Yes, Substack is free. Substack's own support page says publishing is free no matter how many subscribers you have. It only takes a share when you turn on paid subscriptions: Substack keeps a tenth of subscription revenue, and Stripe charges its own payment processing fees on top.
That means there's no subscriber ceiling on the free side. You can grow a list of any size and send to it without paying a thing. The costs only start when your readers start paying you, and even then they come out of what readers pay rather than out of your pocket.
What's free on Substack
- Publishing posts and sending them as emails to every subscriber.
- Growing your list, with no cap on the number of free subscribers.
- Reading. Readers pay only if a writer sets a paid subscription and they choose to take it.
- Turning on paid subscriptions later, when you're ready.
If you want your own domain name instead of a Substack address, Substack lists that as an optional one-time $50 fee, as of October 2026.
What Substack costs once you charge readers
When you switch on paid subscriptions, three costs come into play. Here's how Substack's fee table breaks them down:
| Cost | Who takes it | How Substack describes it |
|---|---|---|
| Substack's fee | Substack | A tenth of each subscription payment |
| Card processing | Stripe | Stripe's own per-payment card fee, listed on Substack's page |
| Stripe Billing | Stripe | A separate fee for recurring payments |
| Local payment methods | Stripe | Set by Stripe and varies by country |
| Custom domain | Substack | Optional, one-time $50 (as of October 2026) |
So Substack's fee is not the whole story. Stripe's card and billing fees come off each payment as well, and Substack points to Stripe's own pricing for those figures. If you want to see exactly what was taken from a payment, Substack says to open Transactions in your Stripe dashboard, select a payment marked Succeeded and scroll to the breakdown.
Do readers pay extra?
On the web, no. Substack says it doesn't add a fee to web payments, and readers pay the monthly, annual or founding member price the writer sets. There are two cases where a reader may pay more:
- Tax. Some writers add sales tax or VAT on top of their price.
- The iOS app. Subscriptions bought in the Substack iPhone app may cost more to cover Apple's fees.
How in-app purchases affect writers
This detail catches people out. For iOS in-app purchases, Substack's fee is calculated on your web price. You choose between Adjust prices for in-app purchases, which raises the app price to cover Apple, or Keep prices the same, which means Apple's cut comes out of your take-home. Make that choice deliberately when you set up paid posts.
How readers can pay
Substack lists Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, JCB, Diners Club and UnionPay, plus Apple Pay, Google Pay and Link. Readers in Europe may see local methods such as SEPA Direct Debit, iDEAL and Bancontact, which carry their own Stripe fees depending on the country your Stripe account is registered in.
How to start a free Substack
- Create an account on Substack and set up your publication's name and address.
- Write your first post and send it free to your subscribers.
- Grow your list. There's no cap on free subscribers.
- When you're ready, connect a Stripe account and turn on paid subscriptions.
- Decide your in-app pricing setting before launch, so iPhone subscribers don't eat into your margin unexpectedly.
If you're deciding whether to charge at all, my guide to Substack versus Patreon compares the two fee models for creators, and Beehiiv versus Substack compares it with a platform that charges a monthly fee instead of a revenue share.
Free Substack versus a paid platform
| If you... | Substack is likely... |
|---|---|
| Run a free newsletter of any size | Cheapest option, it costs nothing |
| Charge a small number of readers | Good value, you only pay when they pay |
| Earn a large amount from paid subscribers | Worth comparing, a revenue share grows with you |
| Want your own domain | One-time $50, as of October 2026 |
A checklist before you charge readers
Substack's fee page gives you everything you need to plan the switch to paid. Run through these before you launch, so nothing comes as a surprise on your first payout:
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
- Connect Stripe. Substack's card and billing fees are processed through it, and Substack points to Stripe's own pricing for the figures.
- Decide your prices for monthly, annual and founding member subscriptions, because those are the prices readers pay on the web.
- Choose your in-app setting, Adjust prices for in-app purchases or Keep prices the same.
- Decide whether you'll add sales tax or VAT on top, which Substack lists as one reason readers may pay more.
- Learn where to check fees: Transactions in Stripe for each payment, and Balances, then Payouts, then a payout's Summary for Stripe's Billing fee.
Substack also notes that new subscribers can pay by alternative methods such as direct debit, and that Stripe's Billing fee applies to non-card payments too.
My advice
If you're starting a newsletter and you're not charging yet, Substack is hard to beat, because it costs nothing at any list size. Once paid subscriptions take off, do the sums: a tenth plus Stripe's fees on every payment can overtake a flat monthly platform fee as you grow. Check that point once a year rather than moving early. And set your iOS pricing choice before your first paid launch, not after.
Frequently asked questions
Is it free to start a Substack?
Yes. Substack's support page says publishing is free no matter how many subscribers you have.
How much does Substack take from paid subscriptions?
Substack keeps a tenth of each subscription payment, and Stripe charges its own card processing and billing fees on top.
Do readers pay a fee on Substack?
Not on the web. Substack says it doesn't add a fee to web payments, though some writers add tax and iOS app subscriptions may cost more to cover Apple's fees.
Does a custom domain cost extra on Substack?
Yes. Substack lists a custom domain as an optional one-time $50 fee, as of October 2026.
Is the Substack app free for readers?
Reading is free. Readers pay only if they choose a paid subscription that a writer offers.
Can readers pay by direct debit on Substack?
Yes. Substack says new subscribers can use alternative methods such as direct debit, and Stripe's Billing fee applies to non-card payments too.
