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Podcasting · head to head

Megaphone vs Substack

Megaphone logo

Megaphone

Podcasting

Enterprise podcast hosting and monetization

From
$99/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: Megaphone there is no free tier; the entry Professional plan starts at $99 per month; Substack substack does not publish pricing on its public pricing page
  • They diverge on capability: Megaphone covers Enterprise hosting, Substack covers Newsletter publishing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Megaphone and Substack actually diverge.

Attributes where Megaphone and Substack differ
AttributeMegaphoneSubstack
Starting price$99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile
CategoryPodcastingNews
Founded20152017

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 Megaphone

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

Only in Substack

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

Both cover

  • Spotify
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Megaphone

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

Substack

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

Where each one falls short

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

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

Substack

  • Substack does not publish pricing on its public pricing page

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Substack

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Megaphone if

  • You need enterprise hosting.
  • You also want dynamic ad insertion.
Megaphone 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 Megaphone or Substack better?
Neither clearly leads. Megaphone starts at $99/month and Substack at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Megaphone or Substack?
Substack has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $99/month for Megaphone and Free for Substack.
Does Megaphone or Substack run on more platforms?
Megaphone 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. Megaphone starts at $99/month.
What is Megaphone best used for?
Megaphone is most often used for podcast hosting and distribution, podcast analytics and monetization, creator monetization networks. Of those, podcast hosting and distribution and podcast analytics and monetization are not what Substack is typically brought in for.
What can Megaphone do that Substack cannot?
Megaphone covers Enterprise hosting, Dynamic ad insertion, Targeted advertising, Advanced analytics. Substack covers Newsletter publishing, Subscriber management, Paid subscriptions, Email analytics. Both handle Spotify, 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
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.

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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