Kit vs Substack: Features, Pricing and User Reviews 2026
Compare features, pricing, reviews, and more to make an informed decision
Kit
Kit is an email marketing platform that helps creators grow their audience, send newsletters, and sell digital products.
Substack
Substack is a free newsletter platform that lets writers publish content, build direct reader relationships, and earn money through paid subscriptions.
Kit
Kit is an email marketing platform that helps creators grow their audience, send newsletters, and sell digital products.
Substack
Substack is a free newsletter platform that lets writers publish content, build direct reader relationships, and earn money through paid subscriptions.
Kit
Unlimited email broadcasts and landing pages
Visual automation builder with sequences
Smart tagging and subscriber segments
Creator Network for audience growth
Sell digital products and subscriptions
Integration with 90+ tools
Mobile and desktop responsive
Custom domains for landing pages
Analytics and reporting dashboard
24/7 email and chat support on paid plans
Substack
Free newsletter publishing with no subscriber limits
Paid subscription options with monthly and annual billing
Podcast hosting and distribution
Video upload and recording tools
Short-form Notes feature for quick updates
Mobile app for readers
Comment sections and community chat
Built-in analytics and growth tracking
Custom domain support
Recommendation network for discovery
Email list ownership and export
Kit
Kit offers three main pricing plans to match different needs.
The Newsletter plan is completely free for up to 10,000 subscribers. This includes unlimited emails, landing pages, and forms. You get one automation and one sequence, which is perfect if you're just starting. However, you must show other creator recommendations to your subscribers.
The Creator plan costs $39 per month for up to 1,000 subscribers. Prices increase as your list grows. This plan removes all limits on automations and sequences. You get access to paid recommendations, remove Kit branding, and receive priority support. You can also use apps and advanced features.
Creator Pro costs $79 per month for up to 1,000 subscribers. This adds advanced testing features, better reporting, newsletter referral system, and unlimited team members. It's designed for serious creators who need maximum control.
Annual billing saves you two months of fees on all paid plans.
Substack
Substack uses a simple and transparent pricing model that aligns with creator success. Publishing on Substack is completely free regardless of how many subscribers you have. You can send unlimited free newsletters without any charges.
If you enable paid subscriptions, Substack takes 10% of each transaction plus payment processing fees. The payment processing is handled by Stripe, which charges 2.9% plus 30 cents per transaction for credit card payments. Stripe also charges a 0.7% billing fee for recurring subscriptions (as of July 2024).
For non-credit card payment methods like direct debit, iDEAL, Bancontact, and SEPA Direct, different Stripe fees apply based on your country. Writers keep full control over their subscription prices, which many set between $5 and $20 per month or offer annual plans with discounts.
