Payhip vs Substack
A side-by-side look at Payhip and Substack. On our scoring, Payhip comes out ahead — but the right pick depends on your priorities.
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| SellingScene score | 4.2/5 | 4.0/5 |
| User rating | 4.2 | 4.2 |
| Reviews | 810 | 1,320 |
| Pricing | ||
| Starting price | Free | Free |
| Pricing model | free plan + flat monthly tiers | no monthly fee, revenue share |
| Transaction fees | 5% on free plan, 0% on paid plans | 10% of subscription revenue (plus processing) |
| Hosting & setup | ||
| Hosting type | Fully hosted (SaaS) | Fully hosted (SaaS) |
| Free trial | Free plan available | Free to start |
| Staff accounts | Single account | Multiple authors |
| Product limit | Unlimited | N/A (subscriptions) |
| Payments & security | ||
| Payment gateways | PayPal, Stripe | Stripe |
| SSL included | Yes | Yes |
| PCI compliant | Yes | Yes |
| Gift cards | Yes | Yes |
| Catalog & content | ||
| Themes / templates | Customizable storefront | Publication styling |
| App marketplace | Integrations & embeds | Limited integrations |
| Multi-currency | No | No |
| Multi-language | No | No |
| POS included | No | No |
| Abandoned cart recovery | Yes | No |
| Built-in blog | No | Yes |
| Tools & flexibility | ||
| Drag-and-drop editor | No | No |
| API access | No | No |
| Mobile app | No | Yes |
| Support channels | Email support & help center | Email & help center |
| Actions | Read review | Read review |
Why pick Payhip?
Payhip covers digital downloads, courses, memberships, and even physical goods with a generous free plan and no design lock-in. Drop the per-sale fee by upgrading, and you get one of the best values for solo creators.
Best for: Creators selling digital products on a budget
Read the full Payhip 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