Platform comparison
Kit vs Substack: Which newsletter platform is better?
Kit and Substack can both work for newsletter creators, but they are built for different types of businesses. Substack focuses on simplicity and paid subscriptions, while Kit gives creators more control over email marketing, automations and audience management.
Quick answer
Choose Substack if you want the easiest possible setup and do not mind paying a percentage of your subscription revenue.
Choose Kit if you want more control over your email list, automations and creator business as it grows.
Kit vs Substack at a glance
| Feature | Kit | Substack |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Platform fee on subscriptions | No standard percentage platform fee | 10% |
| Advanced email automations | Strong | Limited |
| Built-in discovery | Limited | Strong |
| Best for | Creator businesses and email marketing | Simple publishing and paid newsletters |
The biggest difference: fees
Substack charges a 10% platform fee on paid subscription revenue, in addition to payment processing fees. That is simple when your newsletter is small, but it can become expensive as revenue grows.
Kit uses a different model. You may pay for a Kit plan depending on your audience size and features, but it does not use the same 10% revenue-share model as Substack.
Example: $2,000/month in paid subscriptions
A 10% Substack platform fee alone would equal approximately $200 per month, before payment processing fees.
When Kit makes more sense
Kit becomes especially attractive if your newsletter is part of a larger creator business. It gives you more tools for segmenting subscribers, creating email sequences and automating how people move through your audience.
That can make Kit a better fit for creators selling courses, products, memberships or services in addition to a newsletter.
When Substack makes more sense
Substack is appealing if your priority is to start publishing quickly without dealing with many technical or marketing decisions.
Its built-in network and discovery features can also help writers who want their publication to live inside the Substack ecosystem.
Not sure which one is cheaper for you?
Enter your subscriber count, paid subscribers and monthly price into the NewsletterFit calculator to compare estimated platform costs based on your own numbers.
Compare newsletter platforms →Bottom line
Substack is usually easier for creators who want a simple publishing experience. Kit is generally the stronger option for creators who want more control, automation and flexibility as their business grows.
Pricing and features can change. Always verify current pricing and product details directly with each provider before making a final decision.