Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
LetterBucket does not currently offer an equivalent built-in discovery network — it is built for creators who bring and grow their own audience. If your growth strategy leans heavily on in-network discovery, Substack’s network effects are a genuine reason to stay.
Each platform has its strengths. This breakdown helps you understand which one fits best depending on your goals — whether you're just starting out, looking to grow, or need full control over your brand.
Grow mainly through in-network discovery (Notes, recommendations)
Want full control over branding, domain, and email sender
Need a public API and full data portability
Are building a serious paid-subscription business
Prefer an all-in-one network over running your own domain
Substack |
|---|
LetterBucket |
|---|
LetterBucket |
|---|
LetterBucket |
|---|
Substack |
|---|
FAQ
Everything you need to know before switching from Substack to LetterBucket.
Is LetterBucket a good Substack alternative?
Yes, if you want to keep more of your paid subscription revenue and control your own domain and email branding. LetterBucket offers gated content, paywalls, a public API, and Stripe-native billing without Substack’s 10% revenue share. It is a better fit for creators who bring their own audience rather than relying on Substack’s Notes network.
Can I migrate my Substack subscribers?
You can export your subscriber list from Substack as a CSV (from Settings, under Subscribers) and import it into LetterBucket using CSV import. Note that Substack’s export does not include subscriber names, so imported records will carry email addresses and subscription data but not names unless you add them separately.
Does LetterBucket charge a percentage of my paid subscription revenue?
No. LetterBucket charges a flat subscription fee rather than taking a cut of your paid subscription revenue. Substack, by comparison, takes 10% of paid subscription revenue on top of standard payment processing fees, for as long as paid subscriptions are enabled.
Does LetterBucket support a custom domain?
Yes, custom domain support is included. Substack charges a one-time $50 fee per publication for a custom domain, and even then the publication must remain hosted on a subdomain, with the root domain only able to redirect.
Will my newsletter emails show my own brand, not LetterBucket’s?
Yes, you control your sender branding and domain. On Substack, newsletter emails are always sent from an address in the format [yourname]@substack.com, and the sending address cannot be changed even after adding a custom domain.
Compare LetterBucket with Substack, Beehiiv, and Ghost to see which platform best fits your newsletter goals.
