Passes vs Substack
Side-by-side comparison on fees, payouts, monetization, and audience ownership.
Platform fee
10% · of revenue
10% · of revenue
Payout speed
instant
weekly
Minimum payout
$50
$0 (Stripe)
Countries
Primarily US, Stripe-supported
Stripe-supported
Email list export
Limited
Full access
Custom domain
Yes (subdomain)
Yes ($50 one-time)
Community features
DMs, group chats, 1:1 video calls
Comments, paid Chat, DMs
Best for
Mainstream creators, influencers, coaches wanting low-fee subs and merch
Newsletter writers, podcasters, established creators who want audience ownership
Passes vs Substack: which one wins?
Passes and Substack share similar fee structures (10%), so the decision rests on differences elsewhere.
On payout speed, Passes pays instant while Substack pays weekly. For creators where cashflow matters, the faster cadence usually wins.
For audience ownership, Passes offers limited email export and Substack offers full access. Email portability matters most for creators planning to migrate later or build a list independent of any single platform.
Best for: Passes suits mainstream creators, influencers, coaches wanting low-fee subs and merch. Substack fits newsletter writers, podcasters, established creators who want audience ownership.