Best Newsletter Platforms · pricing · Updated June 2026
Substack pricing (2026)
Substack starts at $0/mo (Free to publish), across 1 plans. Best for writers. Every figure links to Substack's own page and the date we captured it.
At a glance
- Entry price: $0/mo (Free to publish)
- Free tier: Yes
- Compliance: HIPAA — · SOC 2 — · GDPR —
- Best for: writers; independent journalists; community builders; paid newsletter creators starting out
Substack plans & pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | Billing | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free to publish | $0 | — | flat | Free to publish and send email newsletters to any size list. Substack takes 10% of paid subscription revenue when monetization is enabled, plus Stripe processing fees. No monthly fee at any subscriber count. | substack.com |
Last verified 2026-06-18. substack.com/about and substack.com/going-paid both load (HTTP 200) and explicitly state writers keep 90% of revenue (Substack takes 10%), with no platform fees/tiers/contracts; publishing is free at any list size. Stripe processing fees apply on top of the 10% cut. Corroborated via ruzuku.com Substack pricing article. Cross-checked against ruzuku.com.
Capabilities
Key features: Fully free to publish at any list size; Built-in discovery network and recommendations; Podcast, video, and chat alongside newsletters; No monthly platform fee — cost only triggers on paid subscriber revenue.
Plan limits: 10% revenue cut on all paid subscriptions; No self-serve removal of Substack branding on free tier.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Substack cost?
Substack starts at $0/mo (Free to publish); it has 1 published plans. Verified 2026-06-18.
Does Substack support HIPAA?
Substack HIPAA support: —. SOC 2: —. GDPR: —.
Does Substack have a free plan?
Substack free tier: Yes.