Best alternatives to Medium [2024]

Introduction

Did you know that 60% of web writers are looking for new platforms to monetise their content?

One of the popular options is Medium, but it comes with certain limitations that push many authors to explore other solutions.

This article sets out to examine the best alternatives to Medium for content creators in 2024, with particular attention paid to Ghost CMS.

An overview of Medium and its limitations

Medium, founded in 2012 by Evan Williams, co-founder of Twitter, quickly became a favourite platform among writers.

Thanks to its user-friendly interface and broad audience, Medium has managed to attract authors from all kinds of backgrounds.

The platform lets content creators publish their articles easily and reach a wide audience without having to worry about the technical side of running a website.

But despite this, the platform has its limits.

Medium's limitations

Here are a few of Medium's drawbacks:

• Monetisation restrictions: Medium's Partner Program offers limited earnings, often not enough for writers hoping to make a living from their craft. Payments are based on the reading time of paying members, which may not be enough to generate a stable and meaningful income.
• Content discovery: Despite Medium's broad audience, many authors struggle to reach new readers. The recommendation algorithms can often favour content that is already popular, making it hard for new authors to be discovered.
• Control over content: Medium offers little scope for customising and controlling how your content looks and is distributed. Writers can't tailor the appearance of their articles to their preferences, which limits personalisation and personal branding.

Why Ghost CMS is a better alternative to Medium

Ghost CMS is an open-source publishing platform launched in 2013. It is designed specifically for writers and content creators who want full control over their website.

Ghost is open-source, so you own your content. This CMS also stands out for how easy it is to use and for its powerful customisation features.

1. Ease of use

Ghost offers a simple, clean user interface, making content creation and management intuitive.

While the initial setup may require some technical know-how, many Ghost hosting services offer user-friendly installation solutions, making it easier for less technical users to get started.

2. Monetisation options

Ghost offers several monetisation options, including paid subscriptions, memberships and donations.

Unlike Medium, Ghost takes no commission on transactions, allowing writers to keep all of their revenue.

The 9 best alternatives to Medium

1. Ghost

As we've already seen, Ghost is an open-source content management system (CMS) designed for professional publishing, with a strong emphasis on content creation and monetisation.

It offers extensive customisation options with a variety of themes and the ability to create bespoke designs.

Its publishing tools include built-in newsletters, membership management and analytics for audience engagement.

Ghost supports third-party integrations such as Google Analytics and Mailchimp, and can be used as a traditional CMS, offering flexibility in how you deliver content.

It lets creators monetise their content through memberships and subscriptions with no transaction fees.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Full control over your content: Complete customisation of appearance and features.
• No transaction fees: Maximised revenue for writers.
• Robust SEO system: Improved visibility on search engines.
• Customisable themes and plugins: A wide choice of themes to tailor your site to your needs.

Cons

• No built-in audience: Requires effort to attract and retain readers.
• Upfront costs for domain and hosting: Some financial investment is needed.
• Requires technical know-how: A learning curve for managing and customising your site.

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2. HubPages

HubPages is a user-generated content platform that lets users create articles ("Hubs") on a wide range of topics.

It offers revenue sharing through advertising and affiliate marketing, with a strong community aspect where users can interact with and comment on each other's content.

HubPages also provides tools to optimise content for search engines in order to boost visibility.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Control over SEO: Improved visibility for your articles.
• A range of monetisation options: Advertising and affiliate marketing.
• Modular writing interface: Easy publishing and content management.

Cons

• Smaller built-in audience: Requires effort to increase visibility.
• Ads can reduce engagement: Intrusive advertising can put readers off.

3. Vocal.Media

Vocal.Media is a content creation platform that encourages storytelling across a variety of topics and genres.

It offers a monetisation programme where writers earn based on the number of reads and the level of engagement.

The platform runs community challenges and competitions to encourage content creation, and is designed to be easy to use for writers of all levels.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Paid writing challenges: Opportunities to earn money through competitions.
• Clean, ad-free interface: A pleasant user experience.
• Potential for viral posts: Significant earnings for popular content.

Cons

• High payout threshold: Earnings must reach a certain amount before they can be withdrawn.
• Vocal+ subscription required: An investment is needed to maximise earnings.

4. NewsBreak

NewsBreak is a local news and content aggregation platform that provides a space for local news, articles and community updates.

It offers revenue-sharing opportunities for content creators based on engagement metrics, and focuses on delivering localised content to specific communities.

The platform has a strong mobile presence, making content accessible for users on the go.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Wide audience: Access to a vast base of readers.
• Predictable earnings: Revenue based on views.
• Focus on news articles: Good visibility for relevant content.

Cons

• Monetisation requirements: Articles must meet certain criteria to be monetised.
• Content limited to news articles: Less flexibility for other types of content.

5. Steemit

Steemit is a blockchain-based blogging platform that rewards authors with the STEEM cryptocurrency for their engagement and contributions.

It operates on a decentralised model, giving users more control over their content.

Content visibility is determined by community votes, and the platform supports a wide range of content types, including articles, videos and images.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Strong user engagement: An active, incentive-driven community.
• Cryptocurrency rewards: Potential for high earnings through cryptocurrency.
• No transaction fees: Rewards are kept entirely by the authors.

Cons

• Steep learning curve: Requires technical knowledge of blockchain.
• Markdown formatting: Can be complex for new users.

6. Substack

Substack is a newsletter-focused platform that lets authors create and distribute newsletters directly to their subscribers.

It offers paid subscription options, allowing authors to monetise their premium content.

Substack stands out for its simple interface for managing subscriptions and encourages direct engagement with subscribers via email.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Direct connection with readers: Personal interaction with subscribers.
• Highly monetisable newsletters: Strong revenue potential through subscriptions.
• Easy to manage: A user-friendly interface for creating and managing newsletters.

Cons

• Platform fees: A share of your revenue is taken by Substack.
• Limited recommendation engine: Less visibility for attracting new subscribers.

7. Write.as

Write.as is a minimalist blogging platform focused on simplicity and writer privacy.

It offers an ultra-minimalist interface for a distraction-free writing experience, with limited monetisation options through microtransactions and tips.

Write.as also allows anonymous or pseudonymous publishing, protecting authors' privacy.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Anonymous or pseudonymous publishing: Protects authors' privacy.
• Distraction-free writing space: A clean interface for maximum focus.
• Ease of use: An intuitive, minimalist interface.

Cons

• Lack of content organisation features: Less flexibility for structuring and organising your articles.
• Paid accounts from $6/month: An extra cost to access certain advanced features.

8. Tumblr

Tumblr is a microblogging platform that combines blogging with social networking, allowing multimedia content to be shared.

It offers customisable themes and layouts for personal blogs, and places a strong emphasis on community engagement through reblogs, likes and comments.

Tumblr supports a variety of content types, including text, images and videos.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Large user base: Access to a vast, active community.
• Multimedia support: The ability to publish a range of content types.
• Powerful recommendation engine: Improves content visibility.

Cons

• No built-in monetisation option: Requires third-party solutions to generate revenue.
• Lack of manual SEO features: Limits search engine optimisation.

9. WordPress

WordPress is a versatile open-source content management system (CMS), used by millions of websites around the world.

It offers extensive customisation options with thousands of themes and plugins available.

Users can choose between the self-hosted (WordPress.org) and hosted (WordPress.com) versions.

WordPress is backed by a large community with plenty of resources, forums and tutorials available, and it supports e-commerce through plugins such as WooCommerce.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Extensive customisation options: A wide choice of themes and plugins.
• Large community and support: Access to a vast community of developers and users.
• Numerous monetisation methods: Flexibility to generate revenue.

Cons

• Requires technical know-how: A learning curve for the more advanced features.
• Potential costs for premium features: Investment needed to access certain advanced features and themes.

How to choose the best alternative to Medium?

Here are the factors to consider before choosing an alternative:

• Ease of use: Choose a platform suited to your level of technical skill.
• Monetisation potential: Assess the revenue options offered by each platform.
• Audience reach: Consider the size and engagement of the built-in audience.
• Customisation options: Make sure the platform offers the flexibility you need to tailor your site to your requirements.
• Cost and technical requirements: Take into account the upfront costs and the technical skills required.

FAQ for Medium alternatives

Which platform is the easiest to use for beginners?

Ghost CMS, Substack and Tumblr are among the easiest to use thanks to their user-friendly interfaces.

Which platform offers the greatest earning potential?

Ghost CMS and WordPress offer robust monetisation options with no transaction fees.

Are there any free alternatives to Medium?

Yes, platforms such as Tumblr and Steemit are free, though additional costs may apply for advanced features.

Conclusion

In short, there are plenty of alternatives to Medium that offer a variety of features to meet writers' needs.

Ghost CMS stands out for its full control over content and its robust monetisation options, but other platforms such as HubPages, Vocal.Media and WordPress also offer their own unique advantages.

Explore these options to find the one that best suits your goals and your content creation style.