Beacons vs Substack

Beacons is an all-in-one creator platform from a US startup that began as a link-in-bio tool and grew into a small business suite for social media creators. A single Beacons page sits behind the bio link on Instagram, TikTok or YouTube and can host a storefront for digital products, an email signup form, a media kit for brands and links to everything else a creator does.

Beyond the link page, Beacons includes a store for selling digital downloads, courses and coaching, an email marketing tool for building and messaging a list, a media kit that pulls in audience statistics, invoicing for brand deals and a set of AI tools for captions, pitches and product descriptions. The free plan lets creators start without paying but takes a fee on sales; Creator Pro adds tools but keeps the same fee, and Store Pro removes it while unlocking more customisation.

Beacons fits creators who want monetisation, email and brand partnership admin in one place without stitching together several apps. It is less suited to businesses that need a full website, detailed analytics or precise design control, and the number of features can feel sprawling for someone who only needs a link page. Linktree is the simpler and better-known link page, Stan Store focuses on selling products and courses from the bio link, and Kit (formerly ConvertKit) is stronger when email is the main channel.

Substack is a San Francisco company founded in 2017 by Chris Best, Hamish McKenzie and Jairaj Sethi that gives writers a newsletter, website and subscription business in one account. It handles email delivery, a hosted publication site, comments and Stripe-powered paid subscriptions, so a writer can start for free and charge readers whenever they are ready.

Over time Substack added podcasts, video posts and livestreams, a mobile app where readers follow publications, and a social layer: Notes for short posts, Chat for subscriber communities, and a recommendations network that has become a major source of new subscribers for many writers. Custom domains, sections, imports from other platforms and basic analytics are included. Publishing is free; Substack takes 10% of paid subscription revenue, plus Stripe processing fees.

Substack fits journalists, essayists, researchers and creators who want to build an audience quickly and value the network over control. The 10% fee grows with success, design and SEO options are limited, and the platform's moderation policies and algorithm shape your reach. Paid subscriptions depend on Stripe, so writers in countries Stripe does not serve face extra hurdles. Ghost offers ownership and a flat fee with open-source code, beehiiv adds growth and monetization tools such as an ad network and referral programs, and Kit (formerly ConvertKit) suits creators focused on email marketing and product sales.