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SmartNews vs Substack

SmartNews logo

SmartNews

News

Local news and breaking news from top sources

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Substack logo

Substack

News

The newsletter platform for writers and publishers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: SmartNews no specific pricing published for SmartNews+ subscription; Substack substack does not publish pricing on its public pricing page
  • They diverge on capability: SmartNews covers Machine learning curation, Substack covers Newsletter publishing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which SmartNews and Substack actually diverge.

Attributes where SmartNews and Substack differ
AttributeSmartNewsSubstack
Pricing modelfreefreemium
PlatformsIos, AndroidWeb, Mobile
Founded20122017

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 SmartNews

  • Machine learning curation
  • Smart Mode
  • Local news
  • Breaking alerts
  • Offline reading
  • Social sharing
  • News publishers
  • Ios support

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.

SmartNews

  • Daily newsnot Substack
  • Local newsnot Substack
  • Breaking newsnot Substack
  • Quick readingnot Substack

Substack

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

Where each one falls short

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

SmartNews

  • No specific pricing published for SmartNews+ subscription
  • Requires visiting separate product page for pricing details
  • Subscription service model described but not detailed with costs

Substack

  • Substack does not publish pricing on its public pricing page

Pricing, plan by plan

SmartNews

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Trending news
    • Local news
    • Smart Mode reading

Substack

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

Which should you pick?

Choose SmartNews if

  • You need machine learning curation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Ios, Android.
  • You also want smart mode.
SmartNews 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 SmartNews or Substack better?
Neither clearly leads. SmartNews starts at Free and Substack at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, SmartNews or Substack?
SmartNews starts at Free and Substack at Free.
Does SmartNews or Substack run on more platforms?
SmartNews runs on Ios, Android. Substack runs on Web, Mobile.
Can I use SmartNews for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is SmartNews best used for?
SmartNews is most often used for daily news, local news, breaking news, quick reading. Of those, daily news and local news are not what Substack is typically brought in for.
What can SmartNews do that Substack cannot?
SmartNews covers Machine learning curation, Smart Mode, Local news, Breaking alerts. Substack covers Newsletter publishing, Subscriber management, Paid subscriptions, Email analytics.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

SmartNews: How much does SmartNews cost?

SmartNews does not publish specific subscription pricing on its main website. The vendor offers SmartNews+, described as a subscription service aggregating paid business news and coupons, but cost details must be found on the dedicated SmartNews+ product page.

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
SmartNews: Does SmartNews offer a free tier?

SmartNews provides free access to curated news content. For additional business news and coupons, the vendor offers SmartNews+ as a paid subscription service. Pricing and trial details for SmartNews+ are available on the dedicated subscription product page.

Source
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