Substack review (2026): is it any good?
Newsletter, podcast and video publishing with paid subscriptions
Substack report card
Very good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 12, 2026
Best for writers who want to start a paid newsletter free
Substack lets you publish a newsletter, podcast or video with no upfront fee and takes 10% of paid-subscription income. It has apps for iPhone and Android as well as the web. It is a publishing platform, not an automation tool: the pages read describe no drip sequences or segmentation.
Who Substack is for
- Fits if you want to start writing for free and let readers find you in the network
- Works for writers who plan to charge, as no monthly fee applies
Who Substack is not for
- Watch out: Substack keeps 10% of paid-subscription revenue, on top of card fees
- Skip it if you want drip sequences or segmentation, which the pages read do not describe
- Not for you if you want a custom site or heavy design control
- Watch out: there are no paid plans, so features and limits are the same for every publication
- Skip it if you want a desktop app, as only web and phone apps are listed
Why Substack gets a 3.2
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyFree to start with no tiers, and no cost until you charge subscribers. Then Substack keeps 10% of paid-subscription revenue, and card fees come out of your share too.
- AFree plan and trialFree outright, with no paid plans or tiers listed and the same features for every publication.
- CFeaturesPaid subscriptions, newsletter, podcast and video, a reader network and subscriber chats. The pages read describe no drip sequences or list segmentation.
- BEase of useNo rating on record, but nothing to set up: sign up, write and publish. Apps are listed for iPhone and Android.
- BPlatforms and integrationsWeb, iPhone and Android, with no desktop app and no integration list on the pages read.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Substack's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/substack#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/substack.svg" alt="Substack: 3.2 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where Substack stands among email marketing and newsletter tools
Substack's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 57 of the 57 other email marketing and newsletter tools we grade.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 56 of 57) and worst on features (C, above 3).
Substack has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 58 email marketing and newsletter tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Substack’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 54 of 57, level with 3
- AFree plan and trialAbove 56 of 57, level with 1
- CFeaturesAbove 3 of 57, level with 19
- BEase of useAbove 54 of 57, level with 1
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 7 of 57, level with 50
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 50 email marketing and newsletter tools. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Keep Substack, or make your own?
Keep it
Substack is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.2 is higher than 57 of the 57 other email marketing and newsletter tools we grade.
What you could make
- Paid newsletters: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Newsletters sent to thousands of people that still reach the inbox.
- A members' space with posts, chat and events that people keep coming back to.
- A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
What this rests on. Substack’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is Substack?
Substack is a publishing platform where writers and creators run a newsletter, podcast or video show and can charge readers for paid subscriptions. It costs nothing to start; the company takes a share of paid-subscription revenue instead of a monthly fee. Posts also appear in Substack's own app and network, which the company says brings in more than half of new subscribers.
Worth knowing
- Substack keeps 10% of paid-subscription revenue, and credit card processing fees come out of the writer's share as well.
- There are no paid plans or add-on tiers listed, so features and limits are the same for every publication.
- It is a publishing platform rather than a marketing-automation tool; the pages read do not describe drip sequences or list segmentation workflows.
Key features
- Paid subscriptions
- Writers choose which posts are free and which are for paid subscribers only, and Substack handles the sign-up and payment side.
- Newsletter, podcast and video
- A publication can carry written posts, podcasts and video shows, with live video available for creators who want it.
- Built-in reader network
- Substack publishes a reader app and a discovery network, and says more than half of new subscribers arrive through that network.
- Subscriber chats and community
- The app includes discussions and chats hosted by writers, so subscribers can talk with the writer and each other.
- Own your list
- Substack states that writers own their content and their subscriber list, and that the platform is free to leave.
Substack pricing
As of Nov 12, 2026, Substack is free to use.
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- Free to start, with no platform fees or tiers; Substack keeps 10% of paid-subscription revenue.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Substack | $0 | Free to start with no tiers or contracts. Writers keep 90% of paid-subscription revenue, minus credit card fees. |
Read from substack.com on Nov 12, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Substack before you buy.
Substack alternatives
- Substack vs beehiiv
Free plan · from $49/mo
- Substack vs Ghost
Free trial · from $15/mo
- Substack vs Kit
Free plan · from $33/mo
- Substack vs Buttondown
Free plan · from $9/mo
- Substack vs MailerLite
Free plan · from $12/mo
Common questions
Does Substack have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Substack is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Does Substack have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Substack is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Is Substack open source?
Substack is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 12, 2026.