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Substack
Free-to-use newsletter and publishing platform that takes a 10% cut of paid subscription revenue.
This platform is included for comparison only. Verify current pricing and features on the Substack website.
Best for
- ✓ Writers who want zero upfront cost
- ✓ Creators testing a paid newsletter idea
- ✓ Users who want the simplest possible setup
Not ideal for
- ✗ Users who want marketing automation
- ✗ Publishers who want to avoid revenue-sharing
- ✗ Businesses needing integrations and advanced features
- ✗ Creators focused on sponsorship revenue
Scores
Beginner-friendly
10/10
Automation
1/10
Paid newsletter fit
6/10
Sponsorship fit
2/10
Affiliate content fit
3/10
Design flexibility
2/10
Monetization strength
5/10
List growth tools
6/10
Strengths
- Zero upfront cost — completely free to start
- Simplest setup of any platform
- Built-in network and discovery features
- Native paid subscriptions
- No technical knowledge needed at all
Weaknesses
- 10% revenue share on paid subscriptions is significant at scale
- Almost no automation or marketing features
- Very limited design customization
- No built-in sponsorship or ad tools
- Limited data portability and integrations
- You build on Substack's platform — less ownership
Cost assumptions
Free to use. Substack takes 10% of paid subscription revenue plus Stripe processing fees (~2.9% + 30¢).
| Max subscribers | Monthly price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 999,999 | $0/mo | Free — Substack takes 10% of paid subscription revenue |
- • No monthly fee — Substack takes 10% of subscription revenue
- • Stripe fees (~2.9% + 30¢) are additional
- • Compare total cost vs. flat-fee platforms at your expected subscriber count
Recommendation notes
Substack is the easiest way to start a newsletter for free, but the 10% revenue share and lack of features make it less ideal as you scale.
Try Substack
Last updated: . Verify current pricing and features on the Substack website.