Substack Alternatives: 9 Platforms for Newsletters Without the 10% Cut
Substack changed everything. They proved that readers would pay for email, that writers could build sustainable businesses, and that you didn't need a media company to be a media company.
But now that the newsletter gold rush has matured, many writers are asking uncomfortable questions:
- "Is 10% of my revenue really justified?"
- "Why don't I own my subscriber list?"
- "What if Substack changes their terms or shuts down?"
- "Why can't I sell individual issues instead of subscriptions?"
If you're asking these questions, you're not alone. Let's explore the best Substack alternatives in 2026—and why the best solution might be a combination of approaches.
What's Actually Wrong With Substack?
Before we dive into alternatives, let's be honest about Substack's strengths:
What Substack does well:
- Dead simple to start
- Built-in audience discovery through recommendations
- Trusted brand readers recognize
- Handles payments, taxes, and infrastructure
What Substack doesn't do well:
1. The 10% Fee Adds Up Fast
Substack takes 10% of your paid subscription revenue, plus Stripe takes another ~3%. On a $10/month subscription, you're losing $1.30 per subscriber per month.
At 1,000 paid subscribers, that's $1,300 per month in fees—$15,600 per year.
For many writers, that's a part-time salary going to platform fees.
2. You Don't Really Own Your Audience
Yes, you can export your email list. But your paying subscribers are Substack billing relationships. If you leave, you need to convince every paying subscriber to re-enter their payment details on a new platform.
That's a significant churn event.
3. Limited Customization
Your Substack looks like... a Substack. Same fonts, same layout, same structure as every other Substack. For writers building a distinctive brand, that's limiting.
4. Subscriptions Only
Substack focuses exclusively on recurring subscriptions. Want to also offer:
- A single premium post for $2?
- A one-time tip for a great article?
- An ebook or course alongside your newsletter?
You'll need to complement Substack with additional tools.
5. Discovery Is a Double-Edged Sword
Substack's recommendation network can help you grow—but it also means you're competing with every other Substack writer for attention within their ecosystem.
The 9 Best Substack Alternatives in 2026
1. Ghost
Best for: Serious writers who want to own everything
Pricing:
- Starter: $9/month
- Creator: $25/month
- Team: $50/month
- All plans: 0% platform transaction fee (just Stripe's ~3%)
What makes it different:
Ghost is open-source software, which means you truly own your platform. You can self-host it (free, but technical) or use Ghost's managed hosting (the prices above).
Pros:
- 0% transaction fee—you only pay Stripe processing
- You own your subscriber relationships directly
- Beautiful, customizable themes and branding
- Built-in SEO features and website functionality
- Native membership and newsletter features
- Can migrate your audience without re-billing
Cons:
- Steeper learning curve than Substack
- No built-in discovery network
- You're responsible for growing your audience
- Monthly fee regardless of revenue
Verdict: The gold standard for professional newsletter writers who want independence. If you're earning more than ~$500/month on Substack, Ghost likely saves you money while giving you more control.
Fee comparison at 1,000 subscribers ($10/month each):
- Substack: ~$1,300/month in fees
- Ghost: ~$325/month (Stripe only + $25 platform)
- Savings: ~$975/month ($11,700/year)
2. Beehiiv
Best for: Growth-focused writers who want Substack-like simplicity with better tools
Pricing:
- Free: Up to 2,500 subscribers
- Scale: $42/month (up to 10,000 subscribers)
- Max: $84/month (up to 100,000 subscribers)
- No transaction fees on paid newsletters
What makes it different:
Beehiiv was built by former Morning Brew employees who understood what growth-focused newsletters actually need: referral programs, A/B testing, advanced analytics.
Pros:
- No transaction fees—flat monthly pricing
- Built-in referral program and growth tools
- Advanced analytics and A/B testing
- Clean, modern editor
- Custom domains and branding
- Ad network for additional monetization
Cons:
- Fewer discovery features than Substack
- Relatively new platform (less proven than Ghost)
- Free tier limited to 2,500 subscribers
Verdict: If you love Substack's simplicity but hate the 10% fee, Beehiiv is the most direct alternative with better growth tools.
