly Cost(USD) | $33/month (Creator plan, billed yearly) | $33/month (Creator plan, billed yearly) | |
| Free Subscriber Limit(subscribers) | 1,000 subscribers | 1,000 subscribers | |
| Platform Fee on Revenue(%) | 0% | 0% | |
| Third-party Integrations(integrations) | 150+ | 150+ | |
| Setup Time for Beginners(hours) | 4-6 hours | 4-6 hours | |
| Base Price (Monthly)(USD) | $25 | $25 | |
| Free Trial Duration(days) | 14 days | 14 days | |
| Landing Page Templates(templates) | 12 | 12 | |
| Customer Support Response Time(hours) | 12-18 hours average | 12-18 hours average | |
| Starting Price(USD/month) | $25/month | $25/month | |
| Email Integrations Count(integrations) | 300+ | 300+ | |
| Behavioral Automation Triggers(trigger types) | Tag-based (limited) | Tag-based (limited) | |
| API Rate Limits(requests/minute) | 100 | 100 | |
| Free Trial Length(days) | 14 days | 14 days | |
| Starting Price (Monthly)(USD) | $25 | $25 | |
| Included Subscribers at Free Tier(contacts) | None (paid only) | None (paid only) | |
| Email Deliverability Rate(%) | 99.5% | 99.5% | |
| Third-Party Integrations(integrations) | 100+ | 100+ | |
| Customer Support Channels(count) | Email only | Email only | |
| API Rate Limit(requests/minute) | 100 | 100 | |
| Form Builder Types(types) | 5 | 5 | |
| Average User Satisfaction (G2)(rating) | 4.7/5 | 4.7/5 | |
| Free Tier Subscriber Limit(subscribers) | 1,000 subscribers included | 1,000 subscribers included | |
| Price for 10,000 Subscribers(USD/month) | $79+ | $79+ | |
| Email Template Library Size(templates) | 100+ templates | 100+ templates | |
| Setup Time to First Email(minutes) | 5-10 minutes | 5-10 minutes | |
| Onboarding Time to Proficiency(weeks) | 0.5 weeks (2-3 days) | 0.5 weeks (2-3 days) | |
| API Endpoints Available(endpoints) | 50+ | 50+ | |
| Starting Monthly Price(USD) | $25 (up to 1,000 subscribers) | $25 (up to 1,000 subscribers) | |
| Setup Difficulty (1-10 scale)(difficulty score) | 2 (sign up and start immediately) | 2 (sign up and start immediately) | |
| Price at 10,000 Subscribers(USD/month) | $350-$500 (pay-as-you-grow pricing) | $350-$500 (pay-as-you-grow pricing) | |
| Pre-Built Integrations(count) | 100+ direct integrations (Stripe, YouTube, Gumroad, etc.) | 100+ direct integrations (Stripe, YouTube, Gumroad, etc.) | |
| Free Plan Subscriber Limit(subscribers) | 1,000 | 1,000 | |
| Creator Plan Monthly Cost (Annual Billing)(USD) | $29 | $29 | |
| Custom Domain Email Support Entry Level(USD/month) | $25 (Creator plan) | $25 (Creator plan) | |
| Affiliate Commission Rate (Recurring)(%) | 30% | 30% | |
| Email Template Library Count(templates) | 40+ | 40+ |
Sourced from publicly available data ·
Key Differences
7 attributes compared head-to-head
M
2MediumConvertKit leads1 tie
C
4ConvertKitMedium
Attribute
ConvertKit
- Content discovery & publishing platformPrimary PurposeCreator-focused email marketing & monetization
- Medium owns algorithmic distribution; limited audience data accessAudience Ownership100% creator-owned subscriber list with full contact details(winner)
- Revenue share from Medium Partner Program (50% of membership fees)Monetization ModelDirect control: email sales, affiliate links, sponsorships, courses(winner)
- Free; optional $168/year for Premium membership(winner)Starting Cost$25/month minimum ($300/year) for up to 1,000 subscribers
- No email list building; limited to platform followersEmail Subscriber ManagementUnlimited email marketing with advanced segmentation(winner)
- 5-10 minutes to start publishing; minimal learning needed(winner)Learning Curve & Setup Time1-2 hours for complete setup; moderately complex interface
- Limited export; algorithmic reach not transferableData PortabilityFull subscriber list export; 100% portable audience(winner)
- Primary Purpose
Medium
Content discovery & publishing platform
ConvertKit
Creator-focused email marketing & monetization
- Audience Ownership
Medium
Medium owns algorithmic distribution; limited audience data access
ConvertKit
100% creator-owned subscriber list with full contact details(winner)
- Monetization Model
Medium
Revenue share from Medium Partner Program (50% of membership fees)
ConvertKit
Direct control: email sales, affiliate links, sponsorships, courses(winner)
