Substack writers, you need a website | Hacker News

Hacker News users debated whether writers should rely on Substack or own their own websites.

One side said a personal site plus syndication protects content, subscriber data, and reduces vendor lock-in.

The other side argued Substack’s built-in email delivery is what actually reaches readers, while standalone sites often get little traffic.

The discussion underscored a common tradeoff: platform reach and convenience versus control, portability, and lower migration risk.