I kept seeing the name Substack on the Internet, but I wasn’t quite sure what it was. Was it a website, a blogging platform, an email newsletter or another social network?
It turns out that Substack is a combination of all four.
A Blog and Email Newsletter Together
A writer can use Substack to publish articles in much the same way that someone writes a traditional blog. Each article appears on the writer’s Substack website, where people can read it online.
Readers can also subscribe by entering their email address. Whenever the writer publishes something new, the article is delivered directly to each subscriber’s inbox.
That is one of the main differences between Substack and an ordinary blog. With a traditional blog, readers usually have to remember to return to the website. With Substack, new writing comes to them.
Is Substack Free?
Substack is free for both writers and readers to begin using.
A writer can publish articles and build a list of email subscribers without paying Substack a regular hosting fee. The writer may choose to keep everything free or introduce paid subscriptions.
Some Substack publications offer:
- All articles for free
- Some free articles and some paid articles
- Free introductions with complete articles for paid subscribers
- Additional discussions or other benefits for paying members
The individual writer decides what to charge and which material is available for free.
When a writer earns money through subscriptions, Substack receives a percentage of the subscription revenue. According to Substack’s current pricing information, Substack takes 10 percent of each paid transaction, in addition to payment-processing fees.
Readers do not need to pay simply to use Substack. There are many publications that can be read entirely for free.
Substack Is Also Becoming a Social Network
Substack began primarily as an email-newsletter platform, but it now includes more social features.
Writers and readers can follow one another, comment on articles and participate in conversations. Substack also has a feature called Notes, which allows people to publish shorter thoughts, links, quotations and recommendations.
Notes make Substack feel somewhat like Facebook, X or LinkedIn. However, longer articles and direct relationships between writers and their subscribers remain central to the platform.
Who Uses Substack?
Substack is used by independent journalists, authors, researchers, teachers, subject-matter experts and people who simply enjoy writing about a particular interest.
Topics include politics, business, technology, history, music, health, culture and countless specialized subjects. Some writers publish professionally and earn income from subscriptions. Others use Substack as a personal blog or a way to share ideas with a small community.
A publication does not need thousands of readers to be worthwhile. Someone could use Substack to write for a particular community, professional field or group of people who share an interest.
Why Has Substack Become Popular?
One reason is its simplicity. A writer does not need to build an entire website or connect several different services. Substack provides the publication page, email delivery, subscription management and payment system.
Another reason is the direct connection between writers and readers. Social-media algorithms determine which posts people see, and a post can quickly disappear from view. Substack articles can be delivered directly by email to people who have chosen to subscribe.
Substack also says that writers retain ownership of their intellectual property and mailing lists. That means a writer can export the subscriber list rather than leaving it entirely under the platform’s control.
Is Substack the Same as a Traditional Blog?
Not quite.
A traditional blog is primarily a website containing a collection of posts. Substack adds a built-in email newsletter, subscriber list, payment system and social network.
The writing itself may look much like an ordinary blog post, but Substack places greater emphasis on building an ongoing relationship with readers.
A blog waits for readers to visit. A Substack publication can deliver each new article directly to them.
My First Impression
Substack appears to make online publishing easier, especially for someone who wants to write regularly and gradually develop a community of readers.
It is not necessary to charge money, become a professional writer or already have a large audience. A person can start with a free publication, write about something meaningful and invite interested readers to subscribe.
So, what is Substack?
It is a blogging platform, an email newsletter service, a subscription system and a social network—all gathered into one place.