Is Substack free to use?

Substack is free for writers to create and publish newsletters. Substack takes a 10% cut only when a writer charges paid subscriptions. Readers can subscribe for free to any newsletter. Writers can offer both free and paid tiers, with paid subscriptions typically ranging from $5 to $15 per month.

How does Substack make money?

Substack takes a 10% fee on paid subscription revenue generated by writers. Payment processing adds another 2.9% plus 30 cents per transaction through Stripe. Substack does not charge for free newsletters and does not sell advertising. This aligns Substack's incentives with writer success - the platform only earns when writers earn.

Can Substack help with SEO and AI search visibility?

Substack newsletters are indexed by search engines and can rank for relevant keywords. Substack's high domain authority - currently a DA of 93 - means content published there can rank well even for competitive terms. For AI search, Substack content is regularly cited by Perplexity and ChatGPT when it provides specific, authoritative answers.

What Is Substack?

Substack is an online publishing platform that allows writers, journalists, and creators to publish newsletters, podcasts, and long-form content directly to subscribers. Founded in 2017 by Chris Best, Hamish McKenzie, and Jairaj Sethi, Substack has grown into one of the most significant independent publishing platforms on the internet, with over 35 million active subscriptions and more than 4 million paid subscriptions across its network of publications. The platform's model is simple - writers own their audience and content, and Substack takes a 10% cut only on paid subscriptions.

How Does Substack Work?

Substack provides an all-in-one publishing toolkit:

Newsletter publishing. Writers create posts using a clean, distraction-free editor. Posts are delivered directly to subscriber email inboxes and published on the writer's Substack page. Each Substack publication gets its own subdomain (writer.substack.com) or can use a custom domain.

Subscription management. Writers can offer free subscriptions, paid subscriptions, or both. Paid subscriptions typically range from $5 to $50 per month. Substack handles all payment processing, subscriber management, and billing through Stripe.

Notes. Substack Notes is a social feed - similar to Twitter/X - where writers share short-form updates, recommend other publications, and engage with the broader Substack community. Notes helps writers discover new audiences within the platform.

Podcasts and video. Beyond newsletters, Substack supports audio and video content, allowing creators to offer multimedia subscriptions. This positions Substack as a broader creator platform rather than just an email tool.

Why Does Substack Matter for Content Distribution?

Direct Audience Ownership

Unlike social media platforms where algorithms control who sees your content, Substack delivers directly to email inboxes. This means no algorithm throttling, no pay-to-play reach reduction, and full ownership of your subscriber list. Writers can export their email list at any time and take their audience elsewhere.

High Domain Authority for SEO

Substack has a domain authority of 93 according to Ahrefs. Content published on Substack can rank well in Google search results, giving writers SEO benefits alongside their direct email distribution. For startups, cross-publishing on Substack can extend the reach of content that also lives on your own domain.

AI Search Visibility

Substack content is regularly indexed by AI search tools. Perplexity and ChatGPT Search frequently cite Substack posts when they provide specific, expert perspectives on topics. The platform's reputation for hosting independent, authoritative voices gives its content trust signals that AI models recognize.

Creator Economics

Top Substack writers earn significant revenue. The platform reported that the top 10 publications collectively earn over $25 million annually. Substack's top writers span politics, technology, culture, finance, and more - demonstrating that audiences will pay for quality independent content.

How Does Substack Compare to Other Platforms?

Substack vs Mailchimp/ConvertKit. Traditional email platforms are tools - they require you to build everything (landing pages, automation, branding) yourself. Substack is a platform with built-in discovery, social features, and a network effect. The tradeoff is less customization in exchange for simplicity and community.

Substack vs Medium. Medium is an ad-supported reading platform where content is behind a paywall managed by Medium. Substack lets writers own their subscriber relationships and set their own pricing. Medium offers broader discovery; Substack offers more creator control.

Substack vs Threads and Bluesky. These are short-form social platforms, while Substack focuses on long-form content. However, Substack Notes increasingly competes in the short-form space. The strategic play for many creators is using short-form platforms to drive traffic to their Substack for deeper engagement and monetization.

How Can Startups Use Substack?

For startups, Substack can serve as a content distribution channel:

Thought leadership. Founders publishing industry insights build personal and brand authority. This authority signals contribute to E-E-A-T and improve AI search visibility.
Cross-publishing. Publishing content on both your blog and Substack extends reach. Use canonical URLs to avoid duplicate content issues.
Community building. Substack's comment and discussion features create engagement around your content that social platforms increasingly throttle.
Lead generation. Free Substack subscriptions capture email addresses from your target audience, feeding your broader marketing funnel.

Substack represents the broader shift toward creator-owned distribution - and for startups building in public, it is one of the most effective ways to build an audience that you actually own.