Software · head to head
ConvertKit vs Arc Publishing
ConvertKit
Software
The creator platform for digital professionals
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
Arc Publishing
Software
The enterprise publishing platform for news organizations
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: ConvertKit the free Newsletter plan allows only one basic visual automation, so sequences beyond a single flow require paying; Arc Publishing now sold as Arc XP, and arcpublishing.com redirects there
- They diverge on capability: ConvertKit covers Email marketing, Arc Publishing covers Modular CMS.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which ConvertKit and Arc Publishing actually diverge.
| Attribute | ConvertKit | Arc Publishing |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | subscription | quote |
| Platforms | Web | Web, Mobile |
| Founded | 2013 | 2016 |
Identical on both: starting price (On request), free tier (No), 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 ConvertKit
- Email marketing
- Landing pages
- Subscriber tagging
- Automation workflows
- Digital product sales
- Broadcast emails
- Subscriber segments
- Email templates
Only in Arc Publishing
- Modular CMS
- Content creation
- Publishing workflow
- Paywall management
- Subscription billing
- Analytics dashboard
- API framework
- Commerce integration
Both cover
- Stripe
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
ConvertKit
- Sending newsletters and email sequences to an audiencenot Arc Publishing
- Selling paid subscriptions and digital products to a mailing listnot Arc Publishing
Arc Publishing
- Content management for news and digital publishersnot ConvertKit
- Subscription and paywall managementnot ConvertKit
- Video publishing alongside articlesnot ConvertKit
- Multi-site delivery for broadcast and B2B publishersnot ConvertKit
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
ConvertKit
- The free Newsletter plan allows only one basic visual automation, so sequences beyond a single flow require paying
- The free plan is a single user, and the Creator plan at $33 a month allows two
- Subscriber signals, engagement analytics and paid recommendations are Pro only, at $66 a month
- A/B testing is capped at 2 subject lines below Pro, which allows 5
- Paid pricing is banded by subscriber count, so the published figures apply only at the smallest band
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
Pricing, plan by plan
ConvertKit
On request- Creator$29/month
- Up to 10K subscribers
- Email campaigns
- Landing pages
- Creator Pro$79/month
- Unlimited subscribers
- Advanced automation
- Digital products
Arc Publishing
On request- Enterprise$undefined/custom
- Custom CMS
- Paywall integration
- Advanced analytics
Which should you pick?
Choose Arc Publishing if
- You need modular cms.
- You work on Web, Mobile.
- You also want content creation.
Questions people ask
- Is ConvertKit or Arc Publishing better?
- Neither clearly leads. ConvertKit starts at On request and Arc Publishing at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, ConvertKit or Arc Publishing?
- ConvertKit starts at On request and Arc Publishing at On request.
- Does ConvertKit or Arc Publishing run on more platforms?
- ConvertKit runs on Web. Arc Publishing runs on Web, Mobile.
- What is ConvertKit best used for?
- ConvertKit is most often used for sending newsletters and email sequences to an audience, selling paid subscriptions and digital products to a mailing list. Of those, sending newsletters and email sequences to an audience and selling paid subscriptions and digital products to a mailing list are not what Arc Publishing is typically brought in for.
- What can ConvertKit do that Arc Publishing cannot?
- ConvertKit covers Email marketing, Landing pages, Subscriber tagging, Automation workflows. Arc Publishing covers Modular CMS, Content creation, Publishing workflow, Paywall management. Both handle Stripe, Web support.