Top 8 Medium Alternatives for Writers in 2026

You publish on Medium, hit publish, and then realize something feels off.

Your work lives on someone else’s platform. The rules change. The reach drops. And the money part never feels fully in your control.

That is why many writers start looking beyond Medium.

In this post, I will show you websites like Medium, the best Medium alternatives that writers actually use in 2026.

Some help you grow an audience. Some give you more control. Some are better for getting paid.

1. LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a powerful platform for professionals to connect and share ideas. I bet you know that. It’s also great for writers to show off their skills, connect with similar people, and build their personal brand.

To get started on LinkedIn, the first thing you have to do is activate creator mode. And then you can start creating interesting content that your target audience will like.

Focus on informative and engaging articles, newsletters, and videos that matter to your audience, industry, or niche.

Make sure they are well-thought-out and use storytelling techniques to grab your audience’s attention and motivate them to keep reading.

Best For:

If you’re a professional who wants to establish yourself as an expert in your field, you can get more people to read your content and increase your visibility.

But it’s also important to optimize them for search engines.

This means doing keyword research and using relevant keywords in your headlines, subheadings, and main content.

You can also reach a specific audience and get more traffic to your content by joining and participating in LinkedIn Groups related to your industry or niche. That works too.

Earning Potential:

It’s important to note that LinkedIn does not pay for views.

Instead, you can earn money through sponsored posts or by promoting your existing products or services. But it probably doesn’t happen until you have a huge following.

In addition to that, LinkedIn is a valuable platform for promoting your consulting or freelance services, showcasing your expertise, and attracting potential clients or employers.

If you’re an expert in a particular field, you can also apply to become a LinkedIn Learning Instructor.

2. Substack

Substack is a popular email newsletter platform founded in 2017 that simplifies the process for writers to publish newsletters and offer subscriptions. You can start publishing for free forever or opt for paid subscriptions at any time.

Substack handles all the behind-the-scenes tech, so you can focus on creating content for your newsletter rather than on building websites. Podcasts, videos, and community features are all integrated into Substack itself.

Best For:

Substack is best for writers who want to build a close relationship with their personal audience, as they have direct access to readers’ inboxes, unlike writing on Medium. Yes, I’m talking about email newsletters.

The biggest advantage here is that you own your email list. If you choose to leave the platform, you can take your email list with you.

However, Substack is not an email marketing tool but a publishing tool, lacking features for growing an email list, such as landing pages, segmentation, and automation, so you’ll need to put in extra work to promote it.

If your goal is to grow a product or service business online, you may need a creator-focused email marketing tool beyond Substack, such as Kit.

Earning Potential:

There is no upfront cost to start writing or monetizing, though Substack takes 10% of subscription earnings.

In addition to subscriptions, sponsored content is another way for Substack writers to earn money. At this time, Substack does not have any policies that prevent publishers from hosting sponsored content.

However, if you are considering hosting sponsored content, it is recommended that you carefully review their Publisher Agreement and Content Guidelines.

3. ConvertKit (now Kit)

Kit is an email marketing platform created in 2013 to help creators build and grow their email lists. It offers various features like landing pages, automation, and segmentation, making it an all-in-one toolkit for individuals looking to make money from their content.

The great thing is that, unlike other email marketing platforms, ConvertKit has a free plan for up to 10,000 subscribers, which makes it a great platform for beginners who are new to this.

Best For:

ConvertKit is ideal for creators who want to expand their audience and make money from their content using email marketing.

Unlike platforms like Medium, ConvertKit offers tools for organizing your audience and setting up automated email sequences. This can help you better engage with and convert your subscribers.

It also provides a Creator Profile, which is a simple and convenient way to create a public newsletter feed to attract more readers to your content.

Earning Potential:

ConvertKit offers multiple ways to monetize your email list. You can sell digital products, offer paid newsletter subscriptions, or use the platform’s built-in sponsorship network to earn money through brand deals.

When it comes to subscriptions, ConvertKit takes a 3.5% commission plus a processing fee for each transaction on paid subscriptions, which is lower than the 10% cut taken by Substack.

While it may require a bit more setup compared to Medium, the benefits of owning your audience and having advanced marketing features can be well worth the effort.

4. HubPages

HubPages is best suited for individuals who want to create and publish content on a diverse range of subjects. It is a popular platform for writers, bloggers, and content creators who want to share their knowledge and expertise with a wider audience.

Best For:

HubPages is mainly aimed at a wide audience and focuses on offering informative and interesting content on various subjects.

Some advantages of using HubPages are the opportunity to make money from your content, the supportive community of writers and creators, and the user-friendly platform.

However, there are also some potential disadvantages, such as the competitive nature of the platform and the need to consistently create high-quality content to stay visible and earn money.

Earning Potential:

The platform’s revenue-sharing model lets users earn a portion of the revenue generated from their content.

According to HubPages, users on the platform earn an average of about $3 for 1000 impressions. However, the amount earned can vary greatly based on the user’s content and marketing efforts.

5. Vocal.Media

Vocal.Media is a platform where writers, storytellers, and content creators can share their work, engage with a community, and earn money. It has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy for creators to publish their work, even if they are new to digital publishing.

Best For:

It provides a variety of content categories, including fiction, poetry, technology, and health. This allows writers to explore different genres and topics, attracting a diverse audience with various interests.

One of the best things about it is the helpful and involved community where writers from different backgrounds come together to share stories, give feedback, and support each other’s growth, creating a positive environment for creators.

