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Software · head to head

SamCart vs Substack

S

SamCart

Software

The number one checkout platform

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: SamCart plans start at $79 per month, and features like subscription saver and A/B testing are reserved for the higher $199 per month Scale tier; 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 SamCart and Substack actually diverge.

Attributes where SamCart and Substack differ
AttributeSamCartSubstack
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
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 SamCart

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.

SamCart

No use cases recorded yet. See the SamCart review.

Substack

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

Where each one falls short

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

SamCart

  • Plans start at $79 per month, and features like subscription saver and A/B testing are reserved for the higher $199 per month Scale tier

Substack

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

Pricing, plan by plan

SamCart

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the SamCart review.

Substack

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

Which should you pick?

Choose SamCart if

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

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

More on SamCart

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