Substack is for publications. Pagecord is for personal sites.
Substack is good if you want to run a publication, chase subscribers, and think in newsletter issues. Many people do not want that. They want a small home on the web that can also send posts by email.
Pagecord gives you a blog first: posts, pages, RSS, themes, a custom domain, and export. Email subscribers are there when you want them, with per-post delivery or a weekly digest, but the site is still yours even if you never become a newsletter operator.
No revenue share. No $50 custom domain fee. Open source. Classic is free forever. Premium is $25/year.
Who this is for
Independent writers who like email but do not want their whole online identity to become a publication brand.
People who want a personal homepage, posts, static pages, RSS, and subscribers in one calm place.
Why people switch
Substack makes every writer feel like a media business. That's exciting for some, but it can make casual writing feel performative.
And the money adds up: a 10% revenue share if you charge readers, plus $50 for a custom domain. Pagecord keeps the pricing boring on purpose.
What is different
Pagecord isn't trying to build a social network around your writing. You get a site, an RSS feed, email delivery, and an export button.
It's independent and profitable. Your readers can subscribe — they don't have to sign up to a platform to read you.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Pagecord | Substack |
|---|---|---|
| Free version | ✅ | ✅ |
| Email newsletters | ✅ Weekly digest or per-post delivery |
✅ |
| Social links | ✅ | ✅ |
| Privacy-respecting analytics | ✅ | ✅ |
| Reply by email | ✅ | ✅ |
| RSS feeds | ✅ | ✅ |
| Custom domains | ✅ | ✅ ($50 charge) |
| Create blog posts by sending an email | ✅ | ❌ |
| Custom home pages | ✅ | ❌ |
| Micro-blog posts without titles | ✅ | ❌ |
| Multi-language support | ✅ | ❌ |
| Full site HTML export | ✅ | ❌ |
| Custom CSS | ✅ | ❌ |
| Embeddable contact form | ✅ | ❌ |
| Open source | ✅ | ❌ |
| API | ✅ | ❌ |
| Independent and profitable | ✅ | ❌ (VC backed, never made a profit) |
Real Pagecord sites
What people say
“I was drawn to Pagecord because it allows me to post simply by sending an email. I was blown away by the other great features.”
“Pagecord is the perfect place to host your own blog, especially if you want to keep things simple without getting lost in modern publishing platforms or newsletter engines.”
Migration notes
What you can bring
- Your posts, exported from Substack
- Your subscriber list, if you've exported it
- Your custom domain, pointed at Pagecord
What does not carry over
- Substack's recommendation network and app audience
- Paid subscriptions and paywalled posts
- Notes, chat, and the discussion threads
Imports are not self-serve yet. If you have an existing site, email support and we will look at what is possible.