Marketing
Substack
Home for writers.
What it is
Substack lets creators build their own publishing empires. It allows writers to earn directly from readers via paid subscriptions, rather than ads. With no technical knowledge, you can start a newsletter, publish podcasts, and interact with your audience via 'Notes.' Substack is at the forefront of 'democratized media,' ensuring writers own their own data and subscriber lists.
Key features
Paid Subs
Turn on a paid membership system for your private content with one click.
Substack Notes
Engage with other writers and readers in a Twitter-like social space.
Podcast Hosting
Publish audio content and create episodes exclusive to your paid subscribers.
Cross-Promotion
Get recommended by other writers to rapidly increase your reach.
Strengths and trade-offs
What works well
- Zero Upfront Cost: No fixed fees regardless of subscriber count (takes a 10% cut).
- Data Ownership: You own your subscriber list and can move it elsewhere anytime.
- Organic Growth: Its internal recommendation network helps you find new readers.
- Simplicity: Focus strictly on writing without worrying about design or tech details.
Where it falls short
- Personalization: Your site's design is nearly identical to thousands of other Substack pages.
- Commission: High-earning writers may find the 10% cut more expensive than Ghost.
- SEO: Using your own custom domain requires a one-time fee to set up.
Who it is for
Writers, Journalists, and Thought Leaders.
Our verdict
The world's easiest and most popular way to build an audience and earn from writing.
Frequently asked questions
- Does Substack have a free plan?
- No free plan is listed on the vendor's pricing page. Substack is sold on usage-based pricing.
- Who is Substack best for?
- Writers, Journalists, and Thought Leaders.
- What are the main drawbacks of Substack?
- The trade-offs we noted: Personalization: Your site's design is nearly identical to thousands of other Substack pages.; Commission: High-earning writers may find the 10% cut more expensive than Ghost.; SEO: Using your own custom domain requires a one-time fee to set up..
What we checked
- Public APIOffers a documented API you can build against.No
- Mobile appHas a native app for iOS or Android, not just a mobile website.Yes
- Open source / self-hostableSource is open and the tool can be run on your own infrastructure.No
- SSO (SAML)Supports SAML single sign-on on at least one plan.No
“Not checked” means exactly that — we have not verified it, and we do not guess.
More Marketing tools: see the full Marketing category