5 Signs It's Time to Leave Substack for a Better Alternative

Substack is a fantastic tool for one thing: starting a paid newsletter quickly. But for many serious creators, what begins as a simple solution soon becomes a frustrating limitation.

You start to feel like you've hit a ceiling. Your growth stagnates, and you realize you're building your brand on rented land. If any of the following signs sound familiar, it's time to consider a Substack alternative.

Sign 1: The 10% Fee is Starting to Hurt

When you first started, a 10% cut seemed reasonable. But now that you're earning real money, that 10% (plus Stripe fees) is a significant chunk of your income. On $50,000 a year, you're paying Substack $5,000 just to host your content.

• The Alternative: Look for platforms with lower, fairer fees. Postion, for example, charges just 5%, instantly putting more money in your pocket.

Sign 2: Your Traffic is 100% Reliant on Your Newsletter

You publish a new post, your subscribers see it, and that's it. Your old content gathers digital dust. This is because Substack has very poor SEO. Your articles aren't being discovered by new audiences on Google.

• The Alternative: Choose an SEO-first platform that helps your evergreen content rank and attract a continuous stream of free, organic traffic.

Sign 3: You Want to Do More Than Just Write Newsletters

You have an idea for a structured course, a digital product, or a members-only knowledge base. On Substack, you can't do it. You're stuck in the rigid newsletter format.

• The Alternative: An all-in-one platform that supports different content formats, from blog posts and custom pages to protected member content.

Sign 4: Your Site Looks Like Every Other Substack

You want your brand to stand out, but your publication looks identical to thousands of others. You can't use your own custom themes or truly control the look and feel of your site.

• The Alternative: A platform that offers free custom domains and powerful design customization, so you can build a unique brand that is truly yours.

Sign 5: You Worry About De-platforming or Algorithm Changes

You've heard the horror stories. A platform changes its rules overnight, and a creator's business is destroyed. You realize you don't truly own your audience or your content.

• The Alternative: A decentralized platform that guarantees you 100% ownership of your content, data, and email list.

It's Not Goodbye, It's "I'm Growing"

Moving on from Substack doesn't mean it was a bad choice. It means you've succeeded and are ready for the next level. You need a platform that can grow with you.

If these signs resonate with you, check out our direct comparison: Postion vs. Substack vs. Ghost to see what a true growth platform looks like.