Medium vs Substack: Which is Better?
When comparing Medium and Substack, both platforms have unique strengths and cater to different types of content creators and audiences. Here’s a detailed comparison to help you determine which might be better for your needs.
1. Purpose and Focus
- Medium: Medium is primarily a blogging platform designed for a wide range of articles, essays, and storytelling. It encourages writers to reach a broad audience and engage in various topics. It also has a built-in community, allowing readers to follow writers and topics.
- Substack: Substack is designed specifically for newsletter creation and distribution. It allows writers to build a subscription-based audience, often focusing on niche topics. Substack emphasizes direct relationships between writers and their subscribers, typically through email.
2. Monetization
- Medium: Medium offers a Partner Program where writers can earn money based on member engagement (reads, claps). However, the monetization options can be less straightforward, and many writers may not earn significant income unless they have a large following.
- Substack: Substack allows writers to charge subscriptions directly, typically offering free and paid tiers. Writers keep most of the subscription revenue (usually around 90%), making it a more appealing option for those looking to monetize their content directly.
3. Content Control and Ownership
- Medium: While writers retain copyright over their content, Medium has certain restrictions on how articles can be distributed, particularly when they are part of the Partner Program. Medium also has control over the platform’s design and presentation.
- Substack: Writers have full control over their content and how it is presented. They own their subscriber lists and can easily migrate to other platforms if they choose, giving them more flexibility and ownership.
4. User Experience and Design
- Medium: Medium is known for its clean, minimalist design and user-friendly interface. It offers various formatting options for articles, making it easy for writers to create visually appealing content.
- Substack: Substack’s interface is straightforward, focusing on the writing and subscription process. While it may not have as many design features as Medium, it emphasizes simplicity and ease of use for both writers and subscribers.
5. Community and Engagement
- Medium: Medium has a built-in community where readers can discover articles, follow writers, and engage through comments and highlights. This can help writers gain visibility and connect with a broader audience.
- Substack: Substack relies on direct email communication with subscribers, which can foster a more personal relationship. Writers can also engage with their audience through comments and replies, but the community aspect is less centralized than on Medium.
6. Audience Building
- Medium: Medium’s algorithm promotes articles based on engagement, potentially allowing writers to reach a broader audience. However, building a dedicated following may take time, as the platform is more competitive.
- Substack: Writers can cultivate a loyal subscriber base from the start, especially if they have a specific niche or audience in mind. Growth can be more organic, as subscribers often sign up for content they genuinely want to receive.
7. Best Use Cases
- Medium: Ideal for writers looking to publish diverse content, engage with a community, and potentially reach a wider audience without necessarily focusing on monetization.
- Substack: Best for writers who want to build a direct relationship with their audience, monetize their content through subscriptions, and focus on niche topics or personal newsletters.
Conclusion
Choosing between Medium and Substack ultimately depends on your goals as a writer:
- If you want to reach a broad audience, engage in community discussions, and explore a variety of topics, Medium may be the better choice.
- If your goal is to build a dedicated subscriber base, monetize your content directly, and maintain full control over your work, Substack is likely the better option.
Consider your content strategy, audience, and monetization preferences to make the best decision for your writing journey.