How much can you earn from Substack?
Real Substack earnings data based on community reports and industry benchmarks. Typical users, top performers, and how to maximize your income.
Most users earn in this range with average effort. Top performers reach $1,000,000/month.
Substack earnings by tier
Minimal effort, learning the platform. No optimization yet.
Average user with consistent effort. Most people land here.
Above-average performers who optimize their approach.
Power users with skill, scale, or audience.
Key facts about Substack earnings
Reality check
Most Substack earnings reports online focus on top performers. The honest truth: most users earn $0–$50,000/mo, not the headline numbers you see in viral posts.
Newsletter platform. Free to start. 10% commission on paid subs. Top creators earn $1M+/year.
Common reasons people earn less than expected:
- −Need to grow your own audience
- −Discoverability is weak
- −Slow growth without existing platform
What top earners do differently:
- +Keep 87% of revenue (after Stripe)
- +Own your email list
- +No upfront cost
Similar to Substack
Patreon
5-12% commission (you keep 88-95%)
Twitch Affiliate
50% subs + bits + ads
YouTube Partner Program
$1-30 per 1000 views (varies by niche)
TikTok Creativity Program
$0.20-1 per 1000 views (qualifying)