Substack vs Whop
Substack and Whop are both creator monetization tools. Substack is aimed at creators, while Whop is aimed at creators and E-commerce. Both have a free plan.
Newsletters, podcasts and paid subscriptions
Platform to sell memberships, courses, communities and software access
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starting price | Not published | Not published |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Built for | Creators | Creators, E-commerce, Small businesses |
| Platforms | web, ios, android | web, ios, android |
| Country | US · 2017 | US · 2021 |
| Rating | — | — |
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).
Choose Whop if
Creators, coaches and indie software sellers who want to monetize communities and digital products with no upfront cost.
- No monthly fee, so it costs nothing until you make sales
- Sells many product types from a single storefront
- Fast setup for Discord and Telegram paid communities
Look elsewhere if: Brands wanting a polished, premium course and email platform or a flat-fee community (Kajabi, Skool, Circle).
Substack vs Whop pricing
Substack
- Free$0Free publishing, no monthly fee
- Paid subscriptions10%/of revenuePlus credit card processing fees
Whop
- Free to start$0No monthly fee; you pay only when you sell
- Card processing2.7% + $0.30/transactionDomestic cards; +1.5% international, +1% currency conversion
- Payouts$2.50/payoutNext-day US ACH; bank wire $23, instant 4% + $2.50
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
Whop · Key features
- Branded whop hubs bundling courses, chat, files and events
- Automatic Discord and Telegram role access for paying members
- Software license keys and app access for SaaS and tool sellers
- Checkout with cards, ACH, wallets and buy-now-pay-later
- Affiliate program and promo codes built in
- Content Rewards campaigns that pay creators per view
Cons
- Add-on, international and payout fees push effective rates higher
- Marketplace includes many low-quality hype offers
- Community and course tools are less refined than Skool or Kajabi
Substack vs Whop: FAQ
Do Substack and Whop have a free plan?
Yes, both Substack and Whop have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.
Which is better for small businesses, Substack or Whop?
Whop lists small businesses as a core audience, while Substack is aimed more at creators.