Earning Potential:

Vocal.Media provides various methods for creators to make money from their content. Creators earn money based on the number of reads their stories receive using Vocal’s pay-per-read model, which ensures fair compensation.

Readers can also leave tips for creators as a way to support their favorite content, allowing creators to earn additional income directly from their audience.

By paying a monthly or yearly fee, Vocal+ members earn more money for their work ($6 for every 1,000 reads compared to $3.80 for regular members), get to participate in exclusive challenges with bigger prizes, and receive priority support.

6. DEV Community (dev.to)

Dev.to is an online community where people can share and find great ideas, have discussions, and make friends. It’s a special platform that combines the features of a blogging platform, chat room, and forum. It’s mainly for programmers or people who are learning to code.

One of the notable features of Dev.to is its voting system. You can express your liking for a post, react to it, or save it for later reading.

The platform simplifies the process of writing and sharing code snippets by using a straightforward tag, enabling you to categorize your posts, which improves the likelihood of reaching your audience.

Best For:

Dev.to is a great platform for developers, especially those who are new to the field.

It offers a supportive community where writers can share knowledge and help others learn, as many users have found it easier to learn new concepts through the articles and resources available on Dev.to.

Earning Potential:

Dev.to has recently introduced Web Monetization, allowing authors to receive micropayments when Web Monetized browsers visit their profiles and posts.

While the earnings may be small at first, the platform wants more authors to use this standard so that monetized browsers can directly reward their work.

7. WordPress

WordPress is a popular content management system (CMS) that is used by over 43% of all websites. It is a great alternative to Medium for publishing content and creating blogs, business websites, and even ecommerce stores.

One of the main benefits of WordPress is there are thousands of themes and plugins available, giving users endless possibilities for customization.

You own your content and the platform it’s hosted on (such as website hosting services like Bluehost), providing more control, flexibility, and monetization opportunities compared to Medium.

As your audience and content needs grow, WordPress can scale with you, and by hosting your content on WordPress, you’re building an asset that you can potentially sell or use in the future, which is not possible with Medium.

Best For:

WordPress is ideal for people who want more than just a blogging platform.

If your website has a purpose beyond being a blog, or if your blog is not the main focus of your website, WordPress might be the right choice for you.

It lets you sell products, take reservations, organize events, and much more, making it a comprehensive content management system (CMS).

However, the downside is that WordPress can have a learning curve. If you need more, you can do more, and if you need less, you don’t have to use all its features.

It’s up to you and what your needs are now and in the future.

Earning Potential:

While WordPress doesn’t pay users directly, it comes with all the tools to help you earn money online in various ways.

This is not as easily possible on platforms like Medium.

You can make money through affiliate marketing, display ads using platforms like Google AdSense, selling digital products directly on your blog, offering premium content or exclusive access to members, and even providing consulting or coaching services to your audience.

However, the amount of money you can make from a WordPress website can vary a lot depending on things like the topic you focus on, how many people visit your site and interact with it, how you make money from it, and how much time and effort you put into it.

8. Write.as

Write.as is a minimal and privacy-focused blogging platform that prioritizes simplicity and anonymity. Its main goal is to provide a space where you can write freely without revealing who you are.

In other words, the platform is designed to be free, meaning it doesn’t gather your personal information, so you can write without any restrictions. You can publish your work anonymously or using any name you prefer, ensuring your browsing remains private.

Write.as also has a simple writing interface that prioritizes the writing experience over complicated website management features. You can write using Markdown or a rich text editor, and your work is automatically saved as they type.

Best For:

Write.as is well suited for writers who value privacy and anonymity. The platform allows you to publish articles without a blog, using the “anonymous posts” feature.

These posts can also be shared with others by copying and sharing the unique URL. This feature lets you control the level of exposure for your writing.

For example, you could share personal stories, creative writing pieces, or sensitive topics you love to write about.

However, they closed new free account registrations, as of December 31, 2021.

But for now, you might try these options: create a paid account or ask a Write.as user with a paid account for a free invitation.

Earning Potential:

Write.as doesn’t have ways for writers to make money directly on the platform.

However, if you value creative freedom more than making money on the platform itself, you might still be interested in Write.as because it prioritizes privacy and anonymity.

In another way, Write.as could help you build an audience and establish your name, which could then open up opportunities for making money elsewhere, like through paid newsletters, sponsored content, or selling books.

Choosing the Right Medium Alternative

No platform will ever be right for everyone.

But for most writers today, Medium is good.

However, don’t hesitate to try different platforms to find the one that suits your writing goals and style.

Here’s a simple breakdown for you to choose the right one:

• LinkedIn is good for professional networking and thought leadership.
• Substack is great for building direct relationships with readers through newsletters and making money from subscriptions.
• Kit is ideal for creators like bloggers, authors, and podcasters who want to grow their audience and earn money through email marketing.
• HubPages and Vocal.Media are platforms where you can earn money by writing content.
• DEV Community (dev.to) is perfect for developers who want to share technical content and connect with a tech-savvy audience.
• WordPress offers the highest earning potential and flexibility for those who are willing to manage a more complex setup.
• Write.as is best for writers who prioritize privacy and prefer a simple and distraction-free writing space.

Pick the one that aligns best with your requirements, whether it’s monetization, community engagement, or content simplicity.

The online publishing world is super huge, offering countless options, so enjoy the process and let your words stand out!