Substack vs Medium: Which One Actually Pays Writers?
For most writers who want real income, Substack wins. On Substack, your readers pay you directly, you set the price, and you keep about 83% of a $10 subscription. On Medium, you pay $5 a month for a membership, then earn a share of member fees based on how long members read your work. Here’s the 2026 side-by-side, plus my real Substack numbers.
The one difference that matters
Who pays you, and who decides how much.On Substack, your readers pay you. On Medium, Medium pays you.
On Substack, you choose a price (at least $5 a month or $30 a year), readers subscribe to you, and Substack keeps 10% plus Stripe’s card fees. The rest is yours, every month, as long as they stay.
On Medium, readers pay Medium $5 a month or $50 a year for a membership. Medium then shares part of that money with writers in its Partner Program, based on member reading time, claps, highlights, and replies. You don’t set a price, and you can’t know ahead of time what a story will earn.
Medium’s Partner Program terms were updated June 1, 2026. Earnings are “a portion of revenues received by Medium from membership fees, as determined by Medium.”
Substack vs Medium in 2026, side by side
Every rule below comes from each platform’s own help center as of September 2026.
| Substack | Medium | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to write | Free | Free |
| Cost to get paid | $0 upfront. 10% of paid subscriptions plus Stripe fees, only when readers pay you. | An active Medium membership: $5 a month or $50 a year. |
| Who sets the price | You. Minimum $5 a month or $30 a year. | Medium. Readers pay Medium, not you. |
| How you earn | Paid subscriptions from your own readers. | A share of member fees based on member reading time, claps, highlights, and replies. |
| Bonuses | Founding member tier at any price you choose. | Boosted stories earn at a higher rate. Extra for search and email reads, and a one-time bonus when a reader becomes a member. |
| Who can earn | Anyone who connects Stripe. | 18+, a paying member, at least 1 published story, a complete profile, and a bank in an eligible country. |
| Payouts | Through Stripe. | Through Stripe, once your balance reaches $10. |
| Discovery | Notes, recommendations, and the Substack app. | The Medium feed, publications, and Boost. |
| Predictable income? | Yes. You know what each subscriber pays. | No. It changes with reading time every day. |
What writers actually earn on Medium varies a lot. A July 2026 pricing roundup found top stories from established writers can earn $500 to $1,000 or more, while community reports suggest many new and mid-tier writers earn $1 to $20 a month.
Which one pays more?
On Substack, you can do the math before you start. On Medium, you can’t.
My real Substack: 174 paid subscribers, about $23,000 a year in gross revenue, and a Bestseller badge four months after my first paid subscriber. On Substack, every new paying reader adds a known amount to your income. That’s why I built there. Full breakdown in how to make money on Substack: my real numbers.
Should you pick Substack, Medium, or both?
Tap any card to open it up.
Pick Substack if you want a real business
You set the price, your readers pay you directly, and you can see exactly what each new subscriber is worth. You can add a founding member tier, a podcast, or video, and sell your own products or coaching to the same readers.
Substack costs nothing until someone pays you. See every Substack cost.
Pick Medium if you just want to write
Medium is a good fit if you want to publish without building a list, setting prices, or marketing yourself. Medium’s feed, its publications, and Boost can put your stories in front of readers who don’t know you yet.
The trade-off: you pay $5 a month to earn, and your income depends on reading time you can’t control.
Using both
Some writers post on Medium for reach and invite readers to subscribe to their Substack for more. Medium’s import tool can pull in a story you already published, which keeps things simple.
If you do both, pick one home base. Your paying readers should live in one place.
Why I went all in on Substack
I wanted income I could plan on and readers I could build a real relationship with. Substack gave me both.
More than 100 of my paid subscribers came from Substack Notes, and my Substack’s founding member plan even includes a year of group coaching in Ballen Academy. You can’t build that kind of offer on Medium, because Medium, not you, decides what readers pay.
Which is better for you right now?
The right answer depends on where you’re starting.
Both can get you your first readers. Medium’s feed and Boost can surface a new writer’s stories. Substack Notes can too, and it’s free. It’s where most of my paid subscribers found me.
If you’ll eventually want to earn, start on Substack so you don’t have to move your readers later.
Substack is built for predictable income. Every paying reader adds a set amount each month or year. On Medium, earnings change daily with member reading time.
Here’s how many subscribers you need for $500, $1,000, or $5,000 a month.
If your writing leads to coaching, courses, or products, build on Substack. You set your own prices and tiers, and you can offer the same readers more.
That’s exactly how I use mine: paid subscribers get a discount on group coaching, and my founding tier includes a full year of it.
If you choose Substack: your first 5 moves
Check these off as you go.
“On Medium, you rent readers. On Substack, you build a business with them.”— Lori Ballen
Frequently asked questions
Is Substack better than Medium?
For writers who want predictable income, yes. On Substack you set your price and your readers pay you directly. Medium is better if you just want to publish and don’t want to build a list or sell anything.
Which pays more, Substack or Medium?
Substack usually pays more once you have loyal readers, because each paid subscriber adds a set amount. My Substack brings in about $23,000 a year from 174 paid subscribers. Medium pays a share of member fees based on reading time, and community reports suggest many new and mid-tier writers earn $1 to $20 a month.
How does Medium pay writers in 2026?
Through the Medium Partner Program. Writers earn a portion of Medium’s membership revenue based on member reading time, claps, highlights, and replies, with bonuses for Boosted stories, search and email reads, and new members. Payouts go through Stripe once your balance reaches $10.
Do you have to pay to earn on Medium?
Yes. To join the Medium Partner Program, you need an active Medium membership, which costs $5 a month or $50 a year. You also need to be 18 or older, have at least one published story, a complete profile, and a bank in an eligible country.
How much does Substack take?
Substack takes 10% of paid subscriptions, and Stripe charges 2.9% plus $0.30 per payment and a 0.7% billing fee on recurring payments. On a $10 monthly subscription, you keep about $8.34. See every Substack cost.
Can I post on both Substack and Medium?
Yes. Many writers post on both. Medium has an import tool for stories you’ve already published. Pick one home base for your paying readers.
Which is better for beginners?
If you want to earn eventually, start on Substack. It’s free, Notes can bring you your first readers, and you won’t have to move your audience later.
The 3-Bucket Business Field Notes
The simple way I run a one-person business in three buckets so it keeps working without me chasing every shiny thing. Enter your email and I will send the field notes.
Picked Substack? Start it the right way.
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Setup, Notes, pricing, and the paywall, step by step, so your free Substack turns into a paid one.
Side Hustle to Six Figures
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Related reading
Is Substack Free? What It Really Costs
Every Substack cost, and what you keep at each price.
How to Make Money on Substack: My Real Numbers
174 paid subscribers, about $23K a year, and where they came from.
Best Newsletter Platforms for Beginners
Substack vs Beehiiv vs Ghost, with real pricing side by side.
How to Start a Substack
The full setup, from your name to your first post.
My Substack Notes Playbook
The daily habit behind most of my paid subscribers.
Where Substack Paid Subscribers Come From
The sources that turn readers into paying members.
Picked Substack? Don’t build it alone.
Inside Ballen Academy, my group coaching for creators, we build Substacks that pay: real Notes, real pricing, real numbers, every week.
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