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Arc Publishing vs ConvertKit

Arc Publishing logo

Arc Publishing

News

The enterprise publishing platform for news organizations

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ConvertKit logo

ConvertKit

News

The creator platform for digital professionals

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only ConvertKit 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; ConvertKit the free Newsletter plan allows only one basic visual automation, so sequences beyond a single flow require paying
  • They diverge on capability: Arc Publishing covers Modular CMS, ConvertKit covers Email marketing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Arc Publishing and ConvertKit differ
AttributeArc PublishingConvertKit
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, MobileWeb
Founded20162013

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (News).

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 ConvertKit

  • Email marketing
  • Landing pages
  • Subscriber tagging
  • Automation workflows
  • Digital product sales
  • Broadcast emails
  • Subscriber segments
  • Email templates

Both cover

  • Stripe
  • Web 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 ConvertKit
  • Subscription and paywall managementnot ConvertKit
  • Video publishing alongside articlesnot ConvertKit
  • Multi-site delivery for broadcast and B2B publishersnot ConvertKit

ConvertKit

  • Sending newsletters and email sequences to an audiencenot Arc Publishing
  • Selling paid subscriptions and digital products to a mailing listnot 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

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

Pricing, plan by plan

Arc Publishing

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

ConvertKit

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 10,000 subscribers
    • Unlimited landing pages and forms
    • Unlimited email broadcasts
  • Creator$33/month
    • Up to 1,000 subscribers
    • Unlimited visual automations
    • Email sequences
  • Pro$66/month
    • Up to 1,000 subscribers
    • Everything in Creator plan
    • Subscriber engagement scoring

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 ConvertKit if

  • You need email marketing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want landing pages.
ConvertKit review

Questions people ask

Is Arc Publishing or ConvertKit better?
Neither clearly leads. Arc Publishing starts at On request and ConvertKit at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Arc Publishing or ConvertKit?
ConvertKit has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Arc Publishing and Free for ConvertKit.
Does Arc Publishing or ConvertKit run on more platforms?
Arc Publishing runs on Web, Mobile. ConvertKit runs on Web.
Can I use ConvertKit for free?
Yes. ConvertKit 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 ConvertKit is typically brought in for.
What can Arc Publishing do that ConvertKit cannot?
Arc Publishing covers Modular CMS, Content creation, Publishing workflow, Paywall management. ConvertKit covers Email marketing, Landing pages, Subscriber tagging, Automation workflows. Both handle Stripe, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Arc Publishing: Does Arc XP publish pricing online?

No. Arc XP does not publish pricing on their website. Interested customers are directed to schedule a chat with a local account manager or request a demo to discuss pricing.

Source
ConvertKit: How much does ConvertKit cost?

ConvertKit offers a free tier and two paid plans: Creator at $33/month (annual $390/year saving $78) and Pro at $66/month (annual $790/year saving $158). All plans include unlimited landing pages, email broadcasts, and audience management features.

Source
Arc Publishing: How do I get a pricing quote from Arc XP?

You must contact Arc XP's sales team directly. The company offers options to schedule a chat with your local account manager or submit a demo request form.

Source
ConvertKit: What does the free ConvertKit plan include?

The free plan supports up to 10,000 subscribers with unlimited landing pages, forms, email broadcasts, audience tagging, and digital product sales. No credit card required to start.

Source
ConvertKit: What are the subscriber limits on ConvertKit plans?

The free plan supports up to 10,000 subscribers. Both Creator and Pro paid tiers support up to 1,000 subscribers. This creates a subscriber limit decrease when upgrading from free to paid plans.

Source
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