# Substack pricing and fit for marketers

Page: https://betterapps.site/tools/substack
Site: Better Apps, run by Kerry Morrison of BetterStory
Status: Not yet reviewed by Kerry. Checked facts only.
Price checked: November 5, 2026


> A publishing platform for newsletters, podcasts, and video with paid subscriptions built in.

## Short answer

Substack pricing: Free to start, 10% of paid subscription revenue plus card fees. Substack has a free plan. Prices checked November 5, 2026 on the vendor's pricing page. Prices change, so confirm on the vendor's page before you buy. Vendors count different things, such as people, channels or runs.

## What is Substack?

Substack is a publishing platform where writers and creators send newsletters and sell paid subscriptions. It includes an editor for longform posts, scheduling, and an archive. It also supports podcasts through a recording studio, live video, subscriber chat, and comment threads. Growth tools include Notes, publication recommendations, and in-app discovery. Creators can decide which posts are free and which are only for paid subscribers. Substack states that creators own their content and subscriber list. The platform targets writers, journalists, podcasters, video creators, experts, educators, and media companies with multi-writer newsrooms. It is free to start, and Substack takes a share of paid subscription revenue instead of charging a monthly fee.

## Who is Substack for?

### Who should use Substack?

- Writers who want to charge for a newsletter without paying a monthly platform fee
- Creators who want newsletter, podcast, and video in one place
- Publishers who want built-in discovery through Notes and recommendations

### Who should skip Substack?

- Teams that need a full marketing automation suite, because the site describes publishing and community tools only
- Publishers who want a flat fee and no revenue share on paid subscriptions

## How much does Substack cost?

| Plan | Price | Billing basis | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Free to publish | $0 per month. Substack keeps a share of paid subscription revenue. | Not stated by the vendor | Substack takes 10 percent of subscription revenue. Writers keep 90 percent minus credit card fees. The page does not give the card fee amount. |

Source: https://substack.com/going-paid. Checked November 5, 2026. Screenshot of the vendor page, captured November 6, 2026: https://betterapps.site/shots/substack.jpg.

## How has the price of Substack changed?

| Checked | Headline price | Source |
| --- | --- | --- |
| November 5, 2026 | Free to start, 10% of paid subscription revenue plus card fees | https://substack.com/going-paid |

## What does Substack work with?

Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube.

## What are the alternatives to Substack?

- [Buffer](https://betterapps.site/tools/buffer): A social media tool for scheduling, publishing, and measuring posts across many channels. Free for 3 channels, paid from $5 per channel per month.

## Questions and answers

### How much does Substack cost?

Substack is free to start. It takes 10 percent of paid subscription revenue, and credit card fees come out of the writer's 90 percent. The page does not give the card fee amount.

### Is there a free plan on Substack?

Yes. Publishing is free, and Substack earns money only when a creator charges for paid subscriptions. Creators choose which posts are free and which are paid.

### Who is Substack built for?

Substack names writers, journalists, podcasters, video creators, experts, educators, and media companies. Its pages also cover bloggers, authors, food writers, and local news.

### Can Substack host podcasts?

Yes. Podcasts can be recorded in the Substack Recording Studio and offered as premium episodes. They publish to Substack, Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.

### What does Substack integrate with?

Substack lists these integrations: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube. Checked November 5, 2026 against the vendor's pages.

## Sources

- https://substack.com/going-paid
- https://substack.com/about

## How was this page made?

Facts come from the vendor pages listed under Sources and were gathered with AI help. Anything unconfirmed is marked. Method: https://betterapps.site/methodology