Medium vs. Substack 2025, if you’re starting out.

I’ve written on both Medium and Substack for over three years, watched these platforms evolve, and wanted to share my honest take.

Spoiler alert: You are highly unlikely to make money on either platform.

Medium

I did make money on Medium — more than I could’ve imagined. In November 2021, my first full month on the platform, I made $350. I started with zero followers. There were months when I made thousands. This month? I’m on track to make $6.

Yes, six dollars.

To be fair, I’ve given up on the platform. Even if I resumed writing consistently, I doubt I’d make more than $30 a month.

I don’t believe writers can make meaningful money on Medium anymore. The platform has changed its rules many times, and the end result is lower earnings for most writers. If you’re committing to Medium in hopes of making money, you’re in for a disappointment. A successful story might earn you $20, or maybe a bit more. Most stories earn pennies.

So should you write on Medium at all if you’re starting out? Probably yes, if you need a place, any place, to get started. The biggest upside of Medium is that you don’t need to market your work. At some point, your stories will land in readers’ feeds, and you might start gaining followers.

I think Medium works best for non-niche storytelling, or let’s say, writing across a mix of topics. Why? Because if you don’t have a clear…