- Starting Cost
Medium
Free; optional $168/year for Premium membership(winner)
ConvertKit
$25/month minimum ($300/year) for up to 1,000 subscribers
- Email Subscriber Management
Medium
No email list building; limited to platform followers
ConvertKit
Unlimited email marketing with advanced segmentation(winner)
- Learning Curve & Setup Time
Medium
5-10 minutes to start publishing; minimal learning needed(winner)
ConvertKit
1-2 hours for complete setup; moderately complex interface
- Data Portability
Medium
Limited export; algorithmic reach not transferable
ConvertKit
Full subscriber list export; 100% portable audience(winner)
Full Comparison
| Attribute | Medium | ConvertKit |
|---|---|---|
| Creator Revenue Retention(percentage) | 50% (pool-based) | — |
| Content Monetization Speed(days to first sale) | 30-90 (eligibility required) | — |
| Maximum Revenue Potential (Monthly)(USD) | $5,000+ (top writers) | Unlimited (creator-controlled) |
| Revenue Share on Ad Revenue(percent) | 50% (Medium takes 50%) | — |
| Creator Revenue Share(%) | 50% (Member program) | — |
Show 5 more attributesAverage Writer Earnings (Partner Program)(USD per month) $50-500 (Medium Partner Program) — Average Creator Annual Earnings(USD) $1,000 (Medium Partner average) $15,000+ (ConvertKit creator average) Partner Program Threshold(followers) 100+ followers required — Story-Level Paywall Option Yes (Member-only stories) — Native Paid Subscription Feature No - requires Zapier/API — | ||
| Audience Discovery for New Writers(ease rating) | High (algorithmic reach) | — |
| Subscriber List Ownership(yes/no) | No | — |
| Content Format Flexibility(format count) | Articles, audio, multimedia (3) | — |
| Web3/NFT Features | None | — |
| Free Tier Custom Domain | No (requires paid membership) | — |
| Customization Options | 3/10 (template-based) | — |
| Email Automation Capabilities | Basic digest, no automation workflows | Advanced sequences, conditional logic, behavioral triggers |
Show 30 more attributesSubscriber Segmentation & Tagging Not available Unlimited tags, dynamic segments, behavioral rules CRM & Deal Pipeline Basic subscriber management — Automation Workflow Complexity(triggers/conditions) Standard (simple sequences, tags) — Free Subscriber Limit(subscribers) 1,000 subscribers — Email Automation Workflows(capability level) Advanced (sequences, conditionals, tags, delays) — Native Product/Course Hosting(capability) Yes - full course and digital product platform — Automation Workflows (Basic Tier)(count) Unlimited — Landing Page Templates(templates) 12 — SMS Marketing Included No (third-party required) — Subscriber Segmentation Levels(depth) Tags, purchase history, custom fields — Email Integrations Count(integrations) 300+ — Behavioral Automation Triggers(trigger types) Tag-based (limited) — Third-Party Integrations(integrations) 100+ — Automation Workflows Included(count) Creator sequences — SMS Marketing Availability Paid add-on ($9+/mo) — Built-in Paywall/Paid Subscriptions(availability) Yes, native feature — A/B Testing on Landing Pages(availability) Limited — Affiliate Program for Creators(availability) Yes, built-in matching — Form Builder Types(types) 5 — Email Template Library Size(templates) 100+ templates — Native Membership/Paywall Features No (requires integration) — Blog/CMS Functionality Landing pages only — Automation Complexity Level Basic - simple conditional triggers and tags — Native CRM Included No - email only — Paid Subscriber Tiers (Native) Yes - built-in subscriber tiers and pricing — Built-in Paywall/Membership No - requires third-party tool — Email Automation Workflows(workflows) Advanced (conditional logic, behavioral triggers, multi-step) — Landing Page Builder(included) Yes - 50+ templates included — Pre-Built Integrations(count) 100+ direct integrations (Stripe, YouTube, Gumroad, etc.) — Custom Domain Email Support Entry Level(USD/month) $25 (Creator plan) — | ||
| Estimated Monthly Readers(millions) | 100M+ | — |
| Platform Monthly Active Users(millions) | 180M monthly active users(winner) | 500K+ creators (estimated 15M engaged readers) |
| Algorithm Dependency Risk(risk level) | High (platform-dependent) | — |
| Platform Content Diversity Trend (2026)(growth/decline) | Declining (Category counts down 20-38%) | — |
