What Fast Growers Ask Before Choosing A Tool

Here’s something most creators get backwards when picking a newsletter platform.

A founder got on a call with me last week. He’d already tried Kit, dabbled in Circle, and was two weeks into rebuilding on Beehiiv. His question: “Should I go custom?”

Before I answered, I asked him something else: where’s your distribution actually coming from?

He didn’t have a good answer. Neither do most people who ask me this question.

Most creators pick a platform based on features, or price, or whatever their favorite person online uses. That’s backwards.

The real question is: if you don’t already have a built-in audience, what’s actually going to put your work in front of new people?

Right now, for creators starting from zero, that’s Substack — specifically Notes. Not the newsletter itself. Not cross-recommendations, either, even though that’s what most advice focuses on.

If you already have distribution somewhere else — a podcast, an existing list, a following — Kit’s automation will make you more money once someone’s already in the door.

Ghost gives you full ownership and zero built-in growth. Beehiiv is busy trying to become a community platform, which usually means its core email tool gets worse, not better.

Match the platform to how people are going to find you. Everything else is a distant second question.

Matt “distribution first” Ragland

P.S. Paid subscribers get more breakdowns like this — the actual mechanics behind platform and growth decisions, not just surface-level “which tool is best” takes. [Upgrade below]