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Medium vs TinyLetter

Medium logo

Medium

News

The best place to read and write stories on the internet

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
TinyLetter logo

TinyLetter

News

The simplest way to send newsletters

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Medium unlimited access to stories requires a paid Medium membership; TinyLetter tinyLetter merged into Mailchimp; no longer offered as standalone product
  • They diverge on capability: Medium covers Story publishing, TinyLetter covers Newsletter publishing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Medium and TinyLetter actually diverge.

Attributes where Medium and TinyLetter differ
AttributeMediumTinyLetter
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
PlatformsWeb, MobileWeb
Founded20122011

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Medium

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

Only in TinyLetter

  • Newsletter publishing
  • Email templates
  • Subscriber management
  • Archive creation
  • Email delivery
  • Simple editor

Both cover

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • 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 TinyLetter
  • Reading long-form writing across technology, culture and newsnot TinyLetter
  • Earning from writing through the Medium Partner Programnot TinyLetter

TinyLetter

  • Email newsletter distribution to subscribersnot Medium
  • Automated email marketing campaignsnot Medium
  • Customer communication and engagementnot Medium
  • E-commerce order notification systemsnot 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

TinyLetter

  • TinyLetter merged into Mailchimp; no longer offered as standalone product
  • Free tier limited to 250 contacts maximum
  • Pricing varies significantly by contact volume tiers
  • Premium plan at $350/month may be cost-prohibitive for small newsletters

Pricing, plan by plan

Medium

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

TinyLetter

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 250 contacts
    • Basic email campaigns
    • Customer insights
  • Essentials$13/month
    • A/B testing
    • Scheduling
    • Limited templates
  • Standard$20/month
    • Automations
    • Personalization
    • Generative AI
  • Premium$350/month
    • Phone support
    • Priority support
    • Multivariate testing

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 TinyLetter if

  • You need newsletter publishing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want email templates.
TinyLetter review

Questions people ask

Is Medium or TinyLetter better?
Neither clearly leads. Medium starts at Free and TinyLetter at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Medium or TinyLetter?
Medium starts at Free and TinyLetter at Free.
Does Medium or TinyLetter run on more platforms?
Medium runs on Web, Mobile. TinyLetter runs on Web.
Can I use Medium for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 TinyLetter is typically brought in for.
What can Medium do that TinyLetter cannot?
Medium covers Story publishing, Member program, Earning potential, Reading time estimates. TinyLetter covers Newsletter publishing, Email templates, Subscriber management, Archive creation. Both handle Twitter, Facebook, Email, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

TinyLetter: Is TinyLetter still available separately?

No, TinyLetter has been merged into Mailchimp and is no longer offered as a standalone product. Existing TinyLetter users were migrated to Mailchimp's marketing platform.

Source
TinyLetter: Does Mailchimp offer a free email plan?

Yes, Mailchimp's free plan supports up to 250 contacts and allows you to create email campaigns and learn customer insights at no cost.

Source
TinyLetter: What discounts does Mailchimp offer for annual billing?

Mailchimp offers 15% off the first 12 months for accounts with 10,000 or more contacts.

Source
TinyLetter: Is there a free trial available for Mailchimp's paid plans?

Yes, a 14-day free trial is available for Standard and Essentials plans without requiring a credit card for the first 100 emails.

Source
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