| Starting Cost(USD/year) | Free ($0)(winner) | $300 minimum |
| Annual Hosting Cost(USD) | Free (or $5-12/month premium) | — |
| Custom Domain Cost(USD/month) | $5-12 (Pro required) | — |
| Base Annual Cost(USD) | $168/year (Premium membership) | — |
| Minimum Annual Cost(USD) | $0 free, $120 premium optional | — |
Show 15 more attributesBase Monthly Cost(USD) $0 (free plan) $29/month (1,000 subscribers) Free-to-Start Publishing Yes, free tier available — Base Monthly Price(USD) $25 (paid plan) — Starting Monthly Cost(USD) $33/month (Creator plan, billed yearly) — Platform Fee on Revenue(%) 0% — Base Price (Monthly)(USD) $25 — Starting Price(USD/month) $25/month — Starting Price (Monthly)(USD) $25 — Included Subscribers at Free Tier(contacts) None (paid only) — Platform Fee Structure(percent) $0 (0-1K subs), then $29-$99/month — Free Tier Subscriber Limit(subscribers) 1,000 subscribers included — Price for 10,000 Subscribers(USD/month) $79+ — Starting Price (USD/month)(USD) Free tier available — Contacts/Subscribers at Entry Price(contacts) Unlimited (free tier) — Starting Monthly Price(USD) $25 (up to 1,000 subscribers) — | ||
| Monthly Active Users (Platform Reach)(millions) | 100+ million(winner) | 0 (creator-owned only) |
| Audience Ownership(percentage) | 0% (platform owned) | 100% (creator owned)(winner) |
| Email Marketing Capability(feature availability) | None; platform follows only | Full-featured email marketing with automation |
| Setup Time to First Publish(minutes) | 5-10 minutes(winner) | 60-120 minutes |
| Technical Maintenance Required(hours per month) | 0 hours (fully managed) | — |
| Time to First Publish(minutes) | 2-5 minutes (sign up and publish) | — |
| Time to First Publication(minutes) | 5 minutes (sign up and publish)(winner) | 60-120 minutes (setup, integrations, templates) |
| Setup Time to First Email(minutes) | 5-10 minutes | — |
| Subscriber List Export(availability) | Limited/not available | Full export available |
| Cost per 10,000 Subscribers/Year(USD) | $0(winner) | $360 |
| Setup Time(minutes) | 5 minutes | — |
| Design Templates Available(templates) | 15-20 official templates | — |
| Plugin/Extension Ecosystem(count) | Limited to native features | — |
| Customizable Themes(count) | 15-20 built-in templates | — |
| Available Plugins/Extensions(count) | Limited native features | — |
| Content Export Difficulty(ease score (1-10)) | Very difficult (2/10) | — |
| Content Export Capability | Limited (restricted deletion/export) | — |
| Monthly Active Readers(millions) | 100+ | — |
| Platform Founded(year) | 2012 | — |
| Content Ownership Rights | Medium retains rights (creators license) | — |
| Primary Target Audience | General interest + business + tech | — |
| Global Market Share(%) | 0.6% | — |
| Available Integrations(integrations) | 50+ (official partnerships) | — |
| Native Integrations(count) | 50+ | — |
| Content Ownership(percentage of rights) | Shared (Medium retains platform rights) | — |
| SEO Customization(scale 1-10) | 5/10 (limited meta controls) | — |
| SEO Customization Level | 4/10 (limited meta control) | — |
| Monthly Active Users(millions) | 100+ | — |
| Data Portability(score out of 10) | 3/10 (difficult export) | — |
| Built-in Content Discovery | Algorithmic feed with 180M+ potential readers | None - requires external traffic sources |
| Average Email Open Rate(%) | 15-20% (industry standard) | 40-50% (ConvertKit creator average)(winner) |
| SMS Deliverability Rate(%) | N/A | — |
| Email Deliverability Rate(%) | 99.5% | — |
| Custom Domain Support | Not available | — |
| Platform Ads Display | Yes, throughout platform | — |
| Setup Time for Beginners(hours) | 4-6 hours | — |
| Setup Difficulty (1-10 scale)(difficulty score) | 2 (sign up and start immediately) | — |
| Analytics Metrics Depth(count) | Basic (views, reads, engagement) | — |
| Contacts/Subscribers (Base Plan)(count) | 1,000 | — |
| Setup Time to Productivity(minutes) | 1-3 days | — |
| Onboarding Time to Proficiency(weeks) | 0.5 weeks (2-3 days) | — |
| Cost at 10,000 Subscribers(USD/month) | $119 (10k subscriber tier) | — |
| Third-party Integrations(integrations) | 150+ | — |
| Customer Support | Email, help center, community forum | — |
