Amazon vs Substack
A side-by-side look at Amazon and Substack. On our scoring, Substack comes out ahead — but the right pick depends on your priorities.
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| SellingScene score | 3.9/5 | 4.0/5 |
| User rating | 4.2 | 4.2 |
| Reviews | 9,210 | 1,320 |
| Pricing | ||
| Starting price | $40/mo | Free |
| Pricing model | Professional plan, per month | no monthly fee, revenue share |
| Transaction fees | 8–15% referral fee + optional FBA fees | 10% of subscription revenue (plus processing) |
| Hosting & setup | ||
| Hosting type | Marketplace | Fully hosted (SaaS) |
| Free trial | Individual plan (pay per sale) | Free to start |
| Staff accounts | User permissions | Multiple authors |
| Product limit | Unlimited listings | N/A (subscriptions) |
| Payments & security | ||
| Payment gateways | Amazon-managed checkout | Stripe |
| SSL included | Yes | Yes |
| PCI compliant | Yes | Yes |
| Gift cards | No | Yes |
| Catalog & content | ||
| Themes / templates | N/A (standard listings) | Publication styling |
| App marketplace | Selling Partner Appstore | Limited integrations |
| Multi-currency | Yes | No |
| Multi-language | Yes | No |
| POS included | No | No |
| Abandoned cart recovery | No | No |
| Built-in blog | No | Yes |
| Tools & flexibility | ||
| Drag-and-drop editor | No | No |
| API access | Yes | No |
| Mobile app | Yes | Yes |
| Support channels | Seller Support, case log | Email & help center |
| Actions | Read review | Read review |
Why pick Amazon?
Selling on Amazon means instant access to the largest pool of ready-to-buy shoppers on earth, plus FBA fulfillment that handles storage and shipping. The trade-off is fierce competition, thin margins after fees, and almost no control over the customer relationship.
Best for: Sellers chasing maximum reach and Prime logistics
Read the full Amazon reviewWhy pick Substack?
Substack makes launching a paid newsletter effortless, bundling publishing, email, payments, and a discovery network at no upfront cost. The flat 10% revenue cut is significant once you scale, and you build on their network, not your own.
Best for: Writers monetizing newsletters and subscriptions
Read the full Substack review