3. ConvertKit (Now Kit)
Best for: Writers who want powerful email automation and funnels
Pricing:
- Newsletter: Free (up to 10,000 subscribers, limited features)
- Creator: $25/month (up to 1,000 subscribers, scales with list size)
- Creator Pro: $50/month (advanced features)
- 3.5% + $0.30 on paid subscriptions (Creator plan)
What makes it different:
ConvertKit started as an email marketing tool for creators and added newsletter/monetization features. Their automation capabilities are significantly more advanced than Substack.
Pros:
- Powerful email automation and sequences
- Tag-based subscriber management
- Landing page builder included
- Sell digital products alongside newsletters
- Strong integration ecosystem
Cons:
- Transaction fees on paid content
- More complex than Substack
- Primarily an email marketing tool with newsletter features bolted on
- Monthly cost scales with subscriber count
Verdict: Best for creators who need sophisticated email marketing—think course creators, coaches, or writers with complex funnels.
4. Buttondown
Best for: Developers and minimalists who want simple, reliable newsletters
Pricing:
- Free: Up to 100 subscribers
- Basic: $9/month (up to 1,000 subscribers)
- Standard: $29/month (up to 5,000 subscribers)
- Professional: $79/month (up to 10,000 subscribers)
- 0% transaction fee on paid newsletters
What makes it different:
Buttondown is deliberately simple. No discovery network, no social features, just clean email newsletters with excellent deliverability. Built by one developer who uses it himself.
Pros:
- 0% transaction fee
- Markdown-native (developers love this)
- Excellent deliverability
- Clean, minimal interface
- Privacy-focused
- Great API for custom integrations
Cons:
- No discovery or growth features
- Very minimal design—not for everyone
- Smaller ecosystem than major platforms
- No built-in website
Verdict: Perfect for developers and minimalists who want reliability over features.
5. Mailchimp
Best for: Writers who want newsletters as part of a broader marketing strategy
Pricing:
- Free: Up to 500 contacts, basic features
- Essentials: $13/month (up to 500 contacts)
- Standard: $20/month (up to 500 contacts)
- Premium: $350/month (advanced features)
- Scales with subscriber count
What makes it different:
Mailchimp is the 800-pound gorilla of email marketing. They've added paid newsletter features, but it's primarily a marketing platform.
Pros:
- Robust email marketing features
- Strong integrations with everything
- Good analytics and segmentation
- Established, reliable platform
- Website builder included
Cons:
- Paid newsletter features feel tacked-on
- Expensive as your list grows
- More complex than necessary for simple newsletters
- Less focused on paid content than competitors
Verdict: Only makes sense if you're already in the Mailchimp ecosystem for marketing.
6. Revue (RIP) → Alternatives
Note: Twitter (X) shut down Revue in late 2023. If you're looking for simple, free newsletter tools, consider:
- Buttondown (minimal, developer-friendly)
- Beehiiv free tier (more features, 2,500 subscriber limit)
- LinkedIn Newsletter (if your audience is on LinkedIn)
7. Medium
Best for: Writers who want built-in audience and don't need direct subscriber relationships
Pricing:
- Free to publish
- Earn through Medium Partner Program based on member reading time
- Can lock posts for subscribers at $5/month (you set price, Medium takes cut)
What makes it different:
Medium isn't really a newsletter platform—it's a publishing platform with distribution. But many writers use it as their primary home.
Pros:
- Massive built-in audience
- SEO-friendly (articles rank in Google)
- No technical setup required
- Partner Program pays for engagement
Cons:
- You don't own your audience at all
- Partner Program earnings are inconsistent
- Limited customization
- Algorithm changes can devastate your reach
- Email newsletter features are basic
Verdict: Good for reach and discovery, but don't make it your only platform. You don't own anything.
8. LinkedIn Newsletter
Best for: B2B writers with professional audiences already on LinkedIn
Pricing:
- Free
- No paid subscription option
What makes it different:
LinkedIn aggressively promotes newsletters to your connections, generating significant reach. But there's no direct monetization—you're building an audience you can monetize elsewhere.
