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Podcasting · head to head

Fireside vs Substack

Fireside logo

Fireside

Podcasting

Podcast hosting with community features

From
$20/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Substack logo

Substack

News

The newsletter platform for writers and publishers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Substack has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Fireside starter plan at $9 per month allows one podcast and 5 episodes per month; Substack substack does not publish pricing on its public pricing page
  • They diverge on capability: Fireside covers Unlimited hosting, Substack covers Newsletter publishing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fireside and Substack actually diverge.

Attributes where Fireside and Substack differ
AttributeFiresideSubstack
Starting price$20/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile
CategoryPodcastingNews
Founded20182017

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

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 Fireside

  • Unlimited hosting
  • Community features
  • Distribution
  • Analytics
  • Listener engagement
  • Monetization
  • All podcast platforms
  • Email services

Only in Substack

  • Newsletter publishing
  • Subscriber management
  • Paid subscriptions
  • Email analytics
  • Post scheduling
  • Archive creation
  • Free/paid tier split
  • Comments & discussion

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Fireside

  • Hosting a podcast together with a customisable podcast websitenot Substack
  • Running several shows as a podcast network from one accountnot Substack
  • Tracking episode download metrics and link clicksnot Substack

Substack

  • Newsletter distributionnot Fireside
  • Reader monetizationnot Fireside
  • Community buildingnot Fireside
  • Subscriber managementnot Fireside

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Fireside

  • Starter plan at $9 per month allows one podcast and 5 episodes per month
  • Custom domain with SSL requires the $19 per month Standard plan; Starter sites sit on a Fireside subdomain
  • Additional podcasts beyond the one included on Standard cost $8 per month each
  • Bandwidth is capped at 1TB per month on Standard and 5TB per month on Professional
  • Advanced download metrics and click tracking require the $49 per month Professional plan

Substack

  • Substack does not publish pricing on its public pricing page

Pricing, plan by plan

Fireside

$20/month
  • Creator$20/month
    • Unlimited hosting
    • Community features
    • Distribution
  • Network$50/month
    • Multiple shows
    • Team management
    • 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 Fireside if

  • You need unlimited hosting.
  • You also want community features.
Fireside review

Choose Substack if

  • You need newsletter publishing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want subscriber management.
Substack review

Questions people ask

Is Fireside or Substack better?
Neither clearly leads. Fireside starts at $20/month and Substack at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fireside or Substack?
Substack has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $20/month for Fireside and Free for Substack.
Does Fireside or Substack run on more platforms?
Fireside runs on Web. Substack runs on Web, Mobile.
Can I use Substack for free?
Yes. Substack has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Fireside starts at $20/month.
What is Fireside best used for?
Fireside is most often used for hosting a podcast together with a customisable podcast website, running several shows as a podcast network from one account, tracking episode download metrics and link clicks. Of those, hosting a podcast together with a customisable podcast website and running several shows as a podcast network from one account are not what Substack is typically brought in for.
What can Fireside do that Substack cannot?
Fireside covers Unlimited hosting, Community features, Distribution, Analytics. Substack covers Newsletter publishing, Subscriber management, Paid subscriptions, Email analytics. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Substack: How much does Substack cost?

Substack does not publish rates on its pricing page. The site emphasizes earning potential for writers with the tagline Make money doing the work you believe in.

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