Listmonk vs Substack

Self-host swap-in for Substack. · Self-host Substack · Listmonk on os-alt

Listmonk is one of the open-source self-host replacements for Substack — license AGPL-3.0, 15min docker-compose (Go binary + Postgres) to stand up, and $5 vps for the app; smtp relay (amazon ses, postmark, resend) is the variable cost — ses at $0. Compare against Substack's Free to publish; Substack takes 10% of paid-subscription revenue + Stripe fees below.

	Listmonkopen-source	Substackpaid SaaS
Category	Newsletter publishing + paid subscriptions	Newsletter publishing + paid subscriptions
License / pricing	`AGPL-3.0`	Free to publish; Substack takes 10% of paid-subscription revenue + Stripe fees
Starting price	$0 self-host	free tier
GitHub	knadh/listmonk ★ 20.1k · last commit todayalive	closed source
Setup time	15min docker-compose (Go binary + Postgres)	SaaS — sign up + bill
Monthly cost	$5 VPS for the app; SMTP relay (Amazon SES, Postmark, Resend) is the variable cost — SES at $0.10/1000 sends.	Free to publish; Substack takes 10% of paid-subscription revenue + Stripe fees

Switching from Substack to Listmonk

Pull `listmonk/listmonk` and `postgres:16`. Substack subscriber export imports as a CSV via Subscribers → Import. Listmonk doesn't have a built-in CMS — pair it with a static site generator (Hugo, Astro) for the public archive and use Listmonk just for the email send. No paid-subscriptions story bundled; bring your own Stripe + a member-gating layer.

Good fit for: High-volume free newsletters (1M+ subscribers) where Listmonk's send-throughput shines.
Weak at: No content editor or paid-subscription rails — bring your own publishing surface and payments.

Other open-source self-host alternatives to Substack

Ghost
MIT20min docker-compose (Ghost + MySQL + nginx)$10-15/mo VPS for Ghost + Mailgun/Postmark/Resend for email send (~$10/mo for 50k emails).
Writefreely
AGPL-3.015min single-binary or docker-compose$5 VPS for the app; ActivityPub-federated so no separate email cost line.

Listmonk also replaces

ConvertKit (Kit)— Creator email marketing
HubSpot— CRM + marketing automation
Mailchimp— Email marketing / newsletters

In a terminal? npx os-alt substack prints Substack's self-host options — how the CLI works →

FAQ

Is Listmonk a free alternative to Substack?

Yes — Listmonk is open source under AGPL-3.0. Self-host cost: $5 VPS for the app; SMTP relay (Amazon SES, Postmark, Resend) is the variable cost — SES at $0.10/1000 sends.. Substack pricing anchor: Free to publish; Substack takes 10% of paid-subscription revenue + Stripe fees.

How long does Listmonk take to set up vs Substack?

Self-hosting Listmonk: 15min docker-compose (Go binary + Postgres). Substack is a hosted SaaS — sign up and you're in.

What is Listmonk good at, and what is it weak at?

Good fit for: High-volume free newsletters (1M+ subscribers) where Listmonk's send-throughput shines.. Weak at: No content editor or paid-subscription rails — bring your own publishing surface and payments..