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Substack vs Kōlea
A network that takes a share of your subscriptions. Kōlea is your own place, on your own domain, and takes nothing from your sales.
What Substack is built for
Substack is a newsletter network: free to start, paid subscriptions, and readers who find you through its app and recommendations.
- Free until you charge
- Discovery through its app and network
- Podcasts and video in one place
What Kōlea is built for
People who write, and sell what they make. One place for the email, the site, the shop, and the numbers that join them up, with help at the blank page and a check before you send.
Kōlea takes nothing from your sales. Money goes through your own Stripe account.
Where Kōlea is different
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Nothing taken from your sales
Substack keeps 10% of paid subscriptions. Kōlea is a flat plan, and your money goes to your own Stripe.
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Your site, your readers
Your posts live on your own domain in a theme you choose, and your list belongs to nobody but you.
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Sell more than subscriptions
Downloads, launches, welcome series, and after-sale follow-ups that stop when someone buys.
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Help with the writing
The Ghostwriter for the blank page, the slop meter for the habits that make writing sound machine-made.
Stay on Substack if
Substack's network sends you most of your new readers.
Moving from Substack
Your subscribers from Substack's CSV export, with your posts to follow.
Anyone who unsubscribed stays unsubscribed. We'll help you move for free.
What we say about Substack is what Substack says about itself, as of October 2026. If something here is out of date, tell me.
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