Episode Summary: Kit vs Substack: Which One is Best For My Podcast?

Podcast: Your Podcast Consultant: Podcast Tips To Avoid Podcasting Mistakes
Host: Dave Jackson
Date: December 12, 2025
Episode Length: ~9 minutes

Episode Overview

In this episode, Dave Jackson tackles a common question among podcasters: whether to use Substack or a dedicated email tool like Kit (formerly ConvertKit) or MailerLite for podcast newsletters. Drawing on personal experience and two decades in podcasting, Dave breaks down the pros and cons of each platform—highlighting use cases, marketing features, and best practices for growing an audience or promoting a brand.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Understanding Substack's Use Case

• Substack is designed for writers and thought leaders, especially those who want to share commentary, essays, or news directly with an audience willing to pay for premium insights.

• Its popularity grew from journalists who wanted editorial freedom after leaving traditional newsrooms.

• Monetization on Substack is built-in but comes with a platform fee.

  "A lot of people having success with Substack are... reporters who either didn't like the fact that they had to report the news a certain way... if you have enough followers... they will actually pay for it." (01:13)

• Audience engagement rates: Even good newsletters typically see only 3-5% signup rates, and a strong “lead magnet” (an incentive) helps drive subscriptions.

2. Substack Limitations for Podcasters

• Substack is less suited to marketing-focused newsletters. You can share content and updates, but:

  • You can't easily give away downloadable freebies (like a PDF).
  • Selling ads directly or robustly automating marketing flows isn't native to Substack.

• Substack can serve as a broadcast tool for regular updates, but not for nuanced marketing or list-building strategies.

  "If I want to give away a free PDF, Substack is not the place to do that. That's more of a ConvertKit/MailerLite kind of thing." (03:45)

3. Other Newsletter Tools: Kit (ConvertKit), MailerLite, Beehive

• Kit (formerly ConvertKit) and MailerLite are purpose-built for marketers, offering advanced automation, welcome sequences, campaigns, and simple ways to distribute lead magnets.

• These platforms handle typical newsletter needs and growth strategies for podcasters:

  • Lead magnets: Easily delivered via email automation
  • Welcome sequences: Onboarding for new subscribers
  • Marketing campaigns: Structured promo emails are allowed and encouraged

  "If you want to sell advertising in your newsletter, that's... more of a ConvertKit—definitely more of a Beehive kind of thing." (04:13)

• Free plans: Kit offers up to 10,000 subscribers for free; MailerLite's free tier covers 500 subscribers and 12,000 emails per month—Kit’s free plan is more generous.

  “When I looked up Kit on the internet, you can send up to 10,000 subscribers for free. MailerLite is 500, and you can send up to 12,000 emails in a month. So of those two, it looks like Kit is the better free plan.” (08:12)

4. Podcast Hosting on Newsletter Platforms—Not Recommended

• Substack (and similar platforms like Kajabi or Riverside) now offer “podcast hosting,” but with limited features.

• Dave strongly advises against podcast hosting on platforms that don’t specialize in podcasting due to reliability, analytics, and feed control.

  • Always check if a host allows for 301 redirect (essential for migrating your podcast feed).

  “You want somebody who is majoring in podcasting as your media host, not someone who was like, ‘Oh, we're a newsletter. Oh, yeah. And we also do this podcast thing.’” (06:18)

  “Always ask them, ‘Can I get a 301 redirect of my feed?’” (06:54)

5. Personal Experience & Favorite Tools

• Dave uses a variety of tools: Substack (for testing), Sendfox (lifetime deal, but with speed/reliability issues), and prefers Kit (ConvertKit) for newsletter marketing.
• His own newsletter blends personal insights, links to content, and curated recommendations—serving both as an informational update & soft marketing channel.

6. Bottom Line Recommendations

• Use Substack: If your main goal is to share information, thoughts, or essays with little to no marketing.

• Use Kit (ConvertKit) or MailerLite: If you want to build a list, offer lead magnets, automate sequences, or market products—especially if you want to grow your podcast audience or revenue.

  “Bottom line, should I use Substack for my newsletter? Only if you plan on just giving information. If you want to do marketing, it's not really the right tool. I would point you towards ConvertKit.” (08:51)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Substack’s core strength:

  “It’s for people who are... pontificating. Here are my thoughts. And there’s nothing wrong with that.” (01:33)

• On low audience conversion:

  “About three percent of your audience, if you’re really good, will sign up for your newsletter... you’re looking at about three to five percent.” (01:44)

• On host reliability:

  “You want somebody who is majoring in podcasting as your media host, not someone who [just] does this podcast thing.” (06:18)

• On tool selection for lead magnets & marketing:

  “You really aren’t supposed to do that in Substack... this is more for writers than marketers.” (07:48)

• On Kit’s free plan:

  “You can send up to 10,000 subscribers for free where Mailerlite is 500 and you can send up to 12,000 emails in a month. So of those two, it looks like Kit is the better free plan.” (08:12)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:36 — Introduction to Substack, its origins, and audience types
• 01:44 — Expected conversion rates for podcast newsletters
• 03:45 — Substack limitations (lead magnets, marketing capabilities)
• 04:13 — Comparing Substack and marketing-oriented platforms (Kit, MailerLite, Beehive)
• 05:00–07:00 — Podcast hosting on non-podcast platforms; importance of feed redirect
• 08:12 — Details on free plans and which tools are most generous
• 08:51 — Dave’s bottom line on choosing Substack vs. marketing platforms

Final Thoughts

Dave wraps up by encouraging podcasters to choose the right newsletter tool for their specific goals—Substack for pure communication, Kit (ConvertKit) or MailerLite for marketing, growth, and lead management. He warns against using platforms that treat podcasting as a secondary feature and stresses the value of robust, podcast-focused hosting for long-term stability.

He also reminds listeners of the resources and community at the School of Podcasting for anyone needing further help or hands-on guidance.

Summary prepared by Your Podcast Consultant Summarizer
(For more podcast tips and advice, visit School of Podcasting)