Where good ideas find you
Medium is a publishing platform and social network for writers and readers. Founded by Twitter co-founder Ev Williams in 2012, it features a Partner Program that pays writers based on member reading time. Known for its clean reading experience but criticized for algorithm changes, declining payouts, and shifting business model. Tony Stubblebine became CEO in 2022.
Patterns extracted from real user feedback — not raw reviews.
Writers report earnings dropping from $1000+/month to under $100 after algorithm changes. Some saw 96% income drops. Medium's payouts have become increasingly unpredictable. The Partner Program that once made Medium attractive for writers now barely pays. Many full-time Medium writers had to find other income sources.
Paywalled articles are only visible to paying Medium members (~1M subscribers). Non-members see 3 free articles/month, then paywall. Writers must choose between earnings (paywall) and reach (free). Most readers won't pay $5/month just to read one article. The paywall kills viral potential.
Medium's April 2025 policy restricted meta content (writing about writing, Medium tips, etc.) from earning. Many Medium 'gurus' who taught others saw income disappear. The platform decides what types of content can monetize, limiting creator freedom.
Medium frequently changes its algorithm without warning. Writers who built audiences over years suddenly see zero distribution. Posts that used to get 10K views now get 100. No transparency about what the algorithm favors. Writers feel like they're constantly chasing a moving target.
Medium is overrun with AI-generated content farming the Partner Program. Spam articles, rehashed content, and low-quality posts dominate. Legitimate writers compete against bots. The platform that was known for quality long-form content now feels like a content mill.
Medium publications that once drove significant traffic now get minimal distribution. The algorithm favors individual posts over publication followers. Publication editors report their curated content gets buried. The publication model that made Medium unique has been neutered.
Unlike newsletters, you don't own your follower emails. Can't export your audience. Medium controls the relationship with your readers. If you leave, your followers don't come with you. Platform dependency is complete - Medium can cut you off from your readers anytime.
Medium articles that used to rank well on Google now struggle. The platform's SEO benefits have diminished. Writers seeking organic search traffic find Medium less effective than their own blogs. Google algorithm updates have hurt Medium's domain authority for many topics.
Without existing followers, new writers get almost zero distribution. The algorithm favors established writers. Building an audience from scratch on Medium is extremely difficult in 2026. The network effects that attracted writers originally no longer benefit newcomers.
Writers can't customize their publication design meaningfully. No custom domains for free. Limited control over how content appears. For creators wanting to build a brand, Medium's uniformity is limiting. Your content looks like everyone else's content.
Medium has a 1.7/5 Trustpilot rating largely due to support issues. Users report accounts locked with no explanation, billing problems unresolved, and generic responses. The Trust & Safety team is criticized as ineffective. Issues can take months to resolve or never get resolved.
Writers report accounts suspended or restricted with no clear reason given. Appeals go unanswered for weeks. Years of content becomes inaccessible. The Trust & Safety system is opaque and seemingly arbitrary. Creators lose their work and audience with no recourse.
Users report being charged after canceling subscriptions, difficulty canceling, and unexpected charges. Some report being billed for years after cancellation. The billing system is criticized as confusing and hard to navigate. Getting refunds requires persistence.
Beautiful, distraction-free reading experience
Medium's clean design and typography are genuinely excellent. The reading experience is one of the best on the web. No ads cluttering the page (for members). Focus on content rather than design decisions. The aesthetic quality remains a genuine strength.
Zero technical setup required
Start writing immediately with no hosting, domains, or technical knowledge needed. The editor is intuitive and well-designed. Embed images, videos, and media easily. Perfect for writers who just want to write without managing a website.
Built-in audience potential (if algorithm favors you)
When the algorithm works in your favor, Medium can drive significant traffic. The platform has millions of readers. Getting featured or recommended can bring thousands of views. The discovery potential exists, even if inconsistent.
Claps and highlights create engagement
The clap system (up to 50 per article) and highlighting features encourage reader interaction. Writers can see which passages resonate. The engagement mechanics are unique and satisfying when they work. Comments can spark conversations.
Can earn money without building infrastructure
The Partner Program handles payments automatically. No need to set up Stripe, payment pages, or subscription management. When earnings work, it's passive income from writing. The monetization infrastructure is handled for you.
Publication system enables collaboration
Publications allow multiple writers to contribute to a shared outlet. Editors can curate content. The publication model enables collaborative writing projects. For some niches, publications still provide value and community.
Users: 1
Storage: N/A
Limitations: Limited to 3 paywalled articles/month, No audio features, Constant paywall prompts
Users: 1
Storage: N/A
Limitations: No writing-specific features included, Reading only
Users: 1
Storage: N/A
Limitations: Same as monthly membership
Users: 1
Storage: N/A
Limitations: Primarily a way to support writers, minimal additional features
Users: 1
Storage: Unlimited
Limitations: Must be accepted into program, 100 followers required, Earnings vary wildly
Casual writers testing the waters
Medium's zero-setup publishing is great for trying out writing. No investment required. See if you enjoy the process before committing to a blog or newsletter. The audience exists, even if reaching them is challenging.
Readers wanting quality content
For $5/month, Medium provides access to millions of articles with a genuinely pleasant reading experience. If you read a lot and value curation over chaos, the membership can be worthwhile. The reading experience remains excellent.
