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Steady alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Steady: 10% commission is high once revenue grows, and smaller audience network than Substack or Patreon. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Steady, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Patreon currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Patreon logoPatreonFree plan + paidNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 466.5
2Substack logoSubstackFree plan + paidNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 462.6
3Ghost logoGhostOpen sourceYesWeb, Self-hosted5 of 559.6
4Memberful logoMemberfulPaidNoWeb4 of 457.2
5beehiiv logobeehiivFree plan + paidNoWeb4 of 455.3
  1. Patreon logo

    1. PatreonTop pick

    Best for: Podcasters, video creators and artists who want paid memberships handled for them

    Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Steady

    Larger global membership platform with stronger video and community tools.

    Pros

    • Handles payments, taxes, fraud and payouts for you
    • Supports video, audio, chats and a shop, not just text
    • Recognised brand that fans already trust with card details

    Cons

    • 10% platform fee plus processing and payout fees
    • Writing and email tools are basic for newsletter writers
    • Little control over page design
    Visit Patreon Details 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 Patreon a good Steady alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free to start
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026patreon.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platform fee
    10% of income, plus processing fees
    Checked Oct 25, 2026patreon.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Newsletters
    Email newsletters included
    Checked Oct 25, 2026patreon.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Currencies
    16+ for payouts and pay-ins
    Checked Oct 25, 2026patreon.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Substack logo

    2. Substack

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

    Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Steady

    Similar revenue-share model with a much bigger reader network.

    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 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 Substack a good Steady 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)
  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 Steady

    Flat hosting fee and 0% from Ghost, which is cheaper once revenue grows.

    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 Steady 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. Memberful logo

    4. Memberful

    Best for: Creators and publishers adding paid memberships to their own WordPress or custom site

    PaidWeb

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Steady

    Memberships on your own site with white-label checkout.

    Pros

    • White-label checkout and member area under your brand
    • Deep WordPress, Discord and email tool integrations
    • Private podcast feeds and gift subscriptions built in

    Cons

    • Monthly fee plus a transaction percentage
    • You bring your own audience; there is no marketplace
    • Needs a Stripe account
    Visit Memberful 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 Memberful a good Steady alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Standard plan
    $49/month + 4.9% transaction fee
    Checked Oct 25, 2026memberful.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    Free until you go live
    Checked Oct 25, 2026memberful.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Owner
    Patreon
    Checked Oct 25, 2026memberful.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Members powered
    1 million+
    Checked Oct 25, 2026memberful.com(opens source in a new tab)
  5. beehiiv logo

    5. beehiiv

    Best for: Newsletter operators who want ads, referrals and growth tools without a revenue share

    Free plan + paidWeb

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Steady

    Newsletter-first platform with no cut of paid subscriptions on paid plans.

    Pros

    • No percentage taken from paid subscriptions
    • Built-in ad network and referral programme
    • Generous free plan for a new newsletter
    • Strong analytics, segmentation and A/B testing

    Cons

    • Monthly cost rises steeply with subscriber count
    • No reader app or network as strong as Substack's
    • Removing beehiiv branding requires the Pro plan
    Visit beehiiv 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 beehiiv a good Steady alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    Up to 2,500 subscribers
    Checked Oct 25, 2026beehiiv.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    $49/month (Lite, billed yearly)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026beehiiv.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Pro plan
    $95/month, billed yearly
    Checked Oct 25, 2026beehiiv.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Paid subscription fee
    0% take rate
    Checked Oct 25, 2026beehiiv.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Steady alternative for…

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

Patreon logo

Best Steady alternative for most people

Patreon

Larger global membership platform with stronger video and community tools.

Ghost logo

Best Steady alternative for a free option

Ghost

Flat hosting fee and 0% from Ghost, which is cheaper once revenue grows.

Substack logo

Best Steady alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Substack

Similar revenue-share model with a much bigger reader network.

Ghost logo

Best Steady alternative for open source

Ghost

Flat hosting fee and 0% from Ghost, which is cheaper once revenue grows.

Ghost logo

Best Steady alternative for self-hosting

Ghost

Flat hosting fee and 0% from Ghost, which is cheaper once revenue grows.

Patreon logo

Best Steady alternative for iPhone and Android

Patreon

Larger global membership platform with stronger video and community tools.

Memberful logo

Best Steady alternative for working in the browser

Memberful

Memberships on your own site with white-label checkout.

Steady alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Steady?

Patreon ranks first right now. Larger global membership platform with stronger video and community tools. Substack and Ghost follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Steady?

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

Is there an open-source alternative to Steady?

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

Why do people switch from Steady?

The complaints we hear most: 10% commission is high once revenue grows; smaller audience network than Substack or Patreon; fewer integrations and design options than Ghost.

How is this list ranked?

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