News & Media · head to head
Substack vs Google News
Substack
News & Media
The newsletter platform for writers and publishers
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Google News
News & Media
Comprehensive news coverage powered by Google
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Substack substack takes a 10% cut of subscription revenue (writers keep 90%), plus separate credit card processing fees; Google News google News is free with no paid tier at all; there is no subscription to compare, and Google monetises it through advertising and Showcase partnerships rather than a user fee
- They diverge on capability: Substack covers Newsletter publishing, Google News covers AI-powered curation.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Substack and Google News actually diverge.
| Attribute | Substack | Google News |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | freemium | free |
| Platforms | Web, Mobile | Web, Ios, Android |
| Founded | 2017 | 1998 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (News & Media).
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 Google News
- AI-powered curation
- Full coverage
- Local news
- Topic following
- Newsstand
- Google account
- Google Assistant
- Chrome
Both cover
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Substack
- Newsletter distributionnot Google News
- Reader monetizationnot Google News
- Community buildingnot Google News
- Subscriber managementnot Google News
Google News
- News consumptionnot Substack
- Topic trackingnot Substack
- Local newsnot Substack
- Researchnot 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
Google News
- Google News is free with no paid tier at all; there is no subscription to compare, and Google monetises it through advertising and Showcase partnerships rather than a user fee
Pricing, plan by plan
Substack
Free- FreeFree
- Unlimited newsletters
- Basic design
- Archive access
- Pro$12/month
- Custom domain
- Advanced analytics
- Member chat
Google News
Free- FreeFree
- Personalized news feed
- Full coverage feature
- Local news
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 Google News if
- You need ai-powered curation.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want full coverage.
Questions people ask
- Is Substack or Google News better?
- Neither clearly leads. Substack starts at Free and Google News at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Substack or Google News?
- Substack starts at Free and Google News at Free.
- Does Substack or Google News run on more platforms?
- Substack runs on Web, Mobile. Google News runs on Web, Ios, Android.
- Can I use Substack for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- 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 Google News is typically brought in for.
- What can Substack do that Google News cannot?
- Substack covers Newsletter publishing, Subscriber management, Paid subscriptions, Email analytics. Google News covers AI-powered curation, Full coverage, Local news, Topic following. Both handle Web support.