| Free Trial Duration(days) | 14 days | — |
| Free Trial Length(days) | 14 days | — |
| Shopify Integration Quality(integration depth) | Basic API integration only | — |
| API Rate Limits(requests/minute) | 100 | — |
| Customer Support Response Time(hours) | 12-18 hours average | — |
| Customer Support Channels(count) | Email only | — |
| API Rate Limit(requests/minute) | 100 | — |
| Average User Satisfaction (G2)(rating) | 4.7/5 | — |
| Data Ownership (Self-Hosted Option)(boolean) | No (cloud-only, vendor lock-in) | — |
| API Availability(text) | Yes (API available) | — |
| API Endpoints Available(endpoints) | 50+ | — |
| Content Management Features(capabilities) | Limited (landing pages, basic blog, no custom themes) | — |
| Price at 10,000 Subscribers(USD/month) | $350-$500 (pay-as-you-grow pricing) | — |
| Free Plan Subscriber Limit(subscribers) | 1,000 | — |
| Creator Plan Monthly Cost (Annual Billing)(USD) | $29 | — |
| Advanced Automation Conditional Logic | Advanced multi-path sequences | — |
| Affiliate Commission Rate (Recurring)(%) | 30% | — |
| AI-Powered Writing Assistance (Native) | No - requires OpenAI integration | — |
| Email Template Library Count(templates) | 40+ | — |
MMedium
CConvertKit
Creator Revenue Retention(percentage)
50% (pool-based)
—
Content Monetization Speed(days to first sale)
30-90 (eligibility required)
—
Maximum Revenue Potential (Monthly)(USD)
$5,000+ (top writers)
Unlimited (creator-controlled)
Revenue Share on Ad Revenue(percent)
50% (Medium takes 50%)
—
Creator Revenue Share(%)
50% (Member program)
—
Show 5 more attributes
Average Writer Earnings (Partner Program)(USD per month)
$50-500 (Medium Partner Program)
—
Average Creator Annual Earnings(USD)
$1,000 (Medium Partner average)
$15,000+ (ConvertKit creator average)
Partner Program Threshold(followers)
100+ followers required
—
Story-Level Paywall Option
Yes (Member-only stories)
—
Native Paid Subscription Feature
No - requires Zapier/API
—
Audience Discovery for New Writers(ease rating)
High (algorithmic reach)
—
Subscriber List Ownership(yes/no)
No
—
Content Format Flexibility(format count)
Articles, audio, multimedia (3)
—
Web3/NFT Features
None
—
Free Tier Custom Domain
No (requires paid membership)
—
Customization Options
3/10 (template-based)
—
Email Automation Capabilities
Basic digest, no automation workflows
Advanced sequences, conditional logic, behavioral triggers
Show 30 more attributes
Subscriber Segmentation & Tagging
Not available
Unlimited tags, dynamic segments, behavioral rules
CRM & Deal Pipeline
Basic subscriber management
—
Automation Workflow Complexity(triggers/conditions)
Standard (simple sequences, tags)
—
Free Subscriber Limit(subscribers)
1,000 subscribers
—
Email Automation Workflows(capability level)
Advanced (sequences, conditionals, tags, delays)
—
Native Product/Course Hosting(capability)
Yes - full course and digital product platform
—
Automation Workflows (Basic Tier)(count)
Unlimited
—
Landing Page Templates(templates)
12
—
SMS Marketing Included
No (third-party required)
—
Subscriber Segmentation Levels(depth)
Tags, purchase history, custom fields
—
Email Integrations Count(integrations)
300+
—
Behavioral Automation Triggers(trigger types)
Tag-based (limited)
—
Third-Party Integrations(integrations)
100+
—
Automation Workflows Included(count)
Creator sequences
—
SMS Marketing Availability
Paid add-on ($9+/mo)
—
Built-in Paywall/Paid Subscriptions(availability)
Yes, native feature
—
A/B Testing on Landing Pages(availability)
Limited
—
Affiliate Program for Creators(availability)
Yes, built-in matching
—
Form Builder Types(types)
5
—
Email Template Library Size(templates)
100+ templates
—
Native Membership/Paywall Features
No (requires integration)
—
Blog/CMS Functionality
Landing pages only
—
Automation Complexity Level
Basic - simple conditional triggers and tags
—
Native CRM Included
No - email only
—
Paid Subscriber Tiers (Native)
Yes - built-in subscriber tiers and pricing
—
Built-in Paywall/Membership
No - requires third-party tool
—
Email Automation Workflows(workflows)
Advanced (conditional logic, behavioral triggers, multi-step)
—
Landing Page Builder(included)
Yes - 50+ templates included
—
Pre-Built Integrations(count)
100+ direct integrations (Stripe, YouTube, Gumroad, etc.)
