About Substack
Make money doing the work you believe in.
Old media models are broken. Substack is building a new one that puts writers, creators, and subscribers in charge.
Start your Substack
Free to start
No platform fees, no tiers, no contracts—Substack is free to start and free to leave
Earn money right away
90% goes to you. The rest powers the platform that supports your work.
Build your audience
Tap into a platform with 5 million paid subscriptions and counting
Grow faster
More than half of new subscribers come from Substack’s built-in network
Estimate what you could earn on Substack
A few hundred paid subscribers at $5/month can replace a salary. A few thousand makes it a real business.
Our entire business model depends on your success—we only make money when you do.
50 subscribers100 subscribers200 subscribers400 subscribers800 subscribers2,000 subscribers5,000 subscribers10,000 subscribers50,000 subscribers
$5/month$7/month$10/month$15/month$30/month$75/month
$4,638per month
Start your Substack
Writers keep 90% of their revenue minus credit card fees.
A network that grows with you
On Substack, you’re not starting from zero. Subscribers discover new voices through recommendations, notes, and collaborations.
Tens of millions
Of people read, watch, and listen on Substack every week
1 million+
Posts discovered by potential subscribers in the app every day, creating a steady path to growth
30%+
Of paid subscriptions come from within Substack’s network
Built for every kind of creator
Build a paid subscriber base. Own every word and every direct relationship. Whether you’re running a solo business or a full newsroom, Substack is built for you.
Start your Substack
Media companies
Run a full newsroom with multiple writers, sections, and podcasts. Substack handles payments, distribution, and subscriber management.
Writers and journalists
Publish world-class reporting, essays, reviews, and fiction with our built-in word-processing and writer-friendly tools. Write and publish without fear.
Podcasters and video creators
Host your podcast natively using the Substack Recording Studio or go live to connect with your subscribers immediately. Publish automatically to audiences on Substack, Apple, Spotify, and YouTube. Offer premium episodes to paid subscribers.
Experts, educators, creative voices
Teach what you know, share your research, or put your creative work into the world—on your own terms. Your audience pays you directly because they value what you make.
Legal support for your work
Substack Defender provides publishers access to legal support, including legal fees, advice, and pre-publication review, so you can publish your best work without fear. Since its launch in 2020, Defender has supported dozens of creators facing alleged defamation, claims of trademark and copyright infringement, and more.
Who’s here
From Pulitzer winners to first-time writers, media companies to solo creators. At Substack, you can build anything.
By The Bulwark team
The Bulwark
Independent news, commentary, and podcasts without the noise. From writers and podcasters you can trust.
By Caroline Chambers
What To Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking
Recipe developer and food writer known for family-friendly, flavor-packed meals that anyone can cook.
By Lenny Rachitsky
Lenny’s Newsletter
Deep dives on product, growth, and careers—trusted by builders and operators in tech and beyond.
By Tina Brown
Fresh Hell
Legendary editor and media powerhouse offering sharp commentary on culture, power, and politics.
By Laura Reilly
Magasin
Fashion, retail, and internet culture through a sharp industry lens—essential reading for how we dress and shop.
By Mehdi Hasan
Zeteo
Sharp interviews and commentary on politics, media, and power—video and writing in one subscription.
By Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
NBA legend and award-winning author writing about sports, politics, history, and American culture.
By Drop Site News
Drop Site News
Investigative reporting and analysis on power, security, and accountability—newsroom-style work on Substack.
By Yotam Ottolenghi
Ottolenghi
Renowned chef and author offering exclusive recipes, stories, and test kitchen insights each week.
By Caleb Hearon
Caleb Hearon
Comedy and writing from a rising voice in stand-up and TV—personal, chaotic, and very funny.
By Nate Silver
Silver Bulletin
Data-driven takes on politics, polling, and the media from the founder of FiveThirtyEight.
By George Saunders
Story Club
Booker Prize-winning author sharing exclusive stories, writing advice, and deep dives into craft and character.
By Bari Weiss
The Free Press
Independent journalism on the stories mainstream outlets won’t touch—news, essays, and podcasts for curious readers.
By Citrini Research
Citrini Research
Macro and markets research with a clear voice—charts, data, and trade ideas for serious readers.
By Ina Garten
Barefoot Contessa
Recipes and kitchen wisdom from the iconic cook—approachable, elegant food for home cooks who love to host.
By Aaron Parnas
The Parnas Perspective
Attorney and political commentator breaking down U.S. and global news with clarity and urgency.
By Sam Harris
Making Sense
Philosophy, science, and culture through longform conversation and essays from one of podcasting’s most influential voices.
I’ve never been involved in any media project like Substack. In journalism, you struggle just to stay afloat. Something is changing in media, and I’m fortunate to be part of it.
Built-in tools
Substack offers a powerful set of tools to handle everything—publishing, payments, growth, and more—that requires zero technical experience. Launch in minutes and build a sustainable business on your own terms. All you need is something to say; Substack handles the rest.
Start your Substack
Editor and writing tools
The best writing tool on the internet, according to the writers who use it every day. Distraction-free, built for longform, and powerful enough to handle everything from a quick post to a 10,000-word essay. Format posts, embed media, schedule publications, and manage your archive within a single CMS.
Multimedia
Written posts, podcasts, live video, and a subscriber chat, all in one place. No need to stitch together third-party tools or platforms.
Built-in growth
With publication recommendations, app-driven discovery, Notes, trending topics, and leaderboards, Substack puts your work in front of millions of people—for free.
Community
Subscriber chats, comment threads, and moderation tools turn a publication into a community. On Substack, subscribers don’t just consume your work—they participate in it.
Revenue tools
Built to convert. Every feature—welcome sequences, win-back campaigns, boosts, analytics—is designed to turn free subscribers into paying ones and keep them coming back.
You deserve to make money doing the work you love.
Start your SubstackTalk to our team about Enterprise