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News & Media · head to head

Arc Publishing vs Medium

Arc Publishing logo

Arc Publishing

News & Media

The enterprise publishing platform for news organizations

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Medium logo

Medium

News & Media

The best place to read and write stories on the internet

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Medium 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; Medium unlimited access to stories requires a paid Medium membership
  • They diverge on capability: Arc Publishing covers Modular CMS, Medium covers Story publishing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Arc Publishing and Medium actually diverge.

Attributes where Arc Publishing and Medium differ
AttributeArc PublishingMedium
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefreemium
Free tierNoYes
Founded20162012

Identical on both: platforms (Web, Mobile), user rating (Not yet rated), category (News & Media).

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 Medium

  • Story publishing
  • Member program
  • Earning potential
  • Reading time estimates
  • Clap reactions
  • Highlighting & annotations
  • Story recommendations
  • Following system

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Mobile 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 Medium
  • Subscription and paywall managementnot Medium
  • Video publishing alongside articlesnot Medium
  • Multi-site delivery for broadcast and B2B publishersnot Medium

Medium

  • Publishing articles without running your own blognot Arc Publishing
  • Reading long-form writing across technology, culture and newsnot Arc Publishing
  • Earning from writing through the Medium Partner Programnot 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

Medium

  • Unlimited access to stories requires a paid Medium membership
  • Audio versions of stories are a member-only feature
  • Earning money from writing requires joining the Medium Partner Program rather than being automatic
  • The iOS app requires iOS 17.0 or later

Pricing, plan by plan

Arc Publishing

On request
  • Enterprise$undefined/custom
    • Custom CMS
    • Paywall integration
    • Advanced analytics

Medium

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited reading
    • Publishing platform
    • Story drafts
  • Medium Membership$5/month
    • Unlimited access
    • Exclusive stories
    • Member earnings

Which should you pick?

Choose Arc Publishing if

  • You need modular cms.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want content creation.
Arc Publishing review

Choose Medium if

  • You need story publishing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want member program.
Medium review

Questions people ask

Is Arc Publishing or Medium better?
Neither clearly leads. Arc Publishing starts at On request and Medium at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Arc Publishing or Medium?
Medium has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Arc Publishing and Free for Medium.
Does Arc Publishing or Medium run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Mobile, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Medium for free?
Yes. Medium 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 Medium is typically brought in for.
What can Arc Publishing do that Medium cannot?
Arc Publishing covers Modular CMS, Content creation, Publishing workflow, Paywall management. Medium covers Story publishing, Member program, Earning potential, Reading time estimates. Both handle Web support, Mobile support.
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