Substack

Substack, online platform that allows content creators to make newsletters and to send them by email through free or paid subscriptions. The platform provides creators with distribution tools and with various post formats, including written pieces and videos.

Since its launch, several high-profile writers have used the platform, including George Saunders, Chuck Palahniuk, and Salman Rushdie.

History

Substack was founded in 2017 by Chris Best, cofounder of the free messenger app Kik; Jairaj Sethi, head of platform at Kik; and Hamish McKenzie, former editorial adviser at Kik and tech reporter. The creators were inspired by American writer Ben Thompson’s subscription-based newsletter, Stratechery, which had grown immensely popular, and believed that there had to be an effective way for writers to generate income from their work. With funding from the start-up accelerator Y Combinator and venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, Substack launched on October 16, 2017.

Features and analytics

On Substack, creators can publish and send free or paid content to their subscribers. Many creators offer some free content to entice subscribers to pay for exclusive content. Subscribers receive content in an email newsletter. Creators can use such features as discussions, notes, comments, and chat threads to build lively communities of readers. While an average subscription is $5 per month, some creators charge more than $100 a month. Substack creators can also monetize their content by including sponsored product reviews or brand mentions, incorporating affiliate links to earn a commission, or by selling branded merchandise, videos, or e-books.

Controversy

Known for its hands-off approach to content moderation, Substack has faced criticism over the years for spreading misinformation, extremist and antisemitic rhetoric, and conspiracy theories, from which the platform and creators benefit financially. For example, misinformation spread on the platform about COVID-19 vaccines bolstered the anti-vaccine movement, and by September 2021 the United States had the lowest vaccination rate of the G7 countries. A key figure in the anti-vaccine movement was American alternative medicine proponent Joseph Mercola, who, when restricted by other platforms, turned to Substack to reach his followers.

The platform has also hosted content that supports white nationalists, anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments, and the “great replacement theory,” which claims that white Americans are effectively being replaced by immigrants. Substack encountered substantial backlash in January 2024 after reports surfaced that the platform was hosting several newsletters containing Nazi-affiliated content. A number of writers threatened to stop using the platform, and, although Substack initially refused to back down, it eventually removed some pro-Nazi publications.

Popular newsletters

• Letters from an American by Heather Cox Richardson contextualizes current events within the framework of American history. The newsletter has more than 2,300,000 subscribers.
• ByteByteGO by Alex Xu and other experts in system design simplifies complex software design concepts and provides insight into large-scale system design. The newsletter has more than 1,000,000 subscribers.
• XO, MU by Melissa Urban offers advice about life, relationships, setting boundaries, and health. The newsletter has more than 416,000 subscribers.
• Racket News by Matt Taibbi includes investigative journalism pieces, satirical commentary, and a weekly podcast with novelist Walter Kirn called America This Week. The newsletter has more than 500,000 subscribers.
• House Inhabit by Jessica Reed Kraus covers pop culture, trending gossip, conspiracy theories, and lifestyle highlights. The newsletter has almost 500,000 subscribers.