Software · head to head
Substack vs Arc Publishing
Arc Publishing
Software
The enterprise publishing platform for news organizations
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Substack has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Substack substack takes a 10% cut of subscription revenue (writers keep 90%), plus separate credit card processing fees; Arc Publishing now sold as Arc XP, and arcpublishing.com redirects there
- They diverge on capability: Substack covers Newsletter publishing, Arc Publishing covers Modular CMS.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Substack and Arc Publishing actually diverge.
| Attribute | Substack | Arc Publishing |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Pricing model | freemium | quote |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Founded | 2017 | 2016 |
Identical on both: platforms (Web, Mobile), 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 Substack
- Newsletter publishing
- Subscriber management
- Paid subscriptions
- Email analytics
- Post scheduling
- Archive creation
- Free/paid tier split
- Comments & discussion
Only in Arc Publishing
- Modular CMS
- Content creation
- Publishing workflow
- Paywall management
- Subscription billing
- Analytics dashboard
- API framework
- Commerce integration
Both cover
- Stripe
- Web support
- Mobile support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Substack
- Newsletter distributionnot Arc Publishing
- Reader monetizationnot Arc Publishing
- Community buildingnot Arc Publishing
- Subscriber managementnot Arc Publishing
Arc Publishing
- Content management for news and digital publishersnot Substack
- Subscription and paywall managementnot Substack
- Video publishing alongside articlesnot Substack
- Multi-site delivery for broadcast and B2B publishersnot Substack
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Substack
- Substack takes a 10% cut of subscription revenue (writers keep 90%), plus separate credit card processing fees
Arc Publishing
- Now sold as Arc XP, and arcpublishing.com redirects there
- Pricing is not published
- Built for media companies, so the editorial workflow assumptions do not suit a general business site
Pricing, plan by plan
Substack
Free- FreeFree
- Unlimited newsletters
- Basic design
- Archive access
- Pro$12/month
- Custom domain
- Advanced analytics
- Member chat
Arc Publishing
On request- Enterprise$undefined/custom
- Custom CMS
- Paywall integration
- Advanced analytics
Which should you pick?
Choose Substack if
- You need newsletter publishing.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Mobile.
- You also want subscriber management.
Choose Arc Publishing if
- You need modular cms.
- You work on Web, Mobile.
- You also want content creation.
Questions people ask
- Is Substack or Arc Publishing better?
- Neither clearly leads. Substack starts at Free and Arc Publishing at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Substack or Arc Publishing?
- Substack has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Substack and On request for Arc Publishing.
- Does Substack or Arc Publishing run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, Mobile, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Substack for free?
- Yes. Substack has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Arc Publishing starts at On request.
- What is Substack best used for?
- Substack is most often used for newsletter distribution, reader monetization, community building, subscriber management. Of those, newsletter distribution and reader monetization are not what Arc Publishing is typically brought in for.
- What can Substack do that Arc Publishing cannot?
- Substack covers Newsletter publishing, Subscriber management, Paid subscriptions, Email analytics. Arc Publishing covers Modular CMS, Content creation, Publishing workflow, Paywall management. Both handle Stripe, Web support, Mobile support.