Software · head to head
Arc Publishing vs Artifact
Arc Publishing
Software
The enterprise publishing platform for news organizations
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Artifact has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Arc Publishing now sold as Arc XP, and arcpublishing.com redirects there; Artifact wound down in early April 2024. Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger closed it, saying the market opportunity was not large enough to keep investing
- They diverge on capability: Arc Publishing covers Modular CMS, Artifact covers AI recommendations.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Arc Publishing and Artifact actually diverge.
| Attribute | Arc Publishing | Artifact |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | Free |
| Pricing model | quote | free |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, Mobile | Ios, Android |
| Founded | 2016 | 2022 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Arc Publishing
- Modular CMS
- Content creation
- Publishing workflow
- Paywall management
- Subscription billing
- Analytics dashboard
- API framework
- Commerce integration
Only in Artifact
- AI recommendations
- Article summaries
- Clickbait detection
- Social sharing
- Topic following
- Social sharing
- Ios support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Arc Publishing
- Content management for news and digital publishersnot Artifact
- Subscription and paywall managementnot Artifact
- Video publishing alongside articlesnot Artifact
- Multi-site delivery for broadcast and B2B publishersnot Artifact
Artifact
- News consumptionnot Arc Publishing
- Content discoverynot Arc Publishing
- Staying informednot Arc Publishing
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Arc Publishing
- Now sold as Arc XP, and arcpublishing.com redirects there
- Pricing is not published
- Built for media companies, so the editorial workflow assumptions do not suit a general business site
Artifact
- Wound down in early April 2024. Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger closed it, saying the market opportunity was not large enough to keep investing
- Yahoo acquired the personalisation technology and folded it into Yahoo News, so the app itself is not coming back
- The founders stayed only in an advisory capacity through the transition
Pricing, plan by plan
Arc Publishing
On request- Enterprise$undefined/custom
- Custom CMS
- Paywall integration
- Advanced analytics
Artifact
Free- FreeFree
- AI-powered recommendations
- Article summaries
- Social features
Which should you pick?
Choose Arc Publishing if
- You need modular cms.
- You work on Web, Mobile.
- You also want content creation.
Choose Artifact if
- You need ai recommendations.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Ios, Android.
- You also want article summaries.
Questions people ask
- Is Arc Publishing or Artifact better?
- Neither clearly leads. Arc Publishing starts at On request and Artifact at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Arc Publishing or Artifact?
- Artifact has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Arc Publishing and Free for Artifact.
- Does Arc Publishing or Artifact run on more platforms?
- Arc Publishing runs on Web, Mobile. Artifact runs on Ios, Android.
- Can I use Artifact for free?
- Yes. Artifact has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Arc Publishing starts at On request.
- What is Arc Publishing best used for?
- Arc Publishing is most often used for content management for news and digital publishers, subscription and paywall management, video publishing alongside articles, multi-site delivery for broadcast and b2b publishers. Of those, content management for news and digital publishers and subscription and paywall management are not what Artifact is typically brought in for.
- What can Arc Publishing do that Artifact cannot?
- Arc Publishing covers Modular CMS, Content creation, Publishing workflow, Paywall management. Artifact covers AI recommendations, Article summaries, Clickbait detection, Social sharing.