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Medium vs Megaphone

Medium logo

Medium

News

The best place to read and write stories on the internet

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Megaphone logo

Megaphone

Podcasting

Enterprise podcast hosting and monetization

From
$99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Medium has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Medium unlimited access to stories requires a paid Medium membership; Megaphone there is no free tier; the entry Professional plan starts at $99 per month
  • They diverge on capability: Medium covers Story publishing, Megaphone covers Enterprise hosting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Medium and Megaphone actually diverge.

Attributes where Medium and Megaphone differ
AttributeMediumMegaphone
Starting priceFree$99/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, MobileWeb
CategoryNewsPodcasting
Founded20122015

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 Medium

  • Story publishing
  • Member program
  • Earning potential
  • Reading time estimates
  • Clap reactions
  • Highlighting & annotations
  • Story recommendations
  • Following system

Only in Megaphone

  • Enterprise hosting
  • Dynamic ad insertion
  • Targeted advertising
  • Advanced analytics
  • Network management
  • API access
  • Spotify
  • Advertising networks

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Medium

  • Publishing articles without running your own blognot Megaphone
  • Reading long-form writing across technology, culture and newsnot Megaphone
  • Earning from writing through the Medium Partner Programnot Megaphone

Megaphone

  • podcast hosting and distributionnot Medium
  • podcast analytics and monetizationnot Medium
  • creator monetization networksnot Medium

Where each one falls short

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

Medium

  • Unlimited access to stories requires a paid Medium membership
  • Audio versions of stories are a member-only feature
  • Earning money from writing requires joining the Medium Partner Program rather than being automatic
  • The iOS app requires iOS 17.0 or later

Megaphone

  • There is no free tier; the entry Professional plan starts at $99 per month
  • The Enterprise plan is custom priced and requires requesting a quote
  • Access to the Megaphone API and the Metrics Export Service is Enterprise only
  • Live chat support on the Professional plan is limited to 4am to 9pm Monday to Friday Eastern Time
  • Monetisation runs through the Spotify Audience Network rather than an open marketplace

Pricing, plan by plan

Medium

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited reading
    • Publishing platform
    • Story drafts
  • Medium Membership$5/month
    • Unlimited access
    • Exclusive stories
    • Member earnings

Megaphone

$99/month
  • Professional$99/month
    • Hosting and distribution
    • Campaign management
    • Reporting and analytics
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • All Professional features
    • Comprehensive monetization tools
    • API access

Which should you pick?

Choose Medium if

  • You need story publishing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want member program.
Medium review

Choose Megaphone if

  • You need enterprise hosting.
  • You also want dynamic ad insertion.
Megaphone review

Questions people ask

Is Medium or Megaphone better?
Neither clearly leads. Medium starts at Free and Megaphone at $99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Medium or Megaphone?
Medium has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Medium and $99/month for Megaphone.
Does Medium or Megaphone run on more platforms?
Medium runs on Web, Mobile. Megaphone runs on Web.
Can I use Medium for free?
Yes. Medium has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Megaphone starts at $99/month.
What is Medium best used for?
Medium is most often used for publishing articles without running your own blog, reading long-form writing across technology, culture and news, earning from writing through the medium partner program. Of those, publishing articles without running your own blog and reading long-form writing across technology, culture and news are not what Megaphone is typically brought in for.
What can Medium do that Megaphone cannot?
Medium covers Story publishing, Member program, Earning potential, Reading time estimates. Megaphone covers Enterprise hosting, Dynamic ad insertion, Targeted advertising, Advanced analytics. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Megaphone: How much does Megaphone (Spotify) cost?

Megaphone Professional plan costs USD 99/month and includes hosting, distribution, campaign management, analytics, and Spotify Audience Network monetization.

Source
Megaphone: Is there a free tier on Megaphone?

No, Megaphone does not offer a free plan; the Professional tier is the entry-level paid option at USD 99/month.

Source
Megaphone: What does Megaphone Enterprise include?

Megaphone Enterprise includes all Professional features plus comprehensive monetization tools and API access; pricing is custom and requires contacting sales.

Source
Megaphone: Who should use Megaphone Professional versus Enterprise?

Megaphone Professional suits individual podcasters; Enterprise is designed for large publishers, networks, and multi-show operations requiring advanced tools and custom integrations.

Source
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