Why I moved from Beehiiv to Substack

For years, I paid $99/month for Beehiiv (since May 2022 to be exact).

I loved how it positioned itself as the modern email platform for creators, and I appreciated what early adopters like @denk_tweets built there.

But after spending just one day back on Substack, I realized something important:

Substack isn’t just a tool anymore. It’s a cultural movement.

Yes, Beehiiv has impressive features. But it’s become too siloed. Too focused on traditional email marketing mechanics (despite the fact that they really disrupted the email marketing game in the early days).

Substack, on the other hand, feels like what email should become in the AI age:
A hybrid of Medium + X + LinkedIn + gated community.

Thoughtful. Human. Alive.

What tipped me over?

• Discovery that actually works

• Built-in community dynamics

• Elegant paywalling and memberships

• And most importantly: a culture of quality writing

I used to dislike Substack’s rigid design. But now I see the value in its constraints—they help preserve writing quality.

With AI flooding the internet with auto-generated content, platforms that nudge humans toward thoughtful expression will matter more.

This isn’t just about email. It’s about values.

The tools we use shape what we create.
And the culture/behavior around those tools determines what survives.

So it’s not just about AI anymore, but figuring out which tools truly align with who we are.

George