Softwr

Software · head to head

Mailgun vs Substack

Mailgun logo

Mailgun

Software

Email delivery built for developers

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Substack logo

Substack

Software

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: Mailgun free plan caps at 100 emails per day; Substack substack takes a 10% cut of subscription revenue (writers keep 90%), plus separate credit card processing fees

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Mailgun and Substack actually diverge.

Attributes where Mailgun and Substack differ
AttributeMailgunSubstack
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelusage-basedfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile
FoundedUnknown2017

Identical on both: 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 Mailgun

Nothing recorded that Substack does not also cover.

Only in Substack

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

What people use each for

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

Mailgun

No use cases recorded yet. See the Mailgun review.

Substack

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

Where each one falls short

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

Mailgun

  • Free plan caps at 100 emails per day
  • Basic plan starts at $15/mo for 10,000 emails then overages from $1.80 per 1,000; Foundation and Scale plans discount overage rates but still meter every email beyond the included volume
  • Foundation ($35/mo) and Scale ($90/mo) plans are free for the first month only, then bill at full price

Substack

  • Substack takes a 10% cut of subscription revenue (writers keep 90%), plus separate credit card processing fees

Pricing, plan by plan

Mailgun

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Mailgun review.

Substack

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited newsletters
    • Basic design
    • Archive access
  • Pro$12/month
    • Custom domain
    • Advanced analytics
    • Member chat

Which should you pick?

Choose Mailgun if

Nothing in the data separates Mailgun from Substack on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Mailgun 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 Mailgun or Substack better?
Neither clearly leads. Mailgun 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, Mailgun or Substack?
Substack has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Mailgun and Free for Substack.
Does Mailgun or Substack run on more platforms?
Mailgun 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. Mailgun starts at On request.
What can Mailgun do that Substack cannot?
Substack covers Newsletter publishing, Subscriber management, Paid subscriptions, Email analytics.
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Related pages

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