Start a paid newsletter on Substack (2024)

FAQs

How to create paid content on Substack? ›

Many Substack writers now recommend that you turn on payments BEFORE you get 1000 subscribers, perhaps even from day one.

For creators: The basic version of Substack is completely free to use and includes creating and sending newsletters to your subscribers, access to an analytics dashboard, and design customization options.

On Substack, writers earn a living doing what they love. Getting started is easy. Set up paid subscriptions in just a few minutes. Earnings estimate calculated for 800 paid subscribers, priced $7/month.

One alternative to Substack is Ghost, an open-source blogging platform. Ghost is similar to Substack in that it allows users to create and publish content, but it includes additional features that Substack is missing that might make it an appealing option for more established independent bloggers or small publications.

The short answer: absolutely, but don't expect it to happen overnight. Starting a paid newsletter is one of the fastest ways to turn your knowledge and expertise into sustainable revenue.

Substack has more than 20 million monthly active subscribers. Substack hit 2 million paid subscriptions. More than 17,000 writers get paid on Substack. The top 10 authors on Substack collectively make $25 million per year.

How much is a paid Substack subscription? ›

The cost of subscribing to a premium Substack newsletter averages about $5 a month, though some subscriptions can reach up to $50. Additionally, Substack provides an option for fans to become a Founding Member, offering them a way to contribute additional funds in support of their favorite creators, akin to donating.

Cons of Substack

If you decide to monetize your Substack, they take a 10% cut PLUS Stripe takes an additional 3% - so 13% of your earnings will automatically be taken out. This can become more than what you would pay for most monthly newsletter subscription services.

On Substack, you own your mailing list, subscriber payments, and intellectual property.

An invitation to transformation and fruit without all the hustle. A slow and exciting movement of people pursuing growth too. A more vulnerable look at topics I've been too shy to talk about. The content or worksheets we thought we'd turn into products but will share on Substack instead.

The top 10 authors on Substack collectively make more than $25 million a year. An increase from $15 million in February 2021, and $10 million in December 2020. That's it for my collection of Substack growth data and figures.

Navigate to the Subscriptions section and click on "Edit" next to the publication you'd like to make changes on. 4. On the next page, click on "Upgrade to paid subscription".

Your emails can still be simple, beautiful, short- or long-form. You can still hop on, write a post and send it out with the click of a button. You'll still get to keep ownership of your list. And when it is time to monetize, you'll still be able to sell things to your readers.

Giving stuff away can be surprisingly lucrative

You can start by offering a free newsletter only, and turn on paid subscriptions at a later date. You can even ask readers to make a pledge, to show they'd be interested in paying for your newsletter, should you decide to offer that as an option.