Why it's an alternative to Substack: Open-source publishing platform for blogs, newsletters and paid memberships with 0% revenue share; self-host it or use Ghost(Pro).
made by
John O'Nolan
John O'Nolanself-reported revenue: ~$11.1M ARR
4 indie alternatives · Creators & Writers
Indie alternatives to Substack (2026)
Substack made paid newsletters mainstream, but it takes 10% of paid subscription revenue and keeps writers on its own network and app. Writers who want their own domain, brand or lower fees look for alternatives. Below are 4 alternatives built by independent makers — Ghost, Buttondown and Writizzy and more — with what each does differently, who makes it and any revenue they have shared publicly.
Substack alternatives at a glance
Jump to any product for the full write-up.
| # | Product | Maker | Status | Reported revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ghost | John O'Nolan | Active | ~$11.1M ARR |
| 2 | Buttondown | Justin Duke | Active | ~$15K MRR (Dec 2022) |
| 3 | Writizzy | Thomas Sanlis | Active | — |
| 4 | Kit | Nathan Barry | Active | $1.19M MRR (Jan 2019) |
The 4 best indie alternatives to Substack
Each product is made and run by an independent maker or a small, self-directed team.
Why it's an alternative to Substack: Lightweight newsletter platform with paid subscriptions via Stripe, custom domains and a clean writing experience.
made by
Justin Duke
Justin Dukeself-reported revenue: ~$15K MRR (Dec 2022)
Why it's an alternative to Substack: Europe-hosted newsletter and blogging platform for independent writers who want their data kept in the EU.
made by
Thomas Sanlis
Thomas Sanlis
Why it's an alternative to Substack: Creator email platform with paid newsletters, automations and a recommendations network for growing a list you fully own.
made by
Nathan Barry
Nathan Barryself-reported revenue: $1.19M MRR (Jan 2019)
Why choose an indie-made tool?
You talk to the maker
With a small product, support requests and feature ideas usually reach the person who wrote the code, and many makers build in public and reply to users directly.
Focused and fairly priced
Small teams tend to do one job well instead of bundling every feature into enterprise tiers, and many indie tools offer one-time licenses, open-source editions or free plans.
Built by real people
These 4 alternatives come from 4 makers in United States France. Paying them funds a sustainable, independent business.
Meet the makers: John O'Nolan, Justin Duke, Thomas Sanlis, Nathan Barry.
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Substack alternatives FAQ
What are the best indie alternatives to Substack?
IndieMakerList lists 4 indie-made alternatives to Substack: Ghost (by John O'Nolan), Buttondown (by Justin Duke), Writizzy (by Thomas Sanlis) and Kit (by Nathan Barry).
Why do people look for alternatives to Substack?
Substack made paid newsletters mainstream, but it takes 10% of paid subscription revenue and keeps writers on its own network and app. Writers who want their own domain, brand or lower fees look for alternatives.
Who builds these Substack alternatives?
They are built by 4 independent makers from 2 countries, including United States and France, rather than a large company. Each maker has a profile on IndieMakerList with their other products and links.
Are these Substack alternatives still maintained?
Yes. As far as IndieMakerList knows, all 4 are active and still run by the makers who built them.
How much revenue do indie alternatives to Substack make?
Publicly reported figures include Ghost: ~$11.1M ARR, Buttondown: ~$15K MRR (Dec 2022) and Kit: $1.19M MRR (Jan 2019). These numbers are self-reported by the makers and not independently verified.
Built an indie alternative to Substack? Submit a maker to IndieMakerList →