Medium vs Substack
Side-by-side comparison on fees, payouts, monetization, and audience ownership.
Platform fee
0% · of revenue (earnings share model)
10% · of revenue
Payout speed
monthly
weekly
Minimum payout
$10
$0 (Stripe)
Countries
Stripe-supported (70+)
Stripe-supported
Email list export
Limited
Full access
Custom domain
No
Yes ($50 one-time)
Community features
Publications, claps, highlights, responses
Comments, paid Chat, DMs
Best for
Writers seeking built-in readership without managing email or hosting
Newsletter writers, podcasters, established creators who want audience ownership
Medium vs Substack: which one wins?
Medium charges 0% (of revenue (earnings share model)) versus Substack at 10% (of revenue).
On payout speed, Medium pays monthly while Substack pays weekly. For creators where cashflow matters, the faster cadence usually wins.
For audience ownership, Medium offers limited email export and Substack offers full access. Email portability matters most for creators planning to migrate later or build a list independent of any single platform.
Best for: Medium suits writers seeking built-in readership without managing email or hosting. Substack fits newsletter writers, podcasters, established creators who want audience ownership.