For a few years now, writers online rediscover the same question:
“Should I publish on Substack or Medium?”
In 2020, the answer was: Substack if you want to own your audience, Medium if you want reach.
By 2024, Medium looked half-asleep, Substack was booming, and Beehiiv and others had joined the chat.
Now it’s almost 2026. Both Substack and Medium are still there, smarter, more focused, and more different than ever.
So if you’re deciding where to write 2026, here’s the real answer. No fanboy hype. No outdated advice. Just the facts and a little sarcasm.
Quick rewind: how we got here
Substack’s story:
Built for the “email revolution.” Writers left traditional media to go indie. Readers followed. It felt raw, honest, and creator-first.
Medium’s story:
Started as a blogging utopia. Then came algorithms, Partner Program tweaks, and confusion about whether it was a platform, publisher, or something else.
Key steps:
Substack went social with Notes, recommendations, and a discovery feed.
Medium rebuilt its Partner Program (v3.0 now), brought back real human editors, improved SEO, and finally rewarded quality again.
The result?
In 2026, both matter again — but for different reasons.
Round 1: Discovery
Medium’s algorithm is alive and well. People hate on algorithms a lot, but they can be a great thing.
It scans your posts, your followers, your topics, and then decides if you deserve a spotlight. That’s both the blessing and curse of Medium.
If you hit the right trend, keyword and category, boom… thousands of reads overnight. If not? Crickets.
Substack, on the other hand, doesn’t do “algorithmic virality” as much.
Its discovery engine is human. You grow through recommendations, mentions, and Notes.
Your growth depends more on network than SEO.
Verdict:
- Want reach fast? Medium wins.
- Want steady audience growth? Substack wins.
Round 2: Monetization
Money’s where things get spicy.
Substack runs on paid subscriptions.
You charge readers directly. Substack takes 10% + Stripe fees. Simple, transparent, sustainable if you build trust.
Medium went the other direction.
The new Partner Program pays based on member reading time, engagement quality, and topical bonuses.
Round 3: SEO and Google love
Medium is still an SEO powerhouse.
Its domain authority is ridiculous, and posts often rank in hours.
If you write evergreen or how-to content, Google still favors Medium’s structure and backlinks.
Substack… not so much (yet). Unless you do a couple things yourself, like adding a custom domain, connecting the Search Console and Analytics and dive deep into SEO.
Individual posts can rank, but Substack’s built-in SEO is weaker. The platform is slowly improving metadata and indexing, but it’s not WordPress.
That said, Substack posts convert better once people land there — fewer distractions, cleaner design, and direct subscribe buttons.
Verdict:
- For search traffic: Medium.
- For conversions: Substack.
Round 4: Community and connection
Medium feels like publishing.
Substack feels like writing a letter.
Medium has comments, highlights, and claps. It’s great for surface engagement.
Substack has replies, mentions, and Notes — better for conversation. Feels closer, less performative.
If you like writing for readers you know, Substack wins.
If you like writing for readers you don’t know yet, Medium wins.
Round 5: Design, control, and ownership
Substack gives you:
- Custom domain options
- Your own subscriber list
- Exportable data
- Consistent formatting (no random layout changes)
Medium gives you:
- A clean look
- Built-in audience
- Absolutely zero design control
If Medium changes its layout, you live with it. If Substack changes something, you can adapt a little bit.
Verdict:
- Want independence? Substack.
- Want simplicity? Medium.
Round 6: Writing experience
Both are still a joy to write on.
Medium’s editor is slicker — polished, minimalist, distraction-free. You can embed media, images, or quotes effortlessly.
Substack’s editor feels more old-school, but with purpose. It’s closer to email composition — simple text, links, bold, italics. No bloat.
Round 7: Audience type
This might be the biggest difference.
Medium readers are casual browsers. They follow topics, not necessarily people. They read dozens of writers a week.
Substack readers are fans. They subscribe because of you.
They expect updates, personality, and voice.
That means your writing style might need to adapt.
- Medium posts: broader, polished, SEO-friendly.
- Substack posts: intimate, direct, conversational.
Verdict:
- Want readers who like your ideas? Medium.
- Want readers who like you? Substack.
The hybrid strategy (and why smart creators use both)
Here’s the secret: you don’t have to choose.
You can write your newsletter on Substack — your owned hub — then republish edited versions on Medium for reach and SEO.
Substack gives you loyal subscribers.
Medium brings new readers to feed that list.
That’s exactly what many top writers (and brands) do now. It’s not “Substack vs Medium” anymore — it’s “Substack and Medium,” strategically.
Medium gets you seen.
Substack keeps people.
Money talk: the reality of 2026 income
Let’s be brutally honest.
You won’t get rich on Medium unless you’re obsessively consistent and play the algorithm well.
You won’t get rich on Substack unless you build a real relationship with (thousands of) readers.
Both take time. Both reward patience.
But Substack has the advantage of compounding income — once someone subscribes, they can stay (and pay) for months or years.
Medium resets every day. You start from zero views again.
Verdict:
For long-term financial freedom → Substack.
For short-term visibility and virality → Medium.
The vibe check
- Substack feels like running your own indie magazine.
- Medium feels like contributing to a global one.
Both have energy. Both have audiences. But one gives you control.
In 2026, control matters more than virality. Algorithms change weekly. Email lists don’t.
That’s why even top Medium writers now funnel readers into Substack. It’s insurance.
The future: where each is headed
Substack’s direction:
Building a decentralized creator economy. Expect tokenized memberships, other revenue streams, and local discovery. It’s evolving into a full creator OS.
Medium’s direction:
Curated editorial streams, topic partnerships, and essays. It’s leaning more “media network” than “creator tool.”
In other words:
Substack wants to empower creators.
Medium wants to entertain readers.
You choose which side of the table you want to sit on.
Final verdict
So… who wins in 2026?
The annoying answer: it depends on you.
| Goal | Best Platform |
|---|---|
| Fast exposure | Medium |
| Loyal following | Substack |
| Passive earnings | Substack/Medium |
| SEO reach | Medium |
| Design control | Both are limited |
| Simplicity | Medium/Substack |
| Long-term ownership | Substack |
If you’re building a business — Substack.
If you’re building awareness — Medium.
And if you’re smart? You’ll use both, strategically.
Because the real winner in 2026 isn’t Substack or Medium.
It’s the writer who learns to master both.
Final thought
Substack is your living room.
Medium is the stage.
Perform on one, connect on the other.
That’s how you win the internet in 2026.