—
Custom Domain Email Support Entry Level(USD/month)
$25 (Creator plan)
—
Estimated Monthly Readers(millions)
100M+
—
Platform Monthly Active Users(millions)
180M monthly active users
500K+ creators (estimated 15M engaged readers)
Algorithm Dependency Risk(risk level)
High (platform-dependent)
—
Platform Content Diversity Trend (2026)(growth/decline)
Declining (Category counts down 20-38%)
—
Starting Cost(USD/year)
Free ($0)
$300 minimum
Annual Hosting Cost(USD)
Free (or $5-12/month premium)
—
Custom Domain Cost(USD/month)
$5-12 (Pro required)
—
Base Annual Cost(USD)
$168/year (Premium membership)
—
Minimum Annual Cost(USD)
$0 free, $120 premium optional
—
Show 15 more attributes
Base Monthly Cost(USD)
$0 (free plan)
$29/month (1,000 subscribers)
Free-to-Start Publishing
Yes, free tier available
—
Base Monthly Price(USD)
$25 (paid plan)
—
Starting Monthly Cost(USD)
$33/month (Creator plan, billed yearly)
—
Platform Fee on Revenue(%)
0%
—
Base Price (Monthly)(USD)
$25
—
Starting Price(USD/month)
$25/month
—
Starting Price (Monthly)(USD)
$25
—
Included Subscribers at Free Tier(contacts)
None (paid only)
—
Platform Fee Structure(percent)
$0 (0-1K subs), then $29-$99/month
—
Free Tier Subscriber Limit(subscribers)
1,000 subscribers included
—
Price for 10,000 Subscribers(USD/month)
$79+
—
Starting Price (USD/month)(USD)
Free tier available
—
Contacts/Subscribers at Entry Price(contacts)
Unlimited (free tier)
—
Starting Monthly Price(USD)
$25 (up to 1,000 subscribers)
—
Monthly Active Users (Platform Reach)(millions)
100+ million
0 (creator-owned only)
Audience Ownership(percentage)
0% (platform owned)
100% (creator owned)
Email Marketing Capability(feature availability)
None; platform follows only
Full-featured email marketing with automation
Setup Time to First Publish(minutes)
5-10 minutes
60-120 minutes
Technical Maintenance Required(hours per month)
0 hours (fully managed)
—
Time to First Publish(minutes)
2-5 minutes (sign up and publish)
—
Time to First Publication(minutes)
5 minutes (sign up and publish)
60-120 minutes (setup, integrations, templates)
Setup Time to First Email(minutes)
5-10 minutes
—
Subscriber List Export(availability)
Limited/not available
Full export available
Cost per 10,000 Subscribers/Year(USD)
$0
$360
Setup Time(minutes)
5 minutes
—
Design Templates Available(templates)
15-20 official templates
—
Plugin/Extension Ecosystem(count)
Limited to native features
—
Customizable Themes(count)
15-20 built-in templates
—
Available Plugins/Extensions(count)
Limited native features
—
Content Export Difficulty(ease score (1-10))
Very difficult (2/10)
—
Content Export Capability
Limited (restricted deletion/export)
—
Monthly Active Readers(millions)
100+
—
Platform Founded(year)
2012
—
Content Ownership Rights
Medium retains rights (creators license)
—
Primary Target Audience
General interest + business + tech
—
Global Market Share(%)
0.6%
—
Available Integrations(integrations)
50+ (official partnerships)
—
Native Integrations(count)
50+
—
Content Ownership(percentage of rights)
Shared (Medium retains platform rights)
—
SEO Customization(scale 1-10)
5/10 (limited meta controls)
—
SEO Customization Level
4/10 (limited meta control)
—
Monthly Active Users(millions)
100+
—
Data Portability(score out of 10)
3/10 (difficult export)
—
Built-in Content Discovery
Algorithmic feed with 180M+ potential readers
None - requires external traffic sources
Average Email Open Rate(%)
15-20% (industry standard)
40-50% (ConvertKit creator average)
