Substack

A writer-first newsletter platform that makes it easy to publish and monetize through paid subscriptions. Substack takes a 10% cut of paid subscriber revenue rather than charging upfront fees.

Our take

Substack is the simplest path to a paid newsletter. There's no monthly fee — Substack takes 10% of your subscription revenue instead, which means zero risk to start but significant cost as you scale. The writing experience is clean and distraction-free, and the built-in discovery network can drive subscribers. The major limitation is customisation — you get very little control over design, branding, or layout. There's no automation, no segmentation, and limited analytics. Substack is ideal for writers who want to focus purely on content and are willing to trade control for simplicity.

Pricing

Pricing verified 2026-03-16

Ratings

Overall score: 58/100 (composite of the above ratings)

Features