Shopify vs Substack
A side-by-side look at Shopify and Substack. On our scoring, Shopify comes out ahead — but the right pick depends on your priorities.
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| SellingScene score | 4.7/5 | 4.0/5 |
| User rating | 4.7 | 4.2 |
| Reviews | 5,421 | 1,320 |
| Pricing | ||
| Starting price | $39/mo | Free |
| Pricing model | per month, billed monthly | no monthly fee, revenue share |
| Transaction fees | 2.9% + 30¢ (0% with Shopify Payments) | 10% of subscription revenue (plus processing) |
| Hosting & setup | ||
| Hosting type | Fully hosted (SaaS) | Fully hosted (SaaS) |
| Free trial | 3 days + $1/mo for 3 months | Free to start |
| Staff accounts | 2–15 by plan | Multiple authors |
| Product limit | Unlimited | N/A (subscriptions) |
| Payments & security | ||
| Payment gateways | 100+ gateways + Shopify Payments | Stripe |
| SSL included | Yes | Yes |
| PCI compliant | Yes | Yes |
| Gift cards | Yes | Yes |
| Catalog & content | ||
| Themes / templates | 12 free, 100+ paid | Publication styling |
| App marketplace | 8,000+ apps | Limited integrations |
| Multi-currency | Yes | No |
| Multi-language | Yes | No |
| POS included | Yes | No |
| Abandoned cart recovery | Yes | No |
| Built-in blog | Yes | Yes |
| Tools & flexibility | ||
| Drag-and-drop editor | Yes | No |
| API access | Yes | No |
| Mobile app | Yes | Yes |
| Support channels | 24/7 live chat, phone callback, email | Email & help center |
| Actions | Read review | Read review |
Why pick Shopify?
Shopify remains the platform to beat. Its polished admin, best-in-class checkout, and enormous app ecosystem make it the safest choice for most merchants — provided you are comfortable using Shopify Payments to avoid extra transaction fees.
Best for: Growing brands that want everything in one place
Read the full Shopify 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