Growing an audience
Running the business
Both cover newsletter & email. Here is what separates them on price, billing, what you can take with you, and coverage.
| Kit | Substack | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | From $29 | Free |
| Pricing model | Free plan, paid tiers | Free |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Billing | Monthly or annual | Usage-based |
| Free trial | 14 days | Not stated |
| API | Yes | Not stated |
| Data export | Not stated | Not stated |
| Their cut | 3.5% of what you earn | 10% of what you earn |
| Runs on | Not stated | Not stated |
| Covers | Newsletter & Email, Affiliate & Referral | Newsletter & Email, Memberships & Subscriptions |
| Works with | Nothing in particular | Substack |
| Founded | Not listed | Not listed |
| Reader rating | No reviews yet | No reviews yet |
| Live deals | None right now | None right now |
Email marketing built around automation
Kit is the one to pick when the sequences matter more than the newsletter. Visual automations, tagging and conditional content are genuinely good, and the creator network sends real signups. The editor is plainer than its competitors.
Our note
Kit against beehiiv is the real decision here, and it turns on which half of the job matters more. Kit is better at what happens after somebody subscribes, beehiiv at getting them to subscribe at all.
Only on this side
Paid subscriptions with a reader network attached
Substack takes 10 percent of subscription revenue and gives you distribution in return, through Notes and recommendations from other writers. That trade is good early and expensive later. Exporting your list is easy, which makes it a reasonable place to start.
Our note
Start here if you have no list and no evidence anybody will pay for your writing. Move the year that 10 percent passes what beehiiv or Kit would charge you flat, and take the list with you, because that crossover arrives sooner than most writers plan for.
Only on this side
Ratings are the average of reviews readers left. The facts are stated by each tool’s own listing and are not verified by CloutStack. How we make money.