Websites using Substack

Okay, let s break down Substack, covering its overview, revenue model, alternatives, pricing, and customer care.

Substack Overview

Substack is a popular online platform that allows writers, journalists, and creators to publish and distribute newsletters directly to their audience. It combines elements of blogging, email marketing, and paid subscriptions. Here s a summary:

• Core Function: Enables creators to easily publish long-form content and send it directly to subscribers inboxes.
• Key Features:
  • Simple Publishing: User-friendly interface for writing and formatting newsletters.
  • Email Delivery: Automatically sends newsletters to subscribers.
  • Subscription Management: Tools for managing free and paid subscribers.
  • Payment Processing: Handles payments for paid subscriptions and payouts to creators.
  • Website/Profile: Provides a basic website or profile page for each publication.
  • Community Features: Allows for some reader interaction through comments.
• Target Audience: Independent writers, journalists, thought leaders, subject-matter experts, and anyone looking to build an audience and monetize their writing.
• Philosophy: Empowers creators to own their work and build direct relationships with their audience, moving away from reliance on algorithms and ad revenue.
• Growth: Gained significant popularity due to its focus on independent publishing and its simplicity.

Substack Revenue Model

Substack makes money by taking a percentage of the revenue generated by paid subscriptions. Here s how it breaks down:

• Commission: Substack takes a 10% cut of all revenue generated through paid subscriptions.
• Payment Processing Fees: They also incorporate the standard payment processing fees charged by Stripe, their payment processor (usually around 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction).
• Free Tier: The platform is free to use for publications offering only free newsletters. Substack only earns revenue when paid subscriptions are involved.
• No Advertising: Substack does not run ads on publications, keeping the focus on direct reader-creator relationships.

Alternatives to Substack

There are many platforms offering similar services to Substack. Here are some notable alternatives, with their pros and cons:

• Ghost:
  • Pros: Open-source, more customizable, better for blog-focused content, full control over your data.
  • Cons: Requires some technical setup or hosting, might have a steeper learning curve, generally less simple to start.
  • Pricing: Self-hosted is free, paid hosting starts around $11/month.
• Buttondown:
  • Pros: Very simple and focused on newsletters, affordable, good for smaller or very technical audiences, strong customer support.
  • Cons: Fewer website customization options, might not have as many advanced features as Substack.
  • Pricing: Starts with a free tier, paid tiers based on subscriber counts.
• ConvertKit:
  • Pros: Powerful email marketing tools, good for a variety of creators, automations and tagging features.
  • Cons: Less focused on publishing, can be pricier than other options.
  • Pricing: Based on subscriber count, with paid plans starting around $29/month.
• Revue (owned by Twitter):
  • Pros: Built for newsletters, seamless integration with Twitter.
  • Cons: More focused on curators and short-form content, can feel restrictive in terms of customization.
  • Pricing: Free to use with a cut taken from subscriptions.
• Medium:
  • Pros: Large built-in audience, good for blogging, can monetize through the Medium Partner Program.
  • Cons: More algorithmic, less direct control over your audience, no direct subscription option.
  • Pricing: Free to use as a reader, cost for membership to access all content.
• MailerLite:
  • Pros: Powerful email marketing tools, more flexible for various types of email newsletters, robust automation features.
  • Cons: Requires more setup than Substack, less focused on publishing for a general audience.
  • Pricing: Free to get started, paid plans based on subscriber counts and features.

Pricing Details for Substack

• Free Tier: Free to use for publications that only offer free newsletters.
• Paid Tier: 10% commission on all paid subscription revenue, plus payment processing fees (~2.9% + $0.30 per transaction).
• No Additional Fees: Substack does not charge any setup fees, monthly fees, or other fees (aside from the commission and payment processing).
• Example: If a writer generates $1000 in paid subscription revenue in a month, Substack will take $100 (10% commission). Stripe s fees may take another ~$30-40 depending on the number of transactions. The writer would then receive the remaining ~$860-870.

Substack Customer Care Details

• Support Resources:
  • Help Center: Substack has an online help center with articles and FAQs covering most common questions.
  • Email Support: They offer email support through a contact form.
• Community Support:
  • Substack Forums: There s an online community forum where writers can discuss topics and ask questions to fellow users.
• Response Time: While Substack is often praised for its simple platform, the speed and depth of customer support can vary. Response times for email support can sometimes take a few days.
• Focus on Self-Service: Substack leans heavily on self-service support through its help center.

Key Takeaways

• Substack: Simple, user-friendly platform focused on newsletters, with a clear revenue model (10% commission)
• Alternatives: Offer different features, pricing, and levels of control – best choice depends on your specific needs.
• Customer Care: Primarily self-service, with email support available as needed.

Which Platform is Right for You?

• Substack: Best for simple newsletter publishing, direct monetization, and ease of use.
• Ghost: Good for more customization, control, and blogging-focused content.
• Buttondown: Great for very simple newsletters and technical audiences.
• ConvertKit or MailerLite: If you need robust email marketing and automation features.

Hopefully, this comprehensive breakdown gives you a good understanding of Substack and its competitors. Let me know if you have any more questions!