SMS Deliverability Rate(%)
N/A
—
Email Deliverability Rate(%)
99.5%
—
Custom Domain Support
Not available
—
Platform Ads Display
Yes, throughout platform
—
Setup Time for Beginners(hours)
4-6 hours
—
Setup Difficulty (1-10 scale)(difficulty score)
2 (sign up and start immediately)
—
Analytics Metrics Depth(count)
Basic (views, reads, engagement)
—
Contacts/Subscribers (Base Plan)(count)
1,000
—
Setup Time to Productivity(minutes)
1-3 days
—
Onboarding Time to Proficiency(weeks)
0.5 weeks (2-3 days)
—
Cost at 10,000 Subscribers(USD/month)
$119 (10k subscriber tier)
—
Third-party Integrations(integrations)
150+
—
Customer Support
Email, help center, community forum
—
Free Trial Duration(days)
14 days
—
Free Trial Length(days)
14 days
—
Shopify Integration Quality(integration depth)
Basic API integration only
—
API Rate Limits(requests/minute)
100
—
Customer Support Response Time(hours)
12-18 hours average
—
Customer Support Channels(count)
Email only
—
API Rate Limit(requests/minute)
100
—
Average User Satisfaction (G2)(rating)
4.7/5
—
Data Ownership (Self-Hosted Option)(boolean)
No (cloud-only, vendor lock-in)
—
API Availability(text)
Yes (API available)
—
API Endpoints Available(endpoints)
50+
—
Content Management Features(capabilities)
Limited (landing pages, basic blog, no custom themes)
—
Price at 10,000 Subscribers(USD/month)
$350-$500 (pay-as-you-grow pricing)
—
Free Plan Subscriber Limit(subscribers)
1,000
—
Creator Plan Monthly Cost (Annual Billing)(USD)
$29
—
Advanced Automation Conditional Logic
Advanced multi-path sequences
—
Affiliate Commission Rate (Recurring)(%)
30%
—
AI-Powered Writing Assistance (Native)
No - requires OpenAI integration
—
Email Template Library Count(templates)
40+
—
Pros & Cons
10 pros·6 cons across both
M
C
M
Medium
+5-3
Pros
- Completely free to publish and build audience with no platform fees
- Powerful algorithmic discovery sends curated content to 100M+ monthly active users
- Premium Partner Program provides passive income ($500-$5,000+/month possible for top writers)
- Simple, distraction-free editor optimized for long-form writing quality
- Built-in social credibility through Medium's established reputation
Cons
- Zero audience ownership—followers and data locked within Medium's platform
- Revenue dependent on algorithm; unpredictable and heavily favors trending topics
- No email list building capability; cannot contact readers outside Medium
C
ConvertKit
+5-3
Pros
- 100% subscriber ownership—full email list export and complete audience portability
- Multiple revenue streams: email sponsorships, affiliate commissions, digital product sales, paid newsletters
- Advanced segmentation and automation for targeted subscriber engagement and conversion
- Built-in landing page and form builder for capturing new subscribers across platforms
- Creator-friendly design with dedicated support for solopreneurs and small creators
Cons
- Minimum $25/month cost starting at 1,000 subscribers; not free for any tier
- Requires external traffic sources—no built-in algorithm or discovery mechanism like Medium
- Steeper learning curve; setup takes 1-2 hours for automation and segmentation
Frequently Asked Questions
5 questions
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.
Resources & Learn More
Curated sources to dive deeper
Where to Buy
As an affiliate, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Learn more about our affiliate disclosure
Wikipedia
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