Substrate review
Updated September 28, 2026 · CompanionCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
Substrate charges $18 a month and opens with a 14-day free trial, no credit card required, so it suits adults who want to size up a paid plan before paying for it. Its overall score is 5.2 out of ten, with model options listed as free and premium.
Key facts
- Best for
- One monthly plan, a free trial to start with, and model options of free and premium.
- Monthly price
- $18↗
- What is free
- 14-day free trial, no credit card required↗
- Support channels
- Email↗
- Pricing model
- Free, Premium
- Official website
- substrate.run
Facts checked September 26, 2026, 2 sources
Pros and cons
Pros
- A 14-day free trial, no credit card required means you can look at the plan before paying for it.
- At $18 a month it stays under the €21.70 upper quartile on the site.
- Model options are listed as free and premium, which gives a choice of tier under a single subscription.
Cons
- Support runs on email only, so help arrives through a single route.
- The $18 monthly price is above the €13.15 across the site, and it costs more than SecretDesires.ai at $7.99.
Who it suits
- Adults who want to try a paid plan on a 14-day free trial, no credit card required first.
- Readers who want the model options listed as free and premium under the same plan.
- People who are happy to handle support by email.
Who should look elsewhere
- SecretDesires.ai at $7.99 a month, when the lowest monthly cost decides it.
- DeepSwap at $9.99 a month, for readers weighing the monthly fee closely.
- Wordtune at $9.99 a month, if the monthly budget is the main concern.
How Substrate compares
8.9 vs 9.0
8.9 vs 8.5
8.9 vs 8.5
8.9 vs 8.5
8.9 vs 8.5
8.9 vs 9.3
Frequently asked questions
How much does Substrate cost each month?+
Substrate lists a monthly price of $18. The site median sits at €13.15, so Substrate is priced above the middle of the category, though it stays under the €21.70 upper quartile.
Is there a free trial, and do I need a card?+
A 14-day free trial, no credit card required is listed, so payment details are not required at the start and the paid subscription only begins once the trial ends. After that the plan runs at $18 a month.
What models does Substrate give access to?+
The plan lists model options as free and premium, so both a free and a premium option sit under the same subscription, which costs $18 a month. That keeps the choice inside a single plan rather than a separate tier.
How do I reach Substrate support?+
The listed support route is email, which means questions go through email. Many of the other sites compared here add a help centre or live chat, so anyone wanting instant answers will find this narrower.
Which compared sites cost less than Substrate?+
SecretDesires.ai is listed at $7.99 a month, DeepSwap at $9.99 and Wordtune at $9.99. Each of those sits below the $18 monthly price from Substrate, so on price alone all three are cheaper.
How does Substrate rank on price across these sites?+
On monthly price it ranks 57 of 94 brands listed, which places it in the dearer part of the field. Its overall score on the site is 5.2 out of ten.
Sources
- zo.computer checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Support channels
“email help@zocomputer.com”
- zo.computer/pricing checked September 26, 2026
Backs: What is free, Pricing model, Monthly price
“Free Trial includes a 14-day AI and computer trial”
Compiled from 2 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Credits per image, Adult content policy.
Substrate
One monthly plan, a free trial to start with, and model options of free and premium.