Substack

The OG paid newsletter platform

Visit Website Free, 10% of paid subs

Substack pioneered the paid newsletter model. Founded by Chris Best and Hamish McKenzie in 2017. Free to start, they take 10% of paid subscriptions. Over 5M paid subscriptions on the platform. Great for writers who want zero setup friction.

What's good

  • Built-in audience discovery
  • No upfront costs
  • Simple and focused

Watch out for

  • 10% cut is steep at scale
  • Limited customization

Alternatives

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