Pros:
- Enormous reach potential (LinkedIn pushes newsletters hard)
- Your professional network is already there
- Free, no setup required
- Good for B2B credibility
Cons:
- No paid subscription option
- You don't own the subscriber list
- Limited customization
- LinkedIn algorithm controls your reach
Verdict: Great for top-of-funnel awareness, but you need another platform for monetization.
9. Self-Hosted (WordPress + Paid Memberships Pro, etc.)
Best for: Tech-savvy writers who want complete control
Pricing:
- Hosting: $5-50/month
- Plugin costs: $0-300/year
- Payment processing only (Stripe ~3%)
What makes it different:
Build your own newsletter and membership site using WordPress (or another CMS) with plugins for email, payments, and access control.
Pros:
- Complete control and ownership
- Lowest possible fees (just payment processing)
- Unlimited customization
- No platform lock-in
Cons:
- Significant technical complexity
- You're responsible for everything (security, updates, deliverability)
- No discovery or network effects
- Time-consuming to set up and maintain
Verdict: Maximum control for technical creators willing to do the work.
The Hidden Option: Micropayments for Individual Issues
Here's something most alternatives above don't emphasize: selling individual newsletter issues alongside subscriptions.
Think about it:
- A casual reader finds one of your posts shared on social media
- They'd pay $1 to read it, but they're not ready to commit to $10/month
- Without a pay-per-article option, that reader pays $0
What if you could capture that reader—and potentially convert them to a subscriber later?
SoloPass for Newsletter Writers
SoloPass complements your existing newsletter platform—whether that's Substack, Ghost, or anything else.
Keep your subscription for committed fans. But for individual issues, viral posts, or premium deep-dives, add a micropayment option:
- "Read this issue for $0.75" for casual readers
- "Unlock the full investigation for $2" for premium content
- "Buy 7-day access for $3" for readers who want to sample before subscribing
Why this matters:
Micropayments don't cannibalize subscriptions—they complement them. Casual readers get an entry point, and some of those readers will become subscribers over time. It's a conversion funnel, not a replacement.
Comparison Table: Substack vs. All Alternatives
| Platform | Platform Fee | Transaction Fee | Self-Hosted | Paid Newsletter | One-Time Sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Substack | 10% | ~3% (Stripe) | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Ghost | 0% | ~3% (Stripe) | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Beehiiv | 0% | ~3% (Stripe) | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| ConvertKit | 0% | 3.5% + $0.30 | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Buttondown | 0% | ~3% (Stripe) | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Mailchimp | 0% | Varies | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Medium | N/A | N/A | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| 0% | N/A | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | |
| Self-Hosted | 0% | ~3% (Stripe) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| SoloPass | Per-tx | Low (Open Banking) | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Which Substack Alternative Is Right for You?
Choose Ghost if:
- You're earning $500+/month and want to cut fees
- You want to own everything
- You're willing to learn a slightly more complex platform
Choose Beehiiv if:
- You want Substack simplicity with lower fees
- Growth tools and referral programs matter to you
- You're scaling from 1,000 to 100,000+ subscribers
Choose ConvertKit if:
- You need email automation and funnels
- You sell courses or products alongside newsletters
- Email marketing sophistication matters
Choose Buttondown if:
- You're a developer or minimalist
- You want simple, reliable delivery
- You don't need discovery features
Add SoloPass if:
- You want to monetize readers who won't subscribe
- You have viral content that attracts one-time readers
- You want to sell individual issues alongside subscriptions
The Best Strategy: Diversify
The most successful newsletter writers in 2026 don't rely on a single platform or a single revenue model:
- Primary newsletter on Ghost or Beehiiv (own your audience, lower fees)
- Discovery posts on Medium, LinkedIn, or Substack (reach new readers)
- Micropayments via SoloPass (monetize the 95% who won't subscribe)
- Digital products via Gumroad or Lemon Squeezy (premium offers)
Don't put all your eggs in Substack's basket—or any single basket.
Ready to monetize your entire readership? Learn how SoloPass can help you capture revenue from casual readers—the 95% who love your writing but won't commit to a subscription.