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Medium alternatives: 6 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Medium: no direct paid subscriptions you control, and earnings and distribution depend on changing platform rules. We ranked 6 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Medium, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Substack currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Substack logoSubstackFree plan + paidNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 466.5
2Hashnode logoHashnodeFree plan + paidNoWeb4 of 462.6
3Ghost logoGhostOpen sourceYesWeb, Self-hosted5 of 559.6
4Write.as logoWrite.asPaidNoWeb4 of 457.2
5Bear Blog logoBear BlogFree plan + paidNoWeb4 of 455.3
6Tumblr logoTumblrFree plan + paidNoWeb, iOS, Android3 of 338.6
  1. Substack logo

    1. SubstackTop pick

    Best for: Writers who want built-in discovery and paid subscriptions without running any tech themselves

    Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Medium

    Also offers a reader network, but lets you charge your own subscription and own the list.

    Pros

    • Built-in reader network and recommendations help new writers grow
    • Free to start, with paid subscriptions switched on in minutes
    • Podcasts, video and chat live alongside the newsletter
    • Easy imports from Mailchimp, Ghost, WordPress and others

    Cons

    • 10% cut of paid revenue gets costly for big publications
    • Limited control over design and site structure
    • Your publication sits inside Substack's brand and app
    Visit Substack Compare with MediumDetails and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Substack a good Medium alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    Yes, free to start
    Checked Oct 25, 2026substack.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Revenue share
    Writers keep 90% of paid revenue, minus card fees
    Checked Oct 25, 2026substack.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Paid subscriptions
    5 million+ across the platform
    Checked Oct 25, 2026substack.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Imports
    Mailchimp, beehiiv, Ghost, WordPress, Medium and more
    Checked Oct 25, 2026substack.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Hashnode logo

    2. Hashnode

    Best for: Developers and technical writers who want a free blog with Markdown and easy export

    Free plan + paidWeb

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Medium

    Free blog on your own domain, with Markdown export so you can leave anytime.

    Pros

    • Free blog with unlimited posts
    • Markdown editor and export of every post
    • GraphQL API for a custom front end

    Cons

    • Custom domain requires the paid Pro plan
    • No real paid subscription or membership tools
    • Company attention is split across other products
    Visit Hashnode Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Hashnode a good Medium alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    Yes, unlimited articles
    Checked Oct 25, 2026hashnode.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Pro plan
    $5/month or $50/year
    Checked Oct 25, 2026hashnode.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Export
    Every post exports as Markdown
    Checked Oct 25, 2026hashnode.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Blogs created
    1.3M+
    Checked Oct 25, 2026hashnode.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Ghost logo

    3. Ghost

    Best for: Independent publishers who want their own branded site, newsletter and memberships

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Medium

    Your own branded site and memberships, without depending on another site's algorithm.

    Pros

    • No transaction fees from Ghost on paid memberships
    • Open source and self-hostable for full control
    • Custom themes and a large integration marketplace
    • Fast sites with strong SEO defaults

    Cons

    • No discovery network to bring in readers
    • Starter plan lacks custom themes and paid subscriptions
    • Self-hosting needs a server and some sysadmin work
    Visit Ghost Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Ghost a good Medium alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Starting price
    $18/month (Starter, billed yearly)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026ghost.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Publisher plan
    $29/month, billed yearly
    Checked Oct 25, 2026ghost.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Transaction fees
    0% from Ghost (processor fees apply)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026ghost.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes, Ubuntu or Docker
    Checked Oct 25, 2026ghost.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Open source
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026ghost.org(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Write.as logo

    4. Write.as

    Best for: Privacy-minded writers who want a calm, simple blog with optional email subscribers

    PaidWeb

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Medium

    Distraction-free, privacy-first blogging with no paywalls or engagement metrics.

