Bear Blog vs Substack
Bear Blog
bearblog.dev
Substack
substack.comSide by side
| Figure | Bear Blog | Substack |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 3 | 4 |
| Spec score · Blog Software | 8.2 (#11) | 8.8 (#2) |
| Spec score · Writing Apps | 7.9 (#74) | 9.4 (#4) |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Privacy | Bear says regular readers have no cookies set, while account cookies are used to keep users logged in and use their local timezone. | Substack's privacy policy says it endeavors to protect personal information but cannot guarantee complete security. |
| Purpose | Bear describes itself as a privacy-first blogging platform focused on publishing words without trackers, JavaScript, or stylesheets. | Substack is a publishing platform for writers, creators, and subscribers. |
| Support | The documentation says users can email Herman to report a bug or request a feature. | Substack directs users to its Help Center for FAQs and walkthroughs and handles subscriber support questions on behalf of writers. |
Plans
Substack
- Free publishingFree
- Free to startFree
- Custom domain$50, paid once
- Paid subscriptionsPrice not published
In their own words
Substack
Substack is a publishing platform for writers, creators, and subscribers, bringing posts, newsletters, podcasts, video, live streams, and pages into one publishing flow. Its editor supports scheduling, autosaved drafts, version history, templates, SEO metadata, and headline A/B testing. Creators can offer free or paid posts, subscriptions, trials, gifts, and group plans. Discovery tools include recommendations, Notes, leaderboards, referrals, and search; audience segmentation and email automation are also available. Podcast episodes can be distributed automatically to Apple Podcasts and Spotify, while video can go automatically to YouTube and LinkedIn. Publishing is free. When creators enable paid subscriptions, Substack keeps 10% of subscription revenue, and Stripe charges payment processing fees. Creators own their intellectual property and mailing list and can export their data. Substack serves writers, journalists, podcasters, video creators, experts, educators, and media companies. It is available on the web, Android, and iOS. Substack directs users to its Help Center and handles subscriber support questions on behalf of writers.