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News · head to head

Steno vs Substack

Steno logo

Steno

News

AI transcription and analysis for news and media

From
$500/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: Steno no free tier available; entry point at $500/month; Substack substack does not publish pricing on its public pricing page
  • They diverge on capability: Steno covers AI transcription, Substack covers Newsletter publishing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Steno and Substack actually diverge.

Attributes where Steno and Substack differ
AttributeStenoSubstack
Starting price$500/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile
Founded20202017

Identical on both: 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 Steno

  • AI transcription
  • Broadcast search
  • Real-time monitoring
  • Clip creation
  • Media analysis
  • Slack
  • Email
  • API

Only in Substack

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

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Steno

  • AI-powered content creation platformnot Substack
  • Voice and text content generationnot Substack
  • Multi-channel content distributionnot Substack
  • Programmatic content syndicationnot Substack

Substack

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

Where each one falls short

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

Steno

  • No free tier available; entry point at $500/month
  • Enterprise plan pricing not published; requires custom quote
  • Premium add-ons (iOS/Android app, Pro Voice) pricing not disclosed

Substack

  • Substack does not publish pricing on its public pricing page

Pricing, plan by plan

Steno

$500/month
  • Starter$500/month
    • 16,500 credits per month
    • 1 Twin
    • Web app deployment
  • Growth$1000/month
    • 40,000 credits per month
    • 2 Twins
    • Web app deployment
  • Scale$2000/month
    • 100,000 credits per month
    • 3 Twins
    • Web app deployment
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • 200,000+ credits per month
    • 5 Twins
    • Web app deployment

Substack

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Steno if

  • You need ai transcription.
  • You also want broadcast search.
Steno 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 Steno or Substack better?
Neither clearly leads. Steno starts at $500/month and Substack at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Steno or Substack?
Substack has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $500/month for Steno and Free for Substack.
Does Steno or Substack run on more platforms?
Steno 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. Steno starts at $500/month.
What is Steno best used for?
Steno is most often used for ai-powered content creation platform, voice and text content generation, multi-channel content distribution, programmatic content syndication. Of those, ai-powered content creation platform and voice and text content generation are not what Substack is typically brought in for.
What can Steno do that Substack cannot?
Steno covers AI transcription, Broadcast search, Real-time monitoring, Clip creation. Substack covers Newsletter publishing, Subscriber management, Paid subscriptions, Email analytics. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Steno: What is the minimum cost to start using Steno?

The Starter plan is $500/month with 16,500 monthly credits. Steno does not offer a free tier, and monthly billing options include annual subscriptions with 10-15% savings.

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
Steno: What are Steno credits and how many do I get?

Credits are the universal currency used for content processing, training, and user interactions across text, voice, and video. Starter includes 16,500/month, Growth 40,000/month, Scale 100,000/month, and Enterprise 200,000+/month.

Source
Steno: What is a Twin in Steno's pricing?

Twins are included in Steno plans at different quantities: Starter includes 1 Twin, Growth 2, Scale 3, and Enterprise 5. Specific features of Twins are not detailed on the pricing page.

Source
Steno: What are Steno's platform fees?

Steno charges monetization platform fees that decrease with plan tier: Starter at 9%, Growth at 8%, Scale at 7%, and Enterprise at 6%.

Source
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