Writers in specific niches with established audiences
If you already have followers and your niche performs well on Medium, it can supplement income. But don't rely on it as primary income. Treat it as one channel among many. Have backup plans for when algorithms change.
Writers seeking reliable income
Medium earnings are too unpredictable for reliable income. Writers report 90%+ drops overnight. The Partner Program changes constantly. For stable creator income, Substack, Ghost, or Patreon offer more predictable monetization.
Creators building a brand
You don't own your audience on Medium. Can't export followers. Limited customization. No custom domain (without paying). If you're building a long-term brand, own your platform. Use Medium for distribution, not as your home.
New writers without existing audience
Discovery for new writers is extremely difficult in 2026. The algorithm favors established writers. Building from zero requires immense patience with minimal return. Starting on Substack or your own blog offers more control.
Tech and programming writers
Code formatting on Medium is limited. The developer community has largely moved to Dev.to, Hashnode, or personal blogs. Medium's paywall frustrates readers seeking technical help. Technical content performs better elsewhere.
Writers wanting audience ownership
Medium owns the relationship with your readers. You cannot export follower emails. If the platform changes or your account is restricted, you lose access to your audience. For ownership, use Substack, Ghost, or newsletters.
Common buyer's remorse scenarios reported by users.
Writers who built income streams saw them collapse overnight. $1000/month became $50. Years of audience building undermined by a single algorithm tweak. No warning, no explanation. Creators realized they had no control over their business on Medium.
Writers who spent years building Medium followers discovered they couldn't export them. When they wanted to move to newsletters or their own site, the audience stayed on Medium. All that work building relationships - trapped in a platform they no longer wanted to use.
Writers had accounts locked or restricted with generic 'Terms of Service violation' messages. Appeals went unanswered. Years of content inaccessible. No clear path to resolution. Some lost their accounts permanently without ever understanding why.
Careful, researched articles competed with AI-generated clickbait. The algorithm couldn't distinguish quality from quantity. Writers who spent hours crafting content watched it get fewer reads than 5-minute AI posts. The platform quality they joined for had degraded.
Writers who made money teaching others about Medium (meta content) saw earnings stop after April 2025 policy changes. An entire niche was essentially banned from monetization without warning. Writers had to pivot their entire content strategy.
New writers discovered the 'built-in audience' promise was false for them. Posts got zero views. The algorithm favored established writers. Months of consistent publishing yielded minimal traction. The network effects only worked for those already networked.
Writers who built or contributed to publications watched them lose power. The algorithm stopped favoring publication content. Curated, edited publications got less reach than random individual posts. The editorial investment no longer paid off.
Scenarios where this product tends to fail users.
Medium updates its distribution algorithm and your carefully built income stream collapses. What earned $1000/month now earns $50. No explanation provided. Years of audience building undermined overnight. Must find alternative income sources immediately.
Your account is suddenly restricted or locked. Access to years of content disappears. Appeals get generic responses or no response at all. No clear path to resolution. Your audience on the platform becomes inaccessible. Must start over elsewhere.
You decide to move to your own platform or newsletter but discover you can't take your Medium followers. Years of audience building trapped on Medium. Must start from scratch on new platforms. The audience you thought you owned belongs to Medium.
Your carefully crafted articles compete against AI-generated content flooding the platform. The algorithm can't distinguish quality. Your piece that took days to write gets fewer reads than a 5-minute AI article. Platform quality degrades around you.
Medium changes content policies and your niche is suddenly ineligible for monetization (like the 2025 meta content restrictions). Your entire content strategy is invalidated overnight. Must pivot completely or leave the platform.
You're charged incorrectly, can't cancel properly, or have subscription issues. Customer support is unresponsive. Issues drag on for months. Must dispute with bank/credit card company. The 1.7/5 Trustpilot rating reflects this reality.
The publication you built or contribute to stops getting distribution. Algorithm changes mean publication content is no longer promoted. Editorial investment no longer pays off. The collaborative publishing model you invested in becomes irrelevant.
You join Medium for its 'built-in audience' but discover it doesn't work for newcomers. Months of publishing yield minimal views. The algorithm favors established writers. The network effects that attracted you only work if you're already networked.
Substack
Writers wanting audience ownership switch to Substack for email list control. Gain: own your subscribers, predictable monetization, newsletter focus. Trade-off: must build audience from scratch, 10% fee on paid subscriptions.
Ghost
Professional creators switch to Ghost for complete ownership and control. Gain: 0% platform fees, full customization, own your data, better SEO. Trade-off: monthly hosting costs ($15-29+), more technical setup required.
WordPress
Writers wanting full control switch to WordPress for complete ownership. Gain: total customization, SEO control, plugin ecosystem, no platform dependency. Trade-off: technical complexity, hosting costs, maintenance required.
Dev.to
Tech writers switch to Dev.to for better developer community. Gain: code-friendly formatting, engaged technical audience, no paywall. Trade-off: no monetization built-in, tech-focused only.
Hashnode
Developer bloggers switch to Hashnode for custom domain free blogging. Gain: custom domain, backup to GitHub, developer focus, SEO benefits. Trade-off: primarily tech audience, limited monetization.
beehiiv
Newsletter creators switch to beehiiv for growth tools and analytics. Gain: referral programs, better analytics, ad network, growth-focused. Trade-off: learning curve, paid plans for advanced features.
