diff --git a/R/release.R b/R/release.R
index 9ac699815..6a62a3cfe 100644
--- a/R/release.R
+++ b/R/release.R
@@ -4,12 +4,10 @@
 #'
 #' The package release process will:
 #'
-#' \itemize{
-#'   \item Confirm that the package passes `R CMD check` on relevant platforms
-#'   \item Confirm that important files are up-to-date
-#'   \item Build the package
-#'   \item Submit the package to CRAN, using comments in "cran-comments.md"
-#' }
+#'   * Confirm that the package passes `R CMD check` on relevant platforms
+#'   * Confirm that important files are up-to-date
+#'   * Build the package
+#'   * Submit the package to CRAN, using comments in "cran-comments.md"
 #'
 #' You can add arbitrary extra questions by defining an (un-exported) function
 #' called `release_questions()` that returns a character vector
@@ -203,14 +201,26 @@ cran_comments <- function(pkg = ".", call = parent.frame()) {
 
 cran_submission_url <- "https://xmpalantir.wu.ac.at/cransubmit/index2.php"
 
-#' Submit a package to CRAN.
+#' Submit a package to CRAN
 #'
-#' This uses the new CRAN web-form submission process. After submission, you
-#' will receive an email asking you to confirm submission - this is used
-#' to check that the package is submitted by the maintainer.
+#' @description
+
+#' This submits your package to CRAN using the web-form submission process.
+#' After submission, you will receive an email asking you to confirm submission
+#' - this is used to check that the package is submitted by the maintainer.
+#'
+#' You may prefer to use `submit_cran()` indirectly, by calling [release()]
+#' instead. `release()` performs many checks verifying that your package is
+#' indeed ready for CRAN, before eventually asking for your confirmation that
+#' you'd like to submit it to CRAN (which it does by calling `submit_cran()`).
 #'
-#' It's recommended that you use [release()] rather than this
-#' function as it performs more checks prior to submission.
+#' Whether to use `release()` or `submit_cran()` depends on the rest of your
+#' development process. If you want to be super cautious, use `release()`, even
+#' though it may be redundant with other checks you have performed. On the other
+#' hand, if you have many other checks in place (such as automated checks via
+#' GitHub Actions and the task list generated by
+#' [usethis::use_release_issue()]), it makes sense to use `submit_cran()`
+#' directly.
 #'
 #' @template devtools
 #' @inheritParams release
diff --git a/man/release.Rd b/man/release.Rd
index fb9e29d36..d0efd4d00 100644
--- a/man/release.Rd
+++ b/man/release.Rd
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ Run automated and manual tests, then post package to CRAN.
 }
 \details{
 The package release process will:
-
 \itemize{
 \item Confirm that the package passes \verb{R CMD check} on relevant platforms
 \item Confirm that important files are up-to-date
diff --git a/man/submit_cran.Rd b/man/submit_cran.Rd
index d906ec888..ef7d8383a 100644
--- a/man/submit_cran.Rd
+++ b/man/submit_cran.Rd
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 % Please edit documentation in R/release.R
 \name{submit_cran}
 \alias{submit_cran}
-\title{Submit a package to CRAN.}
+\title{Submit a package to CRAN}
 \usage{
 submit_cran(pkg = ".", args = NULL)
 }
@@ -14,12 +14,23 @@ package object.  See \code{\link[=as.package]{as.package()}} for more informatio
 line arguments to be passed to \verb{R CMD build}.}
 }
 \description{
-This uses the new CRAN web-form submission process. After submission, you
-will receive an email asking you to confirm submission - this is used
-to check that the package is submitted by the maintainer.
+This submits your package to CRAN using the web-form submission process.
+After submission, you will receive an email asking you to confirm submission
+\itemize{
+\item this is used to check that the package is submitted by the maintainer.
 }
-\details{
-It's recommended that you use \code{\link[=release]{release()}} rather than this
-function as it performs more checks prior to submission.
+
+You may prefer to use \code{submit_cran()} indirectly, by calling \code{\link[=release]{release()}}
+instead. \code{release()} performs many checks verifying that your package is
+indeed ready for CRAN, before eventually asking for your confirmation that
+you'd like to submit it to CRAN (which it does by calling \code{submit_cran()}).
+
+Whether to use \code{release()} or \code{submit_cran()} depends on the rest of your
+development process. If you want to be super cautious, use \code{release()}, even
+though it may be redundant with other checks you have performed. On the other
+hand, if you have many other checks in place (such as automated checks via
+GitHub Actions and the task list generated by
+\code{\link[usethis:use_release_issue]{usethis::use_release_issue()}}), it makes sense to use \code{submit_cran()}
+directly.
 }
 \keyword{internal}