Last Updated on by Noni May
TL;DR: Substack is free to start and has the best built-in growth network (Notes, Recommendations), but takes 10% of your paid-subscription revenue — closer to 13–16% after Stripe fees. Kit (formerly ConvertKit) costs $0–$79+/month but charges only 3.5% + $0.30 on paid newsletters and gives you real automation, tagging and a list you fully own. Rule of thumb: start on Substack if audience growth is your bottleneck; switch to (or start on) Kit once you monetize seriously — the 10% fee overtakes Kit’s subscription cost fast.
Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links. If you sign up through them I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools I use or have tested myself.
What’s the real difference between Substack and Kit?
Substack is a publishing platform: newsletter, website, podcast hosting, community and a discovery network in one, with zero monthly cost. Kit is a creator-focused email marketing platform: automations, visual funnel builder, tagging, segmenting, landing pages and 100+ integrations.
The mental model that matters: Substack rents you an audience engine; Kit gives you infrastructure you own. On Substack, growth features like Notes and Recommendations can genuinely compound. On Kit, nothing grows on its own — but every subscriber, tag and automation is portable and yours.
Pricing compared (2026)
| Substack | Kit | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $0 | Free up to 10,000 subs; Creator from $39/mo (1k), $59 (3k), $89 (5k); Creator Pro from $79/mo |
| Fee on paid subscriptions | 10% + Stripe (~2.9% + $0.30 + 0.7% billing) ≈ 13–16% all-in | 3.5% + $0.30 all-in (includes Stripe), every plan |
| Free tier limits | Unlimited, full features | 10k subscribers, Kit branding, 1 user, no A/B testing |
| Automation & sequences | Basic (welcome email) | Full visual automations, sequences, tagging, segments |
| Growth network | Notes, Recommendations, leaderboards | Creator Network, paid recommendations |
| Website & archive | Included | Landing pages included, no full site |
| Podcast/video | Built-in | Via integrations |
| Ownership/export | List exportable; paid subs on your own Stripe | Everything exportable, own Stripe |
Note: Kit raised prices roughly 35% in September 2025, so ignore older posts quoting $25–29 entry pricing.
The math: when does Substack’s 10% become expensive?
Say you charge $10/month:
- 100 paid subscribers ($1,000/mo): Substack keeps ~$130–160 in fees. Kit: $39–59 subscription + ~$65 in transaction fees ≈ $104–124. Roughly break-even.
- 300 paid subscribers ($3,000/mo): Substack ~$390–480/mo. Kit ≈ $59–89 + ~$195 ≈ $254–284. Kit is now clearly cheaper — and the gap keeps widening.
- 1,000 paid subscribers ($10,000/mo): Substack ~$1,300–1,600/mo. Kit ≈ $89–119 + ~$650 ≈ $740–770. You’re paying Substack $6,000–10,000+ per year for the network.
That’s the whole trade: Substack’s network has to earn its 10%. Early on it usually does. At scale it usually doesn’t.
Where Substack wins
Zero risk to start, real discovery (a meaningful share of new subscribers on growing Substacks comes from Recommendations and Notes), built-in payments, podcast and community features, and a clean writing experience. If you have no audience yet, Substack’s network effect is the single strongest free growth channel in newsletters right now.
Where Kit wins
Automation (welcome sequences, evergreen funnels, tagging by interest or purchase), deliverability controls, lead magnets with double opt-in per form, integrations with WooCommerce, Teachable and Shopify, and far lower fees on paid subscriptions. If your newsletter supports a business — courses, services, affiliate income — Kit is the more serious toolkit. Try Kit free up to 10,000 subscribers →
Can you use both?
Yes, and it’s a popular setup: publish publicly on Substack for discovery, and run your “money list” (lead magnets, product funnels, affiliate promotions) on Kit. Substack allows exporting your subscriber list, so you can sync new Substack subscribers into Kit periodically.
Verdict: which one in 2026?
- Choose Substack if you’re starting from zero, want to write (or podcast) without tech setup, and growth is your main problem.
- Choose Kit if you sell anything, want automations, or already have 100+ paying subscribers — the fee math tips in Kit’s favor around the $1,000/month mark.
- Use both if you want Substack’s discovery and Kit’s monetization.
For the full landscape (including Beehiiv, MailerLite and Ghost), read my best newsletter platforms of 2026 roundup. Comparing email tools specifically? See Kit vs Mailchimp 2026 and my ultimate guide to email marketing.
FAQ
Is Substack really free?
Yes — you pay nothing until you turn on paid subscriptions. From that moment Substack takes 10% of revenue, plus ~3–6% in Stripe processing and billing fees.
What does Kit cost in 2026?
Kit’s free plan covers up to 10,000 subscribers. Paid plans start at $39/month (Creator, 1,000 subscribers) and $79/month (Creator Pro), with subscriber-based tiers above that and ~16% off annually.
Which platform is better for making money?
Below roughly $1,000/month in subscription revenue the difference is small. Above it, Kit’s flat 3.5% + $0.30 beats Substack’s 10% + Stripe by a growing margin — and Kit adds funnels for selling products beyond subscriptions.
Can I move from Substack to Kit later?
Yes. Both use your own Stripe account for paid subscriptions and both let you export your list. Migration is a CSV export/import plus asking paid subscribers to re-confirm billing.
Does Kit have anything like Substack’s Recommendations?
Kit’s Creator Network lets creators recommend each other’s newsletters, including paid recommendations. It works, but Substack’s network is bigger and more active in 2026.