7 Best Substack Alternatives & Competitors

Substack has become a popular choice for writers and creators, but it isn’t without its drawbacks.

Many users find Substack’s limited customization options and constrained monetization features can hinder their growth and creativity. That’s where alternatives come in. 

As a seasoned digital marketing expert with extensive experience testing various tools, I can confidently say that Beehiiv stands out as the best alternative.

Its dual publishing capabilities and comprehensive growth and monetization tools make it a superior choice for those looking to scale their newsletters beyond Substack’s limitations. 

Keep reading to discover the top seven alternatives that can elevate your content game to the next level.

1. Beehiiv

Best for: bloggers, content creators, and small businesses

Pricing: Free – $399/mo

Beehiiv is a modern newsletter platform built for growth and monetization. It offers an array of tools designed to help creators and companies seamlessly publish email and web content.

With its user-friendly interface, Beehiiv makes it easy to design, write, and send engaging newsletters. The platform is particularly suitable for those looking to scale their audiences, providing features like referral programs to incentivize reader growth.

Features

• Custom website
• Custom newsletters
• Campaign analytics
• Unlimited email sends
• Multiple publications
• Recommendation network
• Optimized deliverability
• Subscriber tagging
• Audience segmentation
• Custom domains
• API access
• Additional features on paid plans

Beehiiv vs. Substack

Criteria	Beehiiv	Substack
Best For	Bloggers, content creators, and small businesses	Independent writers, journalists, bloggers
Standout Feature	Dual publishing to email and web	Simplicity and ease of use
Pricing	Free – $399/mo	Free

Conclusion

Beehiiv’s standout feature is its dual publishing capability, allowing users to seamlessly publish content to both email and the web.

This feature, combined with its user-friendly interface and robust growth and monetization tools, makes it particularly appealing for creators and companies looking to expand their reach.

Sign up to Beehiiv for free

Try Beehiiv for free

2. Mailchimp

Best for: service-based businesses, start-ups, agencies, freelancers, and  eCommerce brands

Pricing: Free – $1,600/mo

Mailchimp is a comprehensive marketing platform primarily known for its email marketing services.

It offers tools for creating, sending, and analyzing email campaigns, along with features for audience management, automation, and analytics.

Features

• Email Automation
• Segmentation
• A/B Testing
• Analytics
• Integrations
• Templates

Malchimp vs. Substack

Criteria	Mailchimp	Substack
Best For	SMBs and enterprises	Independent writers, journalists, bloggers
Standout Feature	Multivariate & A/B testing	Simplicity and ease of use
Pricing	Free – $1,600/mo	Free

Conclusion

Mailchimp is popular among businesses of all sizes for its user-friendly interface and robust integrations, making it a versatile choice for managing marketing efforts across various channels.

Start your free trial of Mailchimp

Try Mailchimp for free

3. Kit

Best for: bloggers, course creators, marketers, and podcasters

Pricing: Free – $2,599/mo

Kit is an email marketing platform designed specifically for creators, such as bloggers, podcasters, and online course instructors.

It focuses on helping users grow their audience and build meaningful relationships through customizable email campaigns, automation, and landing pages.

Kit’s user-friendly interface and features like tagging and segmentation make it easy for creators to tailor their messaging and engage with their audience effectively.

Features

• Visual Automation Builder
• Email Sequences
• Subscriber Tagging
• Landing Page Templates
• Advanced Reporting
• Integrations with Popular Tools

Kit vs. Substack

Criteria	Kit	Substack
Best For	content creators, bloggers, and small business owners	Independent writers, journalists, bloggers
Standout Feature	Visual automation templates	Simplicity and ease of use
Pricing	Free – $2,599/mo	Free

Conclusion

Kit is designed to help individuals and small businesses focus on content creation while effectively managing email marketing with features like automation, segmentation, and customizable forms.

Its simplicity and creator-focused tools make it an excellent choice for those looking to grow their community and monetize their content.

Start your free trial of Kit today

Try Kit for free

4. Klaviyo

Best for: Ecommerce brands

Pricing: Free – $2,315/mo

Klaviyo is a powerful marketing automation platform tailored for e-commerce businesses. It specializes in email and SMS marketing and provides tools to create personalized and data-driven campaigns.

Its vast integration capabilities allow businesses to leverage customer data from various sources to enhance targeting and segmentation.

