Good Substack alternatives include Ghost for paid memberships on your own site, beehiiv and Kit for growth through recommendations, MailerLite and Buttondown for a simple start, and Patreon if your readers already support you there. Whichever you pick, export your subscriber list and use your own domain so you can move again later.
Your subscriber list is the most valuable thing your newsletter owns. Not the platform, not the design, not the app. The list. So before we talk about tools, let's make sure that whatever you choose, the list stays yours.
Start with owning your list
Substack lets you export your subscribers and your posts, and that export is your insurance policy. Download it now, even if you're not planning to move this month, and keep a copy somewhere safe. Do it again every so often as the list grows.
The second habit is a custom domain. If readers find you at a web address you own, you can move platforms later and the address stays the same. Links you've shared, search results and bookmarks keep working. If your newsletter lives on someone else's subdomain, every move means starting that part from scratch.
Third, keep the sending reputation in mind. A list that's been cleaned of old, inactive addresses moves more smoothly and lands in inboxes more reliably on the new platform. Most tools will ask you to confirm that everyone on the list opted in, so be ready to answer that.
If your goal is paid subscriptions
Plenty of writers move because they want more control over how readers pay them. These are the tools I'd look at first.
Ghost
Ghost is an open source publishing platform built for memberships. Your posts live on your own website, readers can sign up free or paid, and payments run through your own Stripe account. You can use the hosted version from the Ghost team or host it yourself. It suits writers who want their newsletter and publication to feel like their own brand, not a page on someone else's site. The main limit is that you don't get a built-in network of readers discovering you, so growth is on you.
Patreon
Patreon is a membership platform where supporters pay you directly, and you can send posts to members by email. It suits creators who already make podcasts, videos or art and want written updates in the same place as everything else. The limit is that it's a membership tool first and a newsletter tool second, so the email side is simpler than a dedicated platform.
If you're still working out which money model fits, my guide to how newsletters make money walks through the options, from paid tiers to ads and partnerships.
If your goal is growing through recommendations
One thing writers miss after leaving Substack is the recommendation loop, where other newsletters point readers at yours. Two platforms have built strong versions of this.
beehiiv
beehiiv was built for newsletters, with a recommendations network, a referral programme you can switch on for your readers, and an ad network that can place paid ads in your issues once you're eligible. It also offers paid subscriptions and a simple website. It suits writers who treat their newsletter as a business and want growth tools in one place. The limit is that the growth features sit on different plans, so check what's included before you plan around them.
Kit
Kit, formerly known as ConvertKit, is an email platform for creators with a recommendations network, landing pages, forms and paid newsletters. Its automations are strong, so you can send new readers a welcome sequence or tag them by interest. It suits creators who sell courses, digital products or coaching alongside their newsletter. The limit is that it's less of a publication and more of an email system, so your archive won't look like a magazine without extra work.
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Growth tools only help once the basics are working. If you're early on, my guide to getting your first newsletter subscribers covers the groundwork.
If you want a newsletter plus a website
Some businesses want one home for their blog, newsletter and sign-up forms. Ghost covers this well, as above. Two other routes are worth knowing.
- WordPress with a newsletter plugin. If you already run a WordPress site, a plugin such as MailPoet lets you send posts as emails from the same dashboard. You keep everything on your own site, but you're also responsible for updates and email delivery settings.
- Mailchimp. Mailchimp is the email tool most small businesses have heard of, with a website builder, landing pages and a free way to start. It suits businesses that want their newsletter alongside shop and customer emails. It's less writer-focused than Substack, and there's no paid subscription model built for writers. If you've already outgrown it, my list of Mailchimp alternatives may help.
If you want simple and free to start
MailerLite
MailerLite has a free plan, a clean editor, landing pages, a simple website builder and the option to sell paid newsletter subscriptions. It suits small businesses and new writers who want something tidy without much setup. The limit is that it doesn't have a reader recommendation network like Substack or beehiiv, so you'll need your own ways to grow.
Buttondown
Buttondown is a small, focused newsletter tool. You can write in Markdown, send to a free list, and add paid subscriptions when you're ready. It's popular with writers and developers who like a quiet, no-fuss setup. The limit is that it's deliberately minimal, so there's no big design system or network behind it.
Moving your list, step by step
- Export your subscribers and posts from Substack and keep a dated copy.
- Set up the new platform, connect your custom domain and finish the sender settings it asks for, so your emails are authenticated.
- Import free subscribers first and check that the numbers match your export.
- If you have paid subscribers, read the new platform's migration guide. Some tools can bring paid members across when you keep the same Stripe account, but the steps differ, so follow their instructions exactly.
- Import your archive of past posts, then spot-check a few for broken images and formatting.
- Send a short note telling readers you've moved and that nothing changes for them, apart from a new sender address to add to their contacts.
- Keep your old account until you're sure the first few issues have landed well, then close it.
Check any tax or payment questions with the platform and your accountant before you switch on paid tiers in a new place.
Make a newsletter tool? See how to get it featured on this list.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take my subscribers with me when I leave Substack?
Yes. Substack lets you export your subscriber list and posts. Import them into your new platform and check the totals match. Paid subscribers need extra steps, so follow your new platform's migration guide.
Which Substack alternative suits paid newsletters?
Ghost, beehiiv, Kit, MailerLite and Buttondown all support paid subscriptions. Ghost suits a branded publication, beehiiv and Kit suit growth-focused creators, and MailerLite and Buttondown suit a simple setup.
Is there a free Substack alternative?
Several platforms have a free way to start, including MailerLite, Buttondown, beehiiv and Kit. Limits on subscribers and features change, so check each tool's current plans page.
Will I lose my readers if I switch?
Not if you plan it. Use your own domain, warn readers before you move, and ask them to add your new sender address to their contacts so your issues land in the inbox.
