Substack vs Spotify for Creators for podcasters
Spotify for Creators is a free podcast hosting platform that puts your show in front of Spotify's listeners. But Spotify keeps the relationship with your audience, its video stays inside Spotify, and your members' contact details are yours only if they opt in. Substack gets your show into Spotify too, and everything else stays yours.
Substack is the only podcast hosting platform with a subscriber community, a companion newsletter, an independent website, a growth network, and complete ownership of your audience, all built in for free. Payments run through your own Stripe account and you keep 90% of what you earn less credit card fees.
By Zach Taylor · Last updated Oct 21, 2026
Which is better for podcasts, Substack or Spotify for Creators?
Substack is better as a podcast host if you want to own your audience and earn from it. Substack gets your show into Spotify too, paid episodes included, and adds what Spotify for Creators doesn't: every subscriber's email address, a companion newsletter, your own website, and a real community, with free hosting and 90% of paid subscription revenue to you, less credit card processing fees. Spotify for Creators may fit if you want free hosting focused on Spotify; you can also submit its RSS feed to other podcast apps.
Of the 21 features in our comparison, Substack has 21 and Spotify for Creators has 10, counting features that come with plan limits or conditions. See the full table
- Choose Substack if you want to own your audience and build a business. Your paid subscribers can still listen in Spotify, because Substack is a Spotify Open Access partner.
- Spotify for Creators video plays only in Spotify, and other apps get audio only. Substack delivers video to Apple Podcasts and publishes it to YouTube automatically.
- Spotify shares a member's contact details only if the member chooses to. On Substack, payments run through your own Stripe account, and you can export your full list of free and paid subscribers at any time.
- On Spotify, creators can reply once to each comment, and fans can't reply back. Substack gives you chat, threaded comments, and direct messages.
Why podcasters choose Substack over Spotify for Creators
Keep 90%, and own the payment relationship
Spotify for Creators is free, and Spotify takes 10% of Memberships. But Spotify bills your members and owns that payment relationship, so your income runs on Spotify's rules. Substack is free to use, and your subscribers pay you directly. Payments run through your own Stripe account and you keep 90% of what you earn less credit card fees. Substack’s 10% fee includes a growth network that helps new paying subscribers find your show through the app, Notes, and recommendations.
Grow with Substack's network, and keep Spotify
Spotify's recommendations can surface your show, but the listeners it finds belong to Spotify. On Substack, more than half of new subscribers come from inside the network, through the Substack app, Notes, and recommendations from other publications, and every one of them joins your list. Your show stays on Spotify too: Substack distributes every episode there.
Community, newsletter, and website in one place
On Spotify, creators can reply once to each comment, and fans can't reply back. Spotify for Creators has no companion newsletter and no independent website. Every Substack show gets chat, threaded comments, direct messages, its own website, a newsletter, and email delivery of each episode.
Own your audience
Spotify shares a member's contact details only if the member chooses to, so most of the audience you build there stays with Spotify. Because Spotify bills your members, moving them elsewhere means each of them has to re-enter their card, and some won't. On Substack, payments run through your own Stripe account, and you can export your full list of free and paid subscribers at any time.
Hosting, video, and analytics
Spotify for Creators video plays only in Spotify, and other apps get audio only. Substack hosts audio and video for free, delivers video to Apple Podcasts automatically, publishes it to YouTube, and gives you IAB-certified download analytics that sponsors trust. Record in your browser with the Substack Recording Studio, then publish everywhere at once.
Substack vs Spotify for Creators, feature by feature
Scroll to see the full table
Everything in one place
Feature | Substack | Spotify |
|---|---|---|
Community tools (chat, comments) | On Spotify, creators can reply once to each comment, and fans can't reply back. | |
Companion newsletter | No | |
Independent podcast website | No | |
Own your subscriber list | No Spotify shares a member's contact details only if the member chooses to. | |
No monthly platform fee | ||
Platform fee on paid subscriptions | 10% | 10% |
Growth network | ||
Who owns the payment relationship | You Payments run through your own Stripe account. | Spotify |
Podcast hosting and distribution
Feature | Substack | Spotify |
|---|---|---|
Free podcast hosting | ||
Free & paid episodes | ||
Powerful discovery network | ||
Native podcast hosting | ||
Distribute to Apple Podcasts & Spotify | ||
Video on Apple Podcasts | No Spotify for Creators video plays only in Spotify. Other apps get audio only. | |
Episodes delivered by email | No | |
Auto-publish video to YouTube | No | |
Paid episodes playable in Spotify | ||
IAB-certified download analytics | No | |
Browser and mobile recording studio | No | |
Import your show and paying subscribers | No | |
Collaboration tools | ||
Live video | No | |
Themes and visual customization | No | |
Mobile app for listeners |
How we compared: we checked each platform's own pricing pages, help docs, and terms. A feature is marked as supported only when the platform documents it.
Spotify for Creators or Substack: which fits your podcast?
- Spotify's app has a huge listening audience, and its recommendations can surface new shows.
- Hosting on Spotify for Creators is free.
- Video podcasts play natively in the Spotify app.
- Collaboration tools let you add team members to your show.
Substack also includes free hosting and team access, and distributes your show to Spotify. Spotify’s native video experience may matter to your listeners; Substack adds a newsletter, an independent website, and a subscriber list you can export.
If you want to own your audience and earn directly from it, Substack puts your podcast, newsletter, community, and website in one place, for free. When you turn on paid subscriptions, you keep 90% of what you earn, minus credit card fees.
Moving from Spotify for Creators to Substack
- Create your free Substack publicationTurn on podcasting from your publication settings. No credit card required.
- Import your showPaste your current RSS feed into the Substack importer to bring over your back catalog.
- Redirect your feedRedirect your Spotify for Creators feed to your new Substack RSS feed so Apple Podcasts and other apps follow your show.
- Keep your Spotify listenersYour show stays on Spotify, and paid subscribers can link their subscription to hear paid episodes there through Open Access.
Common questions
Can my Substack paid subscribers listen on Spotify?
Yes. Substack is a Spotify Open Access partner, so paid subscribers can link their subscription and hear paid episodes right in Spotify. They also get a private RSS feed for Apple Podcasts and other apps.
Does Spotify for Creators video work in Apple Podcasts?
No. Spotify for Creators video plays only in Spotify, and other apps get audio only. Substack delivers your video episodes to Apple Podcasts automatically and can publish them to YouTube.
How much does Spotify take from podcast memberships?
Spotify takes 10% of Memberships, and Spotify owns the payment relationship. Substack is free to use and also takes 10% of paid subscriptions, before credit card processing fees. Payments run through your own Stripe account, and you can export your full list of free and paid subscribers at any time.
Do I get my listeners’ email addresses on Spotify?
Only if a member chooses to share them. On Substack, payments run through your own Stripe account, and you can export your full list of free and paid subscribers at any time.
Can I move my podcast from Spotify for Creators to Substack?
Yes. Import your show with your RSS feed, then redirect your old feed to Substack so Apple Podcasts and other apps follow you. Your show stays on Spotify, and Substack's import tool brings over your back catalog in minutes. Spotify Memberships subscribers don't transfer, because Spotify runs those payments, so they'll need to subscribe again on Substack with their card details.
Host your podcast. Grow your community. Keep 90%.
Free hosting, a subscriber community, a newsletter, a website you own, and a growth network that brings you new subscribers, all in one place. Substack only makes money when you do.
