On Substack, creators earn a living doing what they love. Getting started is easy. Set up paid subscriptions in just a few minutes.
Estimate what you could make on Substack
$4,638per month
Writers keep 90% of their revenue minus credit card fees.
“I can still remember standing in the kitchen in March 2020 and watching the first $1.00 I made come through, from sharing my own research. Was a crazy feeling. A year later and it’s now my full-time ‘job’.”
Choose which posts you publish as free or only for paid subscribers. Zero tech knowledge required. We take care of everything so you can focus on creating your best work.
The ad model demands that writers and creators attract 40,000 page views every day to earn just $1,000 a month. With the Substack model, a steady base of 1,000 subscribers paying $5 each month earns you $60,000 per year.
“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.”
Journalist Bari Weiss transformed her personal Substack into The Free Press in 2022, growing it into a full-fledged media organization that features multiple newsletters, podcasts, and video. She now has over a million subscribers, a 50-person staff, and generates millions in annual revenue.
Judd Legum, founder of political blog ThinkProgress, launched Popular Information on Substack in July 2018. Popular Information now has more than 100,000 signups.
Tony Mecia, a local news veteran in NC, turned on subscriptions for his Substack after one year of writing. In 2021, the Charlotte Ledger is on pace to earn $175,000 in annual revenue.
Emily Atkin started her publication on the climate crisis in late 2019. Six months later, she was earning a six figure salary and focusing on the publication full-time.
Creator and podcaster Leo Skepi quickly drove more than 1,000 paid subscribers to his Substack channel from TikTok by offering no-holds-barred live videos and private group chats.
“Substack provides me with consistent income. For example, one Substack post can bring in a significant number of new subscribers, providing a steady revenue stream compared to the variability of brand deals.”
How Petition grew their financial newsletter anonymously
The authors of the anonymous newsletter Petition share their insights on starting without an existing audience
“Being able to make a living off my writing has always been my dream... Eight years and a lot of failures later, Substack provided me with a platform to be able to succeed.”