    Pros

    • Very clean, distraction-free writing and reading
    • Collects minimal personal data; pen names supported
    • Fediverse following through ActivityPub
    • Built on open-source WriteFreely, so you can self-host later

    Cons

    • Free plan currently closed to new users
    • No paid subscriptions or memberships
    • Newsletter features are basic
    Visit Write.as Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Write.as a good Medium alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Starting price
    $6/month (Pro, billed yearly)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026write.as(opens source in a new tab)
    Team plan
    From $25/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026write.as(opens source in a new tab)
    Launched
    2015
    Checked Oct 25, 2026write.as(opens source in a new tab)
    Fediverse
    ActivityPub federation on all plans
    Checked Oct 25, 2026write.as(opens source in a new tab)
  5. Bear Blog logo

    5. Bear Blog

    Best for: Writers who want a fast, minimal personal blog without trackers or bloat

    Free plan + paidWeb

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Medium

    Tiny, fast, ad-free blog with a custom domain and a free tier.

    Pros

    • Extremely light pages with no trackers or ads
    • Custom CSS and free themes for personal styling
    • Discovery feed helps new posts find readers

    Cons

    • Run by one developer, which is a continuity risk
    • No paid subscriptions or memberships
    • Detailed analytics require the paid upgrade
    Visit Bear Blog Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Bear Blog a good Medium alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Tracking
    No trackers, ads or scripts
    Checked Oct 25, 2026bearblog.dev(opens source in a new tab)
    Custom domain
    Supported
    Checked Oct 25, 2026bearblog.dev(opens source in a new tab)
    Feeds
    RSS and Atom
    Checked Oct 25, 2026bearblog.dev(opens source in a new tab)
    Newsletters
    Email subscribers supported
    Checked Oct 25, 2026docs.bearblog.dev(opens source in a new tab)
  6. Tumblr logo

    6. Tumblr

    Best for: Fandoms, artists and writers who want a creative, pseudonymous blogging community

    Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android

    38.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Medium

    Free blogging with a built-in social audience through reblogs and tags.

    Pros

    • Reblog culture spreads creative work quickly
    • Customisable blogs with themes and custom domains
    • Chronological dashboard option

    Cons

    • Much smaller than at its peak
    • Content rules have changed repeatedly
    • Ad-free browsing requires Premium
    Visit Tumblr Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.37
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Tumblr a good Medium alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Owner
    Automattic
    Checked Oct 25, 2026tumblr.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Ad-free option
    Included in Tumblr Premium
    Checked Oct 25, 2026help.tumblr.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Minimum age
    13 (16 in EU, UK, Australia)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026tumblr.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Medium alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Substack logo

Best Medium alternative for most people

Substack

Also offers a reader network, but lets you charge your own subscription and own the list.

Ghost logo

Best Medium alternative for a free option

Ghost

Your own branded site and memberships, without depending on another site's algorithm.

Hashnode logo

Best Medium alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Hashnode

Free blog on your own domain, with Markdown export so you can leave anytime.

Ghost logo

Best Medium alternative for open source

Ghost

Your own branded site and memberships, without depending on another site's algorithm.

Ghost logo

Best Medium alternative for self-hosting

Ghost

Your own branded site and memberships, without depending on another site's algorithm.

Tumblr logo

Best Medium alternative for iPhone and Android

Tumblr

Free blogging with a built-in social audience through reblogs and tags.

Write.as logo

Best Medium alternative for working in the browser

Write.as

Distraction-free, privacy-first blogging with no paywalls or engagement metrics.

Medium alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Medium?

Substack ranks first right now. Also offers a reader network, but lets you charge your own subscription and own the list. Hashnode and Ghost follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Medium?

Yes. Substack (free plan + paid), Hashnode (free plan + paid), Ghost (open source) and Bear Blog (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Medium?

Yes: Ghost. Ghost can also be self-hosted.

Why do people switch from Medium?

The complaints we hear most: no direct paid subscriptions you control; earnings and distribution depend on changing platform rules; little control over design and branding.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Medium, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.