Kit (ConvertKit)
Kit
7.5
Overall Score / 10
Substack
Substack Inc.
7.1
Overall Score / 10
Our Verdict
Choose Kit (ConvertKit) if:
- —Solo creators and bloggers
- —Podcasters and YouTubers selling digital products
- —Anyone who wants simple, clean email marketing
Choose Substack if:
- —Writers who want the simplest possible setup
- —People who value Substack's built-in network and recommendations
- —Writers focused on paid subscriptions
The biggest difference: Kit offers visual automations, landing pages, and digital product sales with a free tier for 10K subscribers. Substack is simpler with zero setup but takes a 10% cut of paid subscription revenue and offers no automation.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Criteria | Kit (ConvertKit) | Substack |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest Paid Plan | $39/mo (Creator)Source: Kit pricing page → | Free onlySource: Substack Inc. pricing page → |
| Free Tier | Yes 10,000 subscribers, unlimited emails, no advanced automations, no integrations | Yes Free to use; Substack takes 10% cut of paid subscriptions + Stripe fees |
| Value for Money | 7 | 7 |
| Ease of Use | 9 | 10 |
| Feature Power | 6 | 4 |
| Setup Ease | 9 | 10 |
| Migration Ease | 7 | 6 |
| Transparency | 8 | 7 |
| Deployment | cloud | cloud |
| API Available | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, iOS | Web, iOS, Android |
| Compliance | GDPR tools available | Basic GDPR tools |
Feature Comparison
Feature Comparison Matrix
17 features compared · 17 differences
| Feature | Kit (ConvertKit) | Substack |
|---|---|---|
| Core | ||
| Chat | None | Full |
| Commerce (digital products) | Full | None |
| Creator profile page | Full | None |
| Landing pages | Full | None |
| Mobile app | None | Full |
| Newsletter publishing | None | Full |
| Newsletter referral program | Full | None |
| Podcast hosting | None | Full |
| Recommendations network | None | Full |
| Sponsor network | Full | None |
| Subscriber tagging | Full | None |
| Advanced | ||
| Custom domains (limited) | None | Full |
| Email sequences | Full | None |
| Paid subscriptions | None | Full |
| Visual automation builder | Full | None |
| Integrations | ||
| API Access | Full | None |
| Security | ||
| Notes (social feed) | None | Full |
Pricing Comparison
Kit (ConvertKit) Pricing
10,000 subscribers, unlimited sends, limited automations
1,000 subscribers, automations, integrations, live chat support
1,000 subscribers, advanced reporting, subscriber scoring, newsletter referrals
Substack Pricing
Unlimited subscribers, unlimited sends, 10% of paid subscription revenue
Who Should Choose Which?
Who should choose Kit (ConvertKit)
Best for
- Solo creators and bloggers
- Podcasters and YouTubers selling digital products
- Anyone who wants simple, clean email marketing
Avoid if
- You need advanced e-commerce features
- You want sophisticated A/B testing
- You need enterprise-grade reporting
Who should choose Substack
Best for
- Writers who want the simplest possible setup
- People who value Substack's built-in network and recommendations
- Writers focused on paid subscriptions
Avoid if
- You want full control over your brand and domain
- You need advanced segmentation or automation
- You don't want to give up 10% of revenue
Switching Guidance
Switching from Kit (ConvertKit)
Common triggers to leave:
- •Need more advanced reporting
- •Need better e-commerce integration
- •Outgrowing creator-focused feature set
Potential blockers:
- •Visual automation workflows built over time
- •Integrated commerce/products
- •Subscriber tags and segments
Switching from Substack
Common triggers to leave:
- •Need custom branding
- •Need automation
- •10% revenue cut
- •Need analytics depth
Potential blockers:
- •Built-in subscriber network
- •Substack app readers
- •Community features
Try Kit (ConvertKit)
Start free — no credit card required
Try Substack
Start free — no credit card required