In this article, we will take a look at the 20 most profitable email newsletters on Substack. If you want to skip our detailed analysis, you can go directly to the 5 Most Profitable Email Newsletters on Substack.
Substack: An Analysis and Recent Upgrades
Substack is a leading publishing platform in the United States. It was launched in 2017 and is headquartered in California, United States. The platform enables authors to deliver newsletters directly to reader’s inboxes. The platform is home to more than 35 million active subscriptions, and over 2 million paid subscriptions. The top 10 publishers collectively earn more than $25 million on average every year. The platform is a hub for knowledge generation. It houses celebrated writers from across the globe including Margaret Atwood, George Saunders, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. It covers topics from politics, science, economics, environment, and law to pop culture, music, and art. To start a Substack, authors can sign up on the website. About 86% of the revenue goes to the writer, 4% is deducted as a payment fee, and 10% goes to Substack.
Substack constantly works to improve the experience of authors and readers. On February 22, Substack upgraded its recommendation network. Substack recommendations were launched two years ago. Writers recommend publications to their subscribers using the feature. As of today, the recommendations feature drives over 50% of all new subscriptions and 25% of all new paid subscriptions. With the new upgrade, writers will now be able to curate their own “scenes”. This means that writers can now introduce and launch more publications for their subscribers, recommend people to follow on the mobile app, and provide readers with instant access to authors they trust. The system enables a healthier environment for authors. Users will be able to see the recommendations once they subscribe to a certain author. Previously, users would only see 3 recommendations. Writers may also be able to customize the recommendations list soon. You can also take a look at the best free newsletters to subscribe to in 2024.
For authors on Substack that are looking to further expand the reach of their work, services such as Intuit Inc.’s (NASDAQ:INTU) Mailchimp can help. Mailchimp is a leading email marketing and marketing automation company. The company offers a variety of tools and services including analytics & AI, email sales automation, and engaging designs and templates. Moreover, the company also offers over 300 integrations with applications including Canva, Shopify, Instagram, Google Analytics, Zapier, WooCommerce, and more.
Substack Alternatives in the Market
Some of the best Substack alternatives include Medium, Ghost, and Memberful. Let’s discuss some recent updates from these companies. You can also take a look at the most popular email newsletters in the US in 2024.
Medium is an online publishing platform based in the United States. More than 100 million people connect on Medium to share their ideas. It was launched in 2012. The platform is home to professional writers, CEOs, computer scientists, US Presidents, novelists, and amateur authors. On February 23, Medium announced that the company would be holding a virtual meetup to connect authors on March 19. Pub Crawl will allow authors to exchange ideas via informative panels in a virtual space. Writers may immensely benefit from the virtual meetup, as they will be able to learn best practices, gain information on publications they have not come across, and gather insights on editing and story building.
Ghost is a publishing platform for professional writers. The platform allows publishers to create and share content with readers from across the globe. Users can send multiple newsletters based on their target audience segments. Publishers earn more than a total of $25 million in revenue a year. The platform does not charge any payment fee. Users can use the platform for free with a 14-day trial. The platform offers more than 100 integrations with useful applications and plug-ins including Zapier, Google Analytics, Stripe, FirstPromoter, Mailchimp, Shopify, Discord, Slack, Netlify, and Youtube, among others.
Memberful is one of the best alternatives to Substack for authors willing to set up a newsletter easily. On February 15, Memberful launched an interesting and new way to engage with free readers. Publishers can now display a separate box for readers looking for a free subscription, making it easier for them to join the community. Publishers will also be able to customize content on the free registration form. Publishers can make their general content available to the public to establish credibility and attract the right subscribers.
Now that we have discussed Substack and its alternatives, let’s take a look at the 20 most profitable email newsletters on Substack. You can also read our piece on the most influential newsletters to subscribe to in 2024.
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Our Methodology
To gather a list of the 20 most profitable email newsletters on Substack, we sifted through more than 10 rankings on the internet. We then picked the newsletters that appeared in 50% of our sources. To identify the top 20 items, we sourced the number of total subscribers for our pool of newsletters from their official websites. Since we were unable to classify the paid and free subscribers from the total subscribers, we hypothesized that the higher the total subscriber count, the higher the count for paid subscribers would be. Such depicts the profitability of a newsletter. It is to be noted that we only included newsletters that had the total number of subscribers publicly available. Our list of the most profitable email newsletters on Substack is in ascending order of the total subscriber count, as of February 18, 2024.
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20 Most Profitable Email Newsletters on Substack
20. The Martyr Made Substack
Number of Subscribers on Substack as of February 18, 2024: 85,000
The Martyr Made Substack by Darryl Cooper is one of the most profitable email newsletters on Substack. Subscribers can gain access to notes and written material by the author. It has more than 85,000 subscribers.
19. Tipping Point Prophecy Update
Number of Subscribers on Substack as of February 18, 2024: 119,000
The newsletter uncovers and explores biblical prophecy and draws important parallels. Tipping Point Prophecy Update ranks 19th on our list of the most profitable newsletters on Substack.
18. Huddle Up
Number of Subscribers on Substack as of February 18, 2024: 121,000
Huddle Up by Joe Pompliano breaks down important business and money updates from the Sports industry. The newsletter is delivered 3 times a week. It has more than 121,000 subscribers.
17. Slow Boring
Number of Subscribers on Substack as of February 18, 2024: 123,000
Slow Boring by Matthew Yglesias ranks as one of the most profitable email newsletters on Substack. The newsletter shares interesting takes on politics and public policy.
16. The Isolation Journals
Number of Subscribers on Substack as of February 18, 2024: 155,000
The Isolation Journals with Suleika Jaouad ranks 16th on our list of the most profitable newsletters on Substack. By subscribing, users may also gain access to its advice column, essays, and other writings. It has more than 155,000 subscribers.
15. The Weekly Dish
Number of Subscribers on Substack as of February 18, 2024: 158,000
The Weekly Dish by Andrew Sullivan ignites discussions on interesting topics. The Weekly Dish by Sullivan is also available as a website or podcast. The newsletter includes a main column, short posts, and a dissent section.
14. Noahpinion
Number of Subscribers on Substack as of February 18, 2024: 184,000
Noahpinion by Noah Smith ranks 14th on our list of Substack’s most profitable email newsletters. The newsletter covers interesting topics and offers an elaborate economic analysis.
13. Your Local Epidemiologist
Number of Subscribers on Substack as of February 18, 2024: 224,000
Your Local Epidemiologist is one of the most profitable email newsletters on Substack. The newsletter by Katelyn Jetelina covers important topics related to public health. It has more than 224,000 subscribers.
12. Unreported Truths
Number of Subscribers on Substack as of February 18, 2024: 245,000
Unreported Truths by Alex Berenson ranks 12th on our list of Substack’s most profitable email newsletters. Berenson is also a former New York Times reporter with 13 published novels.
11. The Bulwark
Number of Subscribers on Substack as of February 18, 2024: 279,000
The Bulwark ranks among the most profitable email newsletters to subscribe to in 2024. The newsletter analyzes American politics and culture.
10. House Inhabit
Number of Subscribers on Substack as of February 18, 2024: 293,000
The newsletter discusses pop culture, lifestyles, and gossip. House Inhabit by Jessica Reed Kraus ranks 10th on our list of the most profitