newsletters
Medium vs Substack
Medium started first, in 2012, 5 years before Substack.
Why Medium lasted
- The editor and the URL still mean 'a post that looks like a post'.
- Publications and the Partner Program keep a class of writers in the building.
Why Substack lasted
- It made 'email plus a paywall plus a profile' a one-click job.
- The network of writers is the moat. Readers wander writer-to-writer.
Questions
Which is older, Medium or Substack?
Medium started first, in 2012, 5 years before Substack.
How long has Medium been running?
Medium has been up 14 years 34 days, since 2012-08-14.
How long has Substack been running?
Substack has been up 9 years 78 days, since 2017-07-01.
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Dates are founding dates from the written entries. Play which is older, or see the oldest newsletters still running.