Sources checked Sep 22, 2026 – Sep 23, 2026
Substack vs Kit: prices, limits, and who each suits
Compare Substack’s 10% of each transaction with Kit’s monthly plan and its own 3.5% + 30c commerce fee.
SIDE BY SIDE
Free limits and paid starting prices
Documented public-plan facts, not hands-on scores. Each price is tied to the subscriber tier it covers.
Scroll sideways to see all columns →
| Decision | Substack | Kit |
|---|---|---|
| Free audience limit | No published cap: Substack says publishing is free no matter how many subscribers you have | Free up to 10,000 subscribers |
| Free sending | Check: the cost page we read states no sending allowance | Unlimited email broadcasts, listed on the free plan |
| Paid plans start at | No monthly fee. Substack charges 10% of each transaction once paid subscriptions are on | $39/mo Creator and $79/mo Pro, each at 1,000 subscribers; Kit says pricing scales with subscriber count and that paying yearly gives 2 months free |
| First paid trigger | Turning paid subscriptions on. The 10% applies from the first transaction, whatever your list size | Unlimited visual automations and unlimited email sequences, which Kit’s pricing page lists among the things Creator adds to the free plan |
| What paid subscriptions cost | Substack’s 10%, plus Stripe’s 2.9% + $0.30 card fee and a 0.7% Billing fee for recurring payments | 3.5% + 30c on digital products and subscriptions on all three plans, which Kit describes as “inclusive of credit card processing fees”. The page printed no currency code, so check it at checkout |
Take 1,000 subscribers and $600 a month of paid-subscription revenue. Substack’s share is 10%, or $60. Kit Creator is $39 at that list size plus its own 3.5%, which is $21 — also $60. $600 is where they meet, because the gap between the two rates is 6.5 points and $39 ÷ 0.065 = $600. The simpler rule the cost guide uses, that a flat plan costs less once monthly paid revenue passes ten times its price ($390 for a $39 plan), assumes the flat plan takes no share of subscriptions; Kit’s page says it takes 3.5% + 30c, which moves the line out to $600.
Check the workflow, not the label
A percentage is not automatically the cheaper shape, and a monthly price is not automatically the predictable one. Write down last month’s paid revenue, the plan price at your own subscriber count, and both percentage fees, then compare the totals rather than the labels. If the totals favour moving, the Substack move guide covers exports, paid subscribers and Stripe — and Kit says there is no convenient method of migrating your paid subscribers’ subscriptions with their payment details, suggesting instead that you cancel them in Substack and ask readers to subscribe again.
CONSIDER SUBSTACK IF
Your paid revenue stays under the line
Below about $600 a month of paid revenue at 1,000 subscribers, Substack’s 10% is the smaller platform fee and there is no monthly bill to carry in a quiet month. Recalculate when revenue changes, and use the plan price at your own subscriber count rather than this example.
Work out the 10% at your own paid revenue →CONSIDER KIT IF
You are over it, or you need sequences and automations
At $2,000 a month of paid revenue Substack’s 10% is $200, while Kit Creator at 1,000 subscribers is $39 plus 3.5%, or $109. Kit’s pricing page also puts unlimited visual automations and unlimited email sequences on Creator, so price those in if automated follow-up is part of the plan.
Check Kit pricing and upgrade triggers →Four things to test before moving a list
- Add up last month’s paid revenue. It, not your subscriber count, is what a percentage fee applies to.
- Price Kit at your own subscriber count: Kit says pricing scales with subscriber count, and $39 and $79 cover 1,000.
- Count both percentage fees. Kit calls its 3.5% + 30c inclusive of card processing; Substack lists Stripe’s fees on top of its 10%.
- Read what moving paid readers involves before you commit to a date, then take the Substack export.
Test the task you rely on most, not just a simple welcome email. Confirm current prices at checkout; we record updates in the changes log.
CHECK THE LIVE QUOTES
Price the same audience and billing period.
Both links go directly to the provider. Neither is currently an affiliate link. Moving an existing list? Price it in the cost calculator, then read the Substack or Mailchimp cost guide.