Substack Advertising: How Brands Sponsor Newsletters
You can't simply buy ads on Substack the way you buy social ads. As of Oct 2026, Substack runs an early, invite-led sponsorship program where writers choose whether to take part and brands go through Substack's own team, or you can sponsor a newsletter directly with the person who writes it.
Most people searching for Substack ads expect a dashboard: pick an audience, set a spend, go live. Substack's own announcement describes nothing like that. It describes a managed program, still being tested with small groups of brands, where the writer decides whether a sponsor gets in at all. That changes how a brand should plan.
What Substack's sponsorship program is, as of Oct 2026
Substack announced the next phase of its native sponsorships program on 8 Oct 2026 at Advertising Week, after first announcing it in June 2026. In its post "A new vision for sponsorships" on the Substack blog, it says the program is early, that it's still being tested with small groups of brands, and that it plans to bring more publishers in.
Here's the detail most brands miss. The writer holds the key, not the advertiser. In Substack's words: "Publishers choose whether they want to participate in sponsorships, and can opt in through their Creator Kit." The Creator Kit is a customizable media kit Substack offers to its bestsellers. So you can't pick any Substack newsletter and book space in it. You can only reach writers who've opted in, and you reach them through Substack.
The three Substack sponsorship formats
The same post sets out three formats. Substack gives each one a short name; the middle one is about making a paid post free to read.
| Format | What the brand does | What the reader gets |
|---|---|---|
| The upgrade | Funds a month of paid access for a writer's free subscribers | A month of the paid newsletter without paying |
| The sponsored paid post | Sponsors one of the writer's paid posts so anyone can read it, and the writer is paid for the work | A paid post opened up to free readers |
| The masthead | Partners with writers on a themed, dedicated destination on Substack, like a digital zine | A themed collection of writing in one place |
For large campaigns, Substack says Kantar studies are available: independent, privacy-safe surveys that look at awareness, perception and consideration. The post doesn't describe a self-serve buying process and doesn't publish any rates, so don't go looking for either.
How a brand gets into Substack sponsorships
Substack tells interested brands to email [email protected] or fill in the sponsorships signup form on its own site. That's the whole route. There's no ad account to open.
It makes sense if you're a large brand that wants Substack's formats and the Kantar measurement, and you can wait while the program grows. It's a slower fit if you want a specific audience in front of your product this month, because you're relying on the right writers having opted in.
Sponsoring a newsletter directly instead
The other route is the one newsletters have always used: talk to the publisher. Many independent newsletters take sponsors directly, whatever platform they're sent from, and you deal with the person who writes the email every week. My directory of newsletters that accept sponsors is a good place to start a shortlist.
If you've never booked a placement before, my guide to how newsletter sponsorship works explains the formats and what to agree, and how to advertise in newsletters walks through picking a newsletter and judging the result.
What you can sponsor in my Sunday newsletter
I'm the publisher of the Sunday newsletter: a free weekly email, one every Sunday, read by 15,000 entrepreneurs, marketers, founders and business owners, most of them in the US and UK. It covers marketing, AI, sales, SEO, content and tool reviews. These are the ways a brand can be in it:
- A featured slot in the regular Sunday issue.
- A solo email feature: a dedicated send about your product, one brand per email.
- A blog post or product review: long-form, search-optimised and evergreen, linked from the newsletter.
- A webinar or co-hosted session with my readers.
- Social promotion on LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube and X.
There's no fixed package. Goals vary, so I'd rather hear what you want to achieve and tell you which of these fits than sell you a bundle you don't need.
My verdict
If you're a big brand and Substack's formats suit you, email Substack and get on its radar while the program is small. If you want business owners to see your product soon, sponsor a newsletter they already read and talk to the person who writes it. I've spent 23 years in marketing and reviewed and ranked more than three hundred tools, so if my readers aren't your buyers, I'll tell you.
If you're a writer reading this to work out how to earn from your own publication, my guide to making money on Substack covers the publisher side.
If you want your product in front of my readers, start with how partnering with me works. Tell me three things: what you're promoting, what you want to achieve and your ideal timing and campaign length, and I'll tell you straight whether it makes sense. If you'd like to see the email for yourself first, read about the Sunday newsletter here.
Frequently asked questions
Can you advertise on Substack?
Not through a self-serve ad account. As of Oct 2026, Substack runs a native sponsorship program that brands join through Substack's own team, and only writers who opt in take part.
Does Substack have an ad network?
Substack's own Oct 2026 post describes a managed sponsorship program, still being tested with small groups of brands, rather than a self-serve network where you buy space by audience.
How do brands get a Substack sponsorship?
Substack asks brands to email [email protected] or fill in the sponsorships signup form on its site. Writers decide whether to take part through their Creator Kit.
What are Substack's sponsorship formats?
Three, as of Oct 2026: the upgrade, where a brand funds a month of paid access for free subscribers; a sponsored paid post that anyone can read; and the masthead, a themed destination on Substack built with writers.
How is sponsoring a newsletter directly different?
You deal with the publisher, not a platform. You agree the placement, the timing and the message with the person who writes the email, and you don't wait for a program to admit you.
What can I sponsor in Lilach's Sunday newsletter?
A featured slot in the Sunday issue, a solo email feature with one brand per email, a blog post or review linked from the newsletter, a webinar, or social promotion.
How do I enquire?
Use the contact form on the partner with me page and tell me what you're promoting, what you want to achieve and your ideal timing. I'll tell you whether it fits.