Medium vs Substack: Plans, Prices, and Key Differences

Editorial note: Prices, plans, promotions, taxes, and availability can change. Confirm the final terms at checkout.

At a glance

This page compares core tradeoffs writers care about: discovery vs. audience ownership, monetization fit, publishing workflow, and long-term control. Use the quick scenarios and decision checklist below to pick a platform that matches your priorities. If you want to track or manage subscriptions related to publishing tools, see Subpilot’s subscription guides: Subpilot.

Medium overview

Medium combines hosted publishing with distribution through its feed, recommendations, publications, followers, and email notifications. Eligible stories in the Partner Program can earn based on member reading time, engagement, distribution bonuses, and other program factors described in Medium's current earnings documentation.

What that means for writers:

• •The platform can surface a story to readers who do not already subscribe to the writer.
• •Earnings are performance-based; Medium does not promise a fixed payment per view or a direct share from one reader's membership.
• •Medium says email addresses from newer subscribers are not shared with writers, which limits list portability compared with a conventional newsletter list.
• •The editor and hosted design reduce setup work, but distribution and monetization remain subject to Medium's rules.

Substack overview

Substack combines a hosted publication, email delivery, free and paid subscriptions, and subscriber-management tools. Creators set their reader prices. Substack states that publishing is free and that paid publications owe a 10% platform fee on each transaction, in addition to Stripe processing and billing fees.

What that means for writers:

• •The writer is responsible for attracting and retaining subscribers rather than relying only on platform discovery.
• •The subscriber dashboard supports direct email delivery, segmentation, and paid-status management.
• •Substack documents CSV export for subscriber data and an export for posts and publication data.
• •Net revenue is lower than gross subscription revenue after platform, payment-processing, billing, refund, and tax effects.

Key differences — how to decide (audience engagement, monetization, content types)

Below are the decision axes that matter most. Each axis shows the practical tradeoff to evaluate.

• •Discovery vs. Audience Ownership
• •Tradeoff: Platforms that centralize readers help with discovery; platforms that prioritize the creator give you a direct list you can own.
• •How to use this axis: If you need rapid, passive discovery (new readers finding you without prior contact), prioritize platform reach. If you want a durable reader asset (email list you can export or reuse), prioritize audience ownership.

• •Monetization approach
• •Tradeoff: Revenue tied to platform systems (memberships, paywalls) can simplify payments but may impose platform rules. Direct subscriptions give clearer payment paths and subscriber relationships but require you to sell and retain.
• •How to use this axis: If you prefer a lean setup where readers pay through the platform and the platform handles access, prefer platforms with built-in membership models. If you want to sell subscriptions and control pricing, prefer platforms that make subscriber relationships primary.

• •Publishing workflow and content format
• •Tradeoff: Some tools optimize for longform blog-style posts and built-in discovery; others optimize for email-first newsletters and serialized content.
• •How to use this axis: Match your content rhythm—occasional long essays versus frequent newsletter updates—with the platform’s native workflow.

• •Control and portability
• •Tradeoff: Greater control over branding, exports, and site behavior usually means more setup and responsibility. Less control means easier publishing but more dependency on platform policies.
• •How to use this axis: If you plan to transition platforms or reuse content widely, prioritize portability and export options.

Illustrative example scenario

• •A writer publishing long investigative pieces twice a month and wanting discovery: prioritize a platform with built-in audience reach and membership distribution.
• •A writer sending weekly, actionable newsletters and building a paid subscriber base: prioritize a newsletter-first platform that emphasizes direct subscriber relationships.

Practical takeaway: Rank your priorities (discovery, revenue control, workflow, portability) and pick the platform that matches the highest-priority items. Keep the confirmation or receipt so you can verify the result afterward.

When to choose each option

Choose Medium if these conditions describe your main goals and constraints:

• •You want to reduce setup time and formatting work.
• •You value exposure through a shared reader ecosystem and editorial features that surface work to interested readers.
• •You prefer monetization that integrates into a platform membership model rather than selling subscriptions directly.

How to evaluate this option

• •If platform distribution is more important than direct list portability, Medium may fit. Medium says email addresses from newer subscribers are not shared with writers, so review its current export limitations before treating the audience as portable.
• •If you plan to rely on platform features (curation, tags, topic feeds) for ongoing discovery, budget some time to learn the platform’s best practices for visibility.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

• •Mistake: Publishing identical paywalled content elsewhere before posting on Medium and losing priority indexing.
• •Fix: Publish on your primary channel first or use canonical links and clear syndication rules when republishing.
• •Mistake: Over-optimizing for platform-specific features instead of building an external audience.
• •Fix: Use Medium as a discovery channel while collecting reader contact points where possible (e.g., links to your personal site).

When Substack is the better fit

Choose Substack if these conditions describe your goals:

• •Your main aim is to build a direct, durable relationship with readers via email and a dedicated publication page.
• •You want an easy way to run a newsletter-style publication with straightforward site hosting.
• •You prioritize owning subscriber contact information and direct subscriber billing.

How to evaluate this option

• •If an email-first distribution model and a publication page that showcases archives and subscription options is central, Substack presents itself as a creator tool for building that site experience Substack.
• •If you plan to cultivate recurring paying readers, Substack provides creator-set pricing and subscriber-list export tools. Account for Substack’s transaction fee, Stripe fees, refunds, taxes, and churn when estimating net revenue.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

• •Mistake: Treating email list growth as automatic—expect active promotion.
• •Fix: Cross-promote, invite referrals, and provide consistent value to convert free readers to paid subscribers.
• •Mistake: Assuming ownership without export strategy.
• •Fix: Regularly export your subscriber lists and back up your archives so you retain control if you leave.

Monetization and audience portability

Verify the current rules before choosing: Medium Partner Program earnings, Medium email subscribers, Substack fees, and Substack subscriber exports.

Decision criteria

Use this four-step checklist before you commit:

1. 1Prioritize your top goal (rank 1–3): discovery, direct revenue, list ownership, or minimal setup.
2. 2Map content rhythm: infrequent long essays (platform discovery helps) vs frequent newsletters (email-first tools help).
3. 3Test with a pilot: publish 3–6 pieces on the candidate platform, measure engagement and subscriber sign-ups, then decide whether to scale or syndicate.
4. 4Protect portability: maintain an external archive or exportable subscriber list and backup drafts so you can move if priorities change.

Final practical tip: treat your first platform as a controlled experiment. If discoverability matters most, start where readers congregate. If a durable reader asset matters most, start where you control subscriber relationships. For subscription-management or cancellation guidance related to publishing tools, see Subpilot’s guides: Subpilot.

CTA: Want help tracking or managing paid publishing subscriptions? Start with Subpilot’s subscription guides: Subpilot.

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Methodology and sources

This comparison uses the providers’ official product, pricing, and support pages. Verify current checkout terms before making a purchase decision.

• •help.medium.com official source
• •support.substack.com official source
• •support.substack.com official source
• •substack.com official source