Best newsletter and creator publishing platforms
Platforms for publishing free or paid newsletters, blogs and memberships, from Substack-style networks to open-source and minimalist blogging services.
23 apps, ordered by visits from AppBreakup and how often our research lists each one as an alternative. Open any app to see its alternatives.
All newsletter and creator publishing platforms
- Alternatives to Ghost
An open-source publishing platform for websites, newsletters and paid memberships, hosted or self-hosted.
Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted - Alternatives to Substack
A publishing network where writers send newsletters, run paid subscriptions and get discovered through a shared app.
Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android - Alternatives to Bear Blog
- Alternatives to Micro.blog
Indie blog hosting for short posts and essays, with newsletters and cross-posting to social networks.
PaidWeb, iOS, macOS - Alternatives to beehiiv
A growth-focused newsletter platform with a website builder, ad network and paid subscriptions.
Free plan + paidWeb - Alternatives to Buttondown
A small, independent newsletter tool with Markdown writing, archives and paid subscriptions.
Free plan + paidWeb - Alternatives to Write.as
A minimalist, privacy-focused blogging service with optional email subscribers and fediverse support.
PaidWeb - Alternatives to Pika
A friendly blogging and newsletter platform from the small studio Good Enough.
Free plan + paidWeb - Alternatives to Patreon
A membership platform where fans pay creators monthly for posts, video, audio and community.
Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android - MaAlternatives to Mataroa
A naked, open-source blogging platform for minimalists, with email subscriptions and no tracking.
Free plan + paidOpen sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted - Alternatives to Memberful
Membership and paid-subscription software that plugs into your own website, owned by Patreon.
PaidWeb - Alternatives to Blot
A blogging service that turns a synced folder of text files and images into a website.
PaidOpen sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted - Alternatives to WriteFreely
Free, open-source software for running a minimalist blog or writing community on your own server.
Open sourceSelf-hostableSelf-hosted - Alternatives to Hashnode
A free blogging platform popular with developers, with custom domains, Markdown and an API.
Free plan + paidWeb - Alternatives to Scribbles
A calm, paid blogging platform with minimal themes, private blogs and up to five sites.
PaidWeb - Alternatives to Steady
A Berlin-based platform for paid newsletters, memberships and podcasts, free until you earn.
Free plan + paidWeb - Alternatives to Medium
A large open publishing site where anyone can post articles and members pay to read without limits.
Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android - Alternatives to Posthaven
- CuAlternatives to Curated
A newsletter platform built for link roundups, free until you pass 1,500 subscribers.
Free plan + paidWeb - Alternatives to Buy Me a Coffee
A simple page where fans can tip creators, join memberships and buy digital goods.
Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android - Alternatives to Paragraph
A blog and newsletter platform that now centres on an AI agent drafting launch posts for startups.
Free plan + paidWeb - Alternatives to Postcard
A one-page personal website with a built-in newsletter for collecting and emailing subscribers.
PaidWeb - Alternatives to Typlog
A hosted blogging and podcast platform with Markdown, custom domains and built-in stats.
PaidWeb
Our picks by need
Best for most people
GhostBest for a free option
WriteFreelyBest for open source
MataroaBest for self-hosting
BlotBest for Mac
Micro.blogBest for iPhone and Android
SubstackPopular comparisons
Common questions
What are the best newsletter and creator publishing platforms?
Based on how often our research lists them as alternatives and visits from AppBreakup, the leading newsletter and creator publishing platforms right now are Ghost, Substack, Bear Blog, Micro.blog and beehiiv.
Are there free newsletter and creator publishing platforms?
Yes. Ghost (open source), Substack (free plan + paid), Bear Blog (free plan + paid), beehiiv (free plan + paid) and Buttondown (free plan + paid) have a free option, out of 15 free or freemium apps we track.
Which newsletter and creator publishing platforms are open source?
Ghost, Mataroa, Blot and WriteFreely.