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Substack Review 2026
Newsletter platform — writers keep 90%, free to start
Residual Income Rating
4.0 / 5Last updated:
January 15, 2026What is Substack?
Newsletter and content subscription platform. Writers publish free and paid newsletters, keeping 90% of subscription revenue (Substack takes 10%). Top publications earn millions annually. Free to start — no cost until you monetize.
Pros
- Free to start — no fees until you charge subscribers
- Writers keep 90% of subscription revenue
- Simple, distraction-free writing interface
- Built-in audience discovery via Substack recommendations
- Own your subscriber list — can export anytime
- Growing ecosystem with 35M+ active subscriptions
Cons
- 10% fee is higher than alternatives (Beehiiv, Ghost)
- Discoverability limited — requires own audience building
- No advanced email automation or segmentation
- Substack can potentially change terms — platform risk
- Better for writers; less suited for heavy HTML email designs
Rating Breakdown
Residual Income
4.0 / 5Simplicity
4.5 / 5Transparency
4.5 / 5Community & Support
4.0 / 5Value for Money
4.5 / 5Overall Rating
4.2 / 5Frequently Asked Questions About Substack
How much can you earn on Substack?
Top Substack writers earn millions per year. A writer with 10,000 paid subscribers at $10/month earns ~$108,000/year after Substack's 10% fee. Even 500 paid subscribers at $8/month generates ~$43,200/year — a meaningful income stream.
Is Substack free?
Yes. Substack is completely free to use for free newsletters. Substack only takes 10% when you charge paid subscribers. There are no monthly platform fees.
Substack vs Beehiiv — which is better?
Beehiiv charges a monthly platform fee ($42+/month) but takes 0% of revenue. Substack is free but takes 10%. Beehiiv breaks even over Substack at ~$420/month in subscriber revenue. Beehiiv also has better analytics and monetization features for serious newsletter businesses.
Quick Facts
Founded2017
HeadquartersSan Francisco, California
Revenue ShareWriters keep 90%
Cost to StartFree
Active Subscriptions35 million+ (2024)
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