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Email Marketing

Benchmark Email vs Substack: Pricing Comparison 2026

Side-by-side pricing comparison of Benchmark Email and Substack. See all plans, features, and costs at a glance.

Bottom line: Substack starts at $5/mo, making it $14/mo cheaper than Benchmark Email ($19/mo). Benchmark Email offers a free plan.

Last updated: March 16, 2026

Data compiled by Arthur Jacquemin
Updated March 16, 2026

Benchmark Email vs Substack: Quick Pricing Facts

FeatureBenchmark EmailSubstack
Starting Price$19/mo$5/mo
Number of Plans37
Free TierYesYes
Pricing Modelusage-basedusage-based
Annual DiscountN/AN/A

Substack is the more affordable option, starting at $5/mo compared to Benchmark Email's $19/mo. Both are Email Marketing tools with 10 combined pricing plans and 35 features compared.

Both tools offer free plans, making them accessible for teams on a budget.

Review the detailed tier-by-tier comparison above to see exactly which features are included at each price point and find the best fit for your Email Marketing needs.

Pricing Plans
Benchmark Email
Benchmark Email
Try it free
Substack
Substack
Try it free
Tier 1
Free Plan
$0/monthCheapest
Includes
  • Email sends
  • Users
  • Domains
  • Features
Start with Free Plan
Free
$0/monthCheapest
Includes
  • Set up paid subscriptions
  • Keep 90% of revenue
  • Own your content
  • Choose free or paid posts
Start with Free
Tier 2
Pro PlanPopular
$19/month
Includes
  • Email sends
  • Users
  • Domains
  • Features
Start with Pro Plan
Basic
$5/monthCheapest
$5 / year
Includes
  • Earn from 50 subscribers
  • Keep 90% of revenue
  • Direct payments from subscribers
Start with Basic
Tier 3
Enterprise Plan
Custom pricing
Includes
  • Contact sales for pricing
  • Email sends
  • Users
  • Domains
  • Features
Start with Enterprise Plan
Standard
$7/monthCheapest
$7 / year
Includes
  • Earn from 100 subscribers
  • Keep 90% of revenue
  • Direct payments from subscribers
Start with Standard
Tier 4
Advanced
$10/monthCheapest
$10 / year
Includes
  • Earn from 200 subscribers
  • Keep 90% of revenue
  • Direct payments from subscribers
Start with Advanced
Tier 5
Pro
$15/monthCheapest
$15 / year
Includes
  • Earn from 400 subscribers
  • Keep 90% of revenue
  • Direct payments from subscribers
Start with Pro
Tier 6
Premium
$30/monthCheapest
$30 / year
Includes
  • Earn from 800 subscribers
  • Keep 90% of revenue
  • Direct payments from subscribers
Start with Premium
Tier 7
Enterprise
$75/monthCheapest
$75 / year
Includes
  • Earn from 2000 subscribers
  • Keep 90% of revenue
  • Direct payments from subscribers
Start with Enterprise

Swipe to compare plans →

Benchmark Email

Email marketing with drag-and-drop builder and automations

View all Benchmark Email plans

Substack

Newsletter and publishing platform with paid subscriptions (10% cut)

View all Substack plans
Our Pick

Substack

Substack offers a free plan, starts at $14/mo lower ($5/mo vs $19/mo), offers 7 tiers vs 3.

Based on pricing data only. Review the full comparison below for your specific needs.

Best value: Substack

Try Substack free

Which Should You Choose?

Choose Benchmark Email if:

  • You prefer Benchmark Email's free tier features—Email sends, Users
  • Your team needs custom enterprise pricing—Benchmark Email offers negotiated terms for large deployments
  • Benchmark Email's usage-based pricing lets you match exact team size without tier gaps

Choose Substack if:

  • You want lower per-user costs—Substack starts at $5/mo, saving $14/mo compared to Benchmark Email at $19/mo
  • You prefer Substack's free tier features—Set up paid subscriptions, Keep 90% of revenue
  • You need 7 pricing tiers for flexible team sizing—more options mean less overpaying for features you don't need
  • You want more features built-in—Substack offers 9 additional features across its plans

Both Benchmark Email and Substack offer free plans [1], eliminating cost barriers for evaluation. This means you can test both tools thoroughly with your actual workflows before any financial commitment. The free tiers differ in scope: Benchmark Email includes 4 features, while Substack includes 4 features. Evaluate which free tier matches your evaluation needs before deciding to upgrade. Your best approach is to activate both free trials and evaluate which tool's workflow, integrations, and user experience align better with your team's needs before committing to paid plans.

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Frequently Asked Questions: Benchmark Email vs Substack

Which is cheaper, Benchmark Email or Substack?
As of March 2026, Substack starts at a lower price point. Benchmark Email starts at $19/mo while Substack starts at $5/mo. However, the best value depends on the features you need at each tier.
How many pricing plans does Benchmark Email have vs Substack?
Benchmark Email offers 3 pricing plans, while Substack offers 7 plans. More plans typically means more flexibility to match your exact needs and budget.
Does Benchmark Email or Substack offer a free plan?
Yes, both Benchmark Email and Substack offer free plans. Compare the feature limits of each free tier to see which better fits your use case before upgrading.
Can I save money by paying annually for Benchmark Email or Substack?
Both Benchmark Email and Substack offer annual billing options. Check each plan's yearly pricing for potential savings compared to monthly billing.
What is the most popular Benchmark Email plan?
The Pro Plan plan is Benchmark Email's most popular tier, priced at $19/mo. Key features include Email sends, Users, Domains.
Does Benchmark Email or Substack offer custom enterprise pricing?
Benchmark Email offers a custom-priced enterprise tier for larger teams. Substack lists all its pricing publicly.
How do Benchmark Email and Substack compare for Email Marketing?
Both Benchmark Email and Substack are Email Marketing tools. Benchmark Email offers 3 plans starting at $19/mo, while Substack offers 7 plans starting at $5/mo. Review the feature breakdowns above to see which better fits your Email Marketing needs.

Sources

  1. Benchmark Email Official PricingVendor pricing page
  2. Substack Official PricingVendor pricing page

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