Quick verdict
Bottom line: Substack is free until readers pay, then it keeps 10% of every subscription — plus Stripe fees on top. If you have more than about 50-100 paying readers, a flat-fee platform like beehiiv or Ghost will usually cost you less and give you a website you control. If you are just starting out and live off Substack’s discovery network, staying put is still rational.
Why do people look for Substack alternatives?
Substack’s deal is simple and, at first, generous: publishing is free at any list size, with no monthly bill. The cost appears only when you charge readers. Then Substack keeps 10% of each payment, forever, and that percentage grows with your income while a flat plan does not. Writers also leave for control — a real website, better SEO, custom design, ad and sponsorship income, and automations Substack does not offer. Readers of our Kit alternatives guide and Mailchimp alternatives guide run into the same trade-off: percentage fees versus flat fees.
What the pricing page doesn’t make obvious
Substack’s own support page (updated October 29, 2026) lists three separate charges on a paid subscription, not one: Substack’s 10%, Stripe card processing at 2.9% + $0.30 per US payment, and a Stripe Billing fee of 0.7% on recurring payments. On a $5 monthly subscription that stacks to about $0.98-$0.99, so you keep roughly $4.01 — a total take of nearly 20%, not 10%. Most roundups quote only the headline 10%.
Quick comparison: Substack alternatives at a glance
| Platform | Free plan | Paid from | Cut of paid subscriptions | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| beehiiv | Yes, to 2,500 subscribers | $49/mo billed annually (Lite) | 0% + Stripe | Growth and ads |
| Ghost | No; self-hosting is free | $29/mo billed annually (Publisher) | 0% + Stripe | Owning your site |
| Kit | Yes, to 10,000 subscribers | $33/mo billed annually (Creator) | 3.5% + $0.30, card fees included | Selling products too |
| Buttondown | Yes, first 100 subscribers | $9/mo + $9/mo paid-subscriptions add-on | 0% + Stripe | Simple, writing-first |
| MailerLite | Yes, small lists | From $19/mo | 0% platform cut | Budget email marketing |
| Patreon | Yes | Percentage-based | Platform fee applies | Memberships and perks |
| WordPress.com | Yes | Paid plans available | Varies by plan | A full blog + newsletter |
| Medium | Yes | Partner Program | Revenue share, no list | Discovery, not ownership |
The 8 best Substack alternatives in 2026
1. beehiiv — best for growth
beehiiv is free for up to 2,500 subscribers with unlimited sends, and its Lite plan starts at $49/month billed annually with a 0% take rate on paid subscriptions — you pay only Stripe’s fees. It adds an ad network, paid recommendations, automations, and a referral program Substack lacks. The catch: prices climb by subscriber tier, so check your list size, and paid subscriptions require a paid plan.
2. Ghost — best for owning your publication
Ghost is an open-source publishing platform with a real website, themes, and memberships built in. Ghost(Pro) Publisher — the first plan that can sell subscriptions — starts at $29/month billed annually for up to 1,000 members and takes 0% of revenue. The Starter plan ($15/month billed annually) cannot sell subscriptions at all, a detail many listings miss. Self-hosting the software is free if you want to run it yourself.
3. Kit (formerly ConvertKit) — best if you sell more than a newsletter
Kit’s free plan covers up to 10,000 subscribers, and Creator starts at $33/month billed annually. It charges 3.5% + $0.30 per sale with card processing included, so there is no separate Stripe surprise. Its strength is the creator stack around the newsletter: automations, landing pages, and selling courses and digital products from the same account.
4. Buttondown — best simple, cheap option
Buttondown is free for the first 100 subscribers, then about $9/month at 1,000 subscribers, with paid subscriptions as a $9/month add-on and no percentage cut beyond Stripe. It is deliberately minimal: markdown-friendly, fast, and privacy-conscious. You give up the discovery network and the fancy growth tools — for many independent writers, that is the point.
5. MailerLite — best budget email platform
MailerLite is a general email marketing tool with newsletters, automations, landing pages, and websites, with paid plans from around $19/month and no percentage cut of subscription revenue. It is less newsletter-native than beehiiv or Ghost, but if your newsletter is one part of a small business’s email, it can be the cheapest credible home.
6. Patreon — best for memberships and perks
Patreon suits creators selling membership tiers, community access, and perks rather than a pure writing subscription. Readers already understand how it works, and discovery inside Patreon can help. Like Substack, it is percentage-based, so do the same fee math before moving — you are trading one revenue share for another unless your format fits Patreon better.
7. WordPress.com — best for a full blog that also emails
If you want a conventional blog with categories, plugins on higher plans, and a newsletter attached, WordPress is the familiar route — and the self-hosted version gives you total ownership. It takes more setup than Substack and monetization depends on your plan and payment setup, but no platform can take your site away or change its fee overnight.
8. Medium — best for discovery, worst for ownership
Medium’s Partner Program pays from member reading time, and its built-in audience can surface new writers. But you do not own a subscriber list in the Substack sense, and earnings are unpredictable. Treat Medium as a discovery channel that feeds a list you own elsewhere, not as a Substack replacement on its own.
Verdict: which Substack alternative should you pick?
Pick beehiiv if growth tools, ads, and a generous free plan matter most. Pick Ghost if owning your website and keeping 100% of subscription revenue (minus Stripe) matters most. Pick Kit if you sell products alongside the newsletter, and Buttondown if you want the simplest, cheapest writing tool. Stay on Substack if you have few paying readers and its recommendations drive most of your growth — at $400/month in subscription revenue Substack keeps $40, less than most flat plans cost.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Substack actually take?
10% of each paid subscription, plus Stripe’s 2.9% + $0.30 per US card payment and a 0.7% Stripe Billing fee on recurring payments, per Substack’s own support page. On a $5 subscription you keep about $4.01.
Can I move my paid subscribers off Substack?
Yes. beehiiv and Ghost both support importing posts and free and paid subscribers; Kit imports subscribers by CSV. Export your list from Substack first and follow the destination’s import guide.
Is beehiiv really 0%?
On paid plans, beehiiv lists a 0% take rate on paid subscriptions. You still pay Stripe’s processing fees, and beehiiv’s own plan price rises with your subscriber count.
When does leaving Substack save money?
Roughly when 10% of your monthly subscription revenue exceeds a flat plan’s price — about $290/month in revenue for Ghost Publisher at $29, or $490/month for beehiiv Lite at $49, before counting growth features.