Compare software

Medium vs Substack: catalog facts
Medium	Substack
Freemium Free to publish, with a paid reader membership.	Free Free to start a publication; writers can charge readers for subscriptions.
Web	Web
No hosting or setup to manage Built-in audience of readers on the platform	Newsletter, blog and podcast in one publication Built-in paid subscriptions
Little control over design and layout Your content lives on a platform you do not control	Hosted only, with limited design control Discovery and reading revolve around the Substack app and feed
Hosted service	Web application, Hosted service
Closed source	Closed source
License not stated	License not stated
Account needed	Account needed
Needs internet	Needs internet
Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 2, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 2, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.