News & Media · head to head
Arc Publishing vs Substack
Arc Publishing
News & Media
The enterprise publishing platform for news organizations
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
Substack
News & Media
The newsletter platform for writers and publishers
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Substack 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; Substack substack takes a 10% cut of subscription revenue (writers keep 90%), plus separate credit card processing fees
- They diverge on capability: Arc Publishing covers Modular CMS, Substack covers Newsletter publishing.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Arc Publishing and Substack actually diverge.
| Attribute | Arc Publishing | Substack |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | Free |
| Pricing model | quote | freemium |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Founded | 2016 | 2017 |
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 Substack
- Newsletter publishing
- Subscriber management
- Paid subscriptions
- Email analytics
- Post scheduling
- Archive creation
- Free/paid tier split
- Comments & discussion
Both cover
- Stripe
- 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 Substack
- Subscription and paywall managementnot Substack
- Video publishing alongside articlesnot Substack
- Multi-site delivery for broadcast and B2B publishersnot Substack
Substack
- Newsletter distributionnot Arc Publishing
- Reader monetizationnot Arc Publishing
- Community buildingnot Arc Publishing
- Subscriber managementnot 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
Substack
- Substack takes a 10% cut of subscription revenue (writers keep 90%), plus separate credit card processing fees
Pricing, plan by plan
Arc Publishing
On request- Enterprise$undefined/custom
- Custom CMS
- Paywall integration
- Advanced analytics
Substack
Free- FreeFree
- Unlimited newsletters
- Basic design
- Archive access
- Pro$12/month
- Custom domain
- Advanced analytics
- Member chat
Which should you pick?
Choose Arc Publishing if
- You need modular cms.
- You work on Web, Mobile.
- You also want content creation.
Choose Substack if
- You need newsletter publishing.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Mobile.
- You also want subscriber management.
Questions people ask
- Is Arc Publishing or Substack better?
- Neither clearly leads. Arc Publishing starts at On request and Substack at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Arc Publishing or Substack?
- Substack has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Arc Publishing and Free for Substack.
- Does Arc Publishing or Substack run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, Mobile, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Substack for free?
- Yes. Substack 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 Substack is typically brought in for.
- What can Arc Publishing do that Substack cannot?
- Arc Publishing covers Modular CMS, Content creation, Publishing workflow, Paywall management. Substack covers Newsletter publishing, Subscriber management, Paid subscriptions, Email analytics. Both handle Stripe, Web support, Mobile support.