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self-host the SaaS you're paying for

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HubSpot vs Substack

Self-host either: open-source alternatives compared.

HubSpot and Substack both have open-source self-host stand-ins. Listmonk self-hosts as a replacement for both — listed below alongside the picks unique to each.

HubSpotSubstack
CategoryCRM + marketing automationNewsletter publishing + paid subscriptions
SaaS pricing anchorFree CRM; Marketing Hub Pro starts at $890/moFree to publish; Substack takes 10% of paid-subscription revenue + Stripe fees
Self-host options listed33

Replaces both — 1 shared open-source pick

These open-source projects appear on both /hubspot/ and /substack/ — picking one solves the migration off either SaaS.

Listmonkknadh/listmonkalivereplaces both

GitHub
★ 20.1k · last commit today
License
AGPL-3.0
Setup time
10min (single Go binary + Postgres)
Monthly cost
$5 VPS for the app; SES/Mailgun for delivery.

Picks unique to each

HubSpot only

  • EspoCRMalive
    GPL-3.015min (PHP + MySQL)$5 VPS for a small team — very efficient PHP app.
  • Mauticalive
    GPL-3.020min (PHP + MySQL)$10 VPS for low-volume sending; SMTP/SES for actual delivery.

Substack only

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

In a terminal? npx os-alt hubspot or npx os-alt substack prints either side — how the CLI works →

FAQ

Which open-source self-host alternatives replace both HubSpot and Substack?

1 open-source project appears on both /hubspot/ and /substack/: Listmonk.

How many self-host alternatives are listed for HubSpot and Substack?

3 for HubSpot, 3 for Substack.

Are all the self-host alternatives free?

Yes — every listed option is open source. Your cost is the VPS or hardware that runs it.