Substack

The home for independent voices — publish a newsletter, podcast, or community and get paid by subscribers.

What is Substack?

Substack is the platform that mainstreamed paid newsletters, giving writers a complete stack — email publishing, a hosted website, podcasts, video, chat, and paid subscriptions — with zero upfront cost. Writers keep ownership of their mailing list and content, and Substack only makes money when they do, taking 10% of paid subscription revenue. Its biggest differentiator is the network: the Substack app, recommendations between publications, and Notes drive meaningful organic subscriber growth that standalone email tools can't match. Setup takes minutes and requires no technical skill, which is why many independent journalists, analysts, and creators start there. The trade-off is limited customization and that revenue cut: successful publications often weigh moving to flat-fee platforms like beehiiv or Ghost as their paid base grows.

Key Features

Email newsletter, website, podcast, and video publishing in one

Paid subscriptions with built-in payments via Stripe

Recommendations network and app that drive organic growth

Notes and Chat for community engagement

Full ownership and export of your subscriber list

Use Cases

Launching a paid newsletter with zero upfront cost
Growing an audience through Substack's recommendation network
Publishing a newsletter and podcast from one place
Building a community around your writing with Chat and Notes

How to Use Substack

1Create a publication and pick your subdomain or custom domain
2Import existing subscribers and publish your first post
3Turn on paid subscriptions and set your pricing tiers
4Engage the network with Notes and recommendations to grow

Best For

Independent writers and journalists going paidCreators who value built-in audience discoveryAnyone starting a newsletter with no budget

FAQ

Is Substack free?

Yes. Publishing is free with unlimited subscribers. Substack takes 10% of revenue (plus Stripe fees) only if you enable paid subscriptions.

Do I own my audience on Substack?

Yes. You can export your full subscriber list and content at any time and move to another platform.

Substack vs beehiiv — which is better?

Substack is free to start and offers network-driven discovery, while beehiiv charges a flat fee but keeps your paid revenue and ships far stronger growth and monetization tools. Big paid lists usually save money on beehiiv.