Medium vs. Substack — What I’ve Learned from Writing on Both
The best learning comes from doing
Hey everyone, it’s Macy 👋!
Having been MIA on Medium for a month and a half (though I doubt my absence has caused the internet much panic), I feel that it’s time to provide some context on what I’ve been up to, what I’ve been learning, and how my journey could relate to yours.
Despite taking a hiatus from Medium, I haven’t been taking a hiatus from writing on the internet.
In fact, I’ve been writing more than ever. Except all my words are stored on another platform — Medium’s alter-ego, Substack. It’s not that I found Medium lacking or incompatible with my goals as a writer. Nah, it’s just because I was curious and wanted to give Substack a whirl.
You can read a thousand and one articles on whether one is objectively better than the other, but until you try it yourself, you won’t know whether one is better than the other for you personally.
The purpose of this article isn’t just to illuminate the difference between Medium and Substack. (God knows how many articles there are on this topic already). It’s to encourage you to try them for yourself and decide for yourself whether you like one or perhaps both.
But before we can reach that stage, we need to first examine the facts — What distinguishes the two platforms, and why choose one over the other? Let’s begin with the basics.
Substack vs. Medium
Substack: A blog publishing platform with built-in newsletter, podcast, and chat functions.
Medium: A social blogging platform with an extensive internal audience.
Some similarities between the two
- You can choose to share content for free or monetize it by making it available to an exclusive, members-only audience
- Both platforms promote your writing to their internal audience (however, Medium’s algorithm is more effective, especially for new writers)
- Both have detailed audience analytics
- You can like and comment on articles
Distinct Medium features
- Medium monetization is based on 1) how long paying Medium members read your articles and 2) how many people convert to paying members through your referral link
- Writers who want to monetize need to have at least 1 published article, have at least 100 followers, and have published at least once in the past 6 months
- Medium has publications, which according to them, are “shared spaces for stories written around a common theme or topic, usually by multiple authors” (think magazines or journals)
- Medium is more conducive to networking with other writers and publications
- Medium has a larger internal audience than Substack (60 million vs. 30 million monthly visitors)
Distinct Substack features
- Substack monetization is based on monthly or annual paid subscriptions, which can produce a steadier income stream than Medium
- There is no upfront cost to start writing or to monetize (however, they do take 10% of your subscription earnings)
- Substack allows you to own your email list, meaning you can see the individual emails and export them as you wish, whereas Medium does not
- Substack allows you to host podcasts, videos, and discussion chats in addition to written content
- Writers can cross-promote each other’s newsletters
- Substack is more conducive to building a close relationship with your personal audience (you have direct access to their inbox in comparison to writing on Medium)
My verdict
So what’s my verdict after writing on both Substack and Medium for a month? Which one do I think is more worthy of my time and energy?
Well, the truth is…Both! Here’s why.
Medium and Substack each have strengths and setbacks that the other lack. To leverage both for maximum productivity, you need to tailor your writing strategy based on these strengths and setbacks.
For example, since Medium’s algorithm is better at pushing content in front of new readers, I plan on publishing more informational content (like this article) on Medium that would appeal to a wider group of readers.
And since Substack is more conducive to building audience loyalty, I plan on publishing more personal stories and travel insights that would appeal to people interested in the travel niche.
Additionally, it’s no secret that you increase your chances of reaching more readers by writing more extensively across more platforms. Over the last few months, I realized that I’m not just looking to write more consistently but also expand my ethos as a writer.
Simply put, I want to be more public with my writing and give as many people access to it as possible. I mean, how else do you grow your presence? Long gone are the days of fretting over whether or not to hit that publish button. Here’s to a new era.
I’ll be releasing a more detailed game plan for both Medium and Substack in the next week, so keep an eye out for that. :)
The value of trying for yourself
As I’d mentioned in the beginning, I’m not just here to spew facts, and I’m certainly not here to persuade you one is better than the other. That is a decision I’ll leave up to your judgment because I know that you are smart and capable enough to choose for yourself.
However, I will emphasize that the best way to make such a decision is by trying these platforms out for yourself. As informative as I’ve tried to make this article, I cannot factor your experience, perspective, and goals as an individual into its content. Neither can any other author who writes on this subject.
When you try for yourself, I guarantee you’ll learn lessons and discover ideas you would never have from simply watching someone else’s experience. I know it because I just went through this process, and now, I feel more confident about my plans for both Substack and Medium than ever before. I hope soon you’ll be able to say the same.
Leave a comment to connect with me. Let’s grow together!
For anyone curious, here’s my Substack: http://macyseestheworld.substack.com. I collect insights on the eccentric, the mundane, and everything in between while traveling the globe. Subscribe for free to get personal stories and travel tips in your inbox every Monday.
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