Features

• Email and SMS marketing
• Automation
• Segmentation
• Integrations
• Dynamic forms
• Customer profiles
• A/B testing

Klaviyo vs. Substack

Criteria	Klaviyo	Substack
Best For	Ecommerce businesses	Independent writers, journalists, bloggers
Standout Feature	SMS marketing features	Simplicity and ease of use
Pricing	Free – $2,315/mo	Free

Conclusion

Klaviyo helps deliver highly relevant messages that drive engagement and sales, making it a popular choice for online retailers looking to optimize their marketing strategies.

Sign up for Klaviyo for free

Try Klaviyo for free

5. Brevo

Best for: growing businesses, customer service departments, and marketing teams

Pricing: Free – $669/mo

Brevo, formerly known as Sendinblue, is a comprehensive digital marketing platform designed for businesses of all sizes.

It offers a suite of tools for email marketing, SMS campaigns, chat, and marketing automation, enabling businesses to engage with their audience across multiple channels.

Features

• Email Marketing
• SMS Campaigns
• Marketing Automation
• CRM Integration
• Analytics
• Multichannel Campaigns

Brevo vs. Substack

Criteria	Brevo	Substack
Best For	Small businesses and ecommerce	Independent writers, journalists, bloggers
Standout Feature	Custom automation workflows	Simplicity and ease of use
Pricing	Free – $669/mo	Free

Conclusion

With features like CRM integration, segmentation, and personalized messaging, Brevo helps businesses streamline their marketing efforts and enhance customer relationships.

Its user-friendly interface and scalable solutions make it a versatile choice for companies looking to optimize their marketing strategies.

Sign up to Brevo for free

Try Brevo for free

6. Flodesk

Best for: Individuals and small businesses

Pricing: Free – $38/mo

Flodesk is an intuitive email marketing platform designed to help small businesses and entrepreneurs create visually stunning email campaigns.

Known for its user-friendly interface and beautiful design templates, Flodesk allows users to easily craft and automate emails without needing technical skills.

Features

• Beautiful email templates
• Drag-and-drop editor
• Unlimited email sends
• Automated workflows
• Audience segmentation
• Form builder

Flodesk vs. Substack

Criteria	Flodesk	Substack
Best For	Individuals and small businesses	Independent writers, journalists, bloggers
Standout Feature	Emphasis on design	Simplicity and ease of use
Pricing	Free – $38/mo	Free

Conclusion

Flodesk focuses on simplicity and aesthetics, enabling users to build engaging newsletters and grow their subscriber lists effectively.

With features like customizable workflows and unlimited email sends, it is ideal for those looking to enhance their brand’s visual appeal and connect with their audience meaningfully.

Sign up to Flodesk for free

Try Flodesk for free

7. Drip

Best for: Ecommerce businesses

Pricing: $39/mo – $1,999/mo

Drip is a powerful e-commerce customer relationship management (ECRM) platform designed to help online businesses build personalized marketing campaigns and drive customer engagement.

It offers advanced automation tools, allowing businesses to create targeted email campaigns based on customer behavior and preferences.

Features

• Advanced automation
• Personalized email campaigns
• Customer segmentation
• Multi-channel marketing
• Detailed analytics
• E-commerce integrations
• Customizable workflows
• A/B testing
• Lead scoring
• Dynamic content

Drip vs. Substack

Criteria	Drip	Substack
Best For	Ecommerce businesses	Independent writers, journalists, bloggers
Standout Feature	Advanced automation capabilities	Simplicity and ease of use
Pricing	$39/mo – $1,999/mo	Free

Conclusion

With features like customizable workflows, multi-channel marketing, and seamless integrations with popular e-commerce platforms, Drip is ideal for businesses looking to enhance customer relationships and boost sales through data-driven marketing efforts.

Which Substack alternative should I use?

Selecting the right platform among the many Substack alternatives is crucial for achieving your specific content creation and distribution goals.

Each platform offers unique features and benefits that cater to different needs, whether advanced automation, comprehensive analytics, or multi-channel support.

We encourage you to delve into the options available, consider the advantages and disadvantages of each, and choose the platform that aligns best with your objectives.

By taking the time to explore these alternatives, you’ll be better positioned to enhance your content strategy, engage your audience more effectively, and ultimately achieve greater success in your endeavors.

A quick recap of Substack alternatives:

1. Beehiiv
2. Mailchimp
3. Kit
4. Klaviyo
5. Brevo
6. Flodesk
7. Drip