Kit vs Substack
Kit and Substack are both email marketing tools aimed at creators. Both have a free plan.
| Pricing | Freemium · $39 | Free |
| Starting price | $39/mo | Not published |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | 14 days | — |
| Built for | Creators | Creators |
| Platforms | web | web, ios, android |
| Country | US · 2013 | US · 2017 |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose Kit if
Independent creators and small media businesses whose revenue depends on an owned email audience.
- Free up to 10,000 subscribers with unlimited sends
- Tagging and automations are powerful yet simple
- Built-in monetization and audience growth tools
Look elsewhere if: Online stores needing product feeds and abandoned-cart flows, or B2B teams needing CRM-style lead management.
Choose Substack if
Writers starting out who value discovery and simplicity over control.
- Zero upfront cost; discovery network
- Simple, writer-focused
- Payments and hosting handled
Look elsewhere if: Publications with revenue that want to keep 100% and own SEO (Ghost, beehiiv).
Kit vs Substack pricing
Kit
- Free$0Up to 10,000 subscribers, unlimited broadcasts, forms
- Creator$39/mo1,000 subs; $33/mo billed yearly; unlimited automations, 2 users
- Pro$79/mo1,000 subs; $66/mo yearly; referrals, scoring, unlimited users
Substack
- Free$0Free publishing, no monthly fee
- Paid subscriptions10%/of revenuePlus credit card processing fees
Kit · Key features
- Text-first editor designed for deliverability and personal tone
- Tag and segment subscribers by behavior, form or product
- Visual automation builder with rules and sequences
- Kit Commerce for digital products and paid newsletters
- Creator Network recommendations and newsletter referral program
- Landing pages, forms and link pages included
Cons
- Limited design templates; not for image-heavy campaigns
- Reporting is basic below the Pro plan
- Fewer e-commerce integrations than Klaviyo or Mailchimp
Substack · Key features
- Newsletter, podcast and video publishing
- Paid subscriptions with free and paid tiers
- Recommendations network, Notes and Chat
- Hosted site with custom domain
- Mobile app for readers
- Basic analytics and import tools
Cons
- 10% revenue share
- Limited design and SEO control
- Platform dependence
Kit vs Substack: FAQ
Do Kit and Substack have a free plan?
Yes, both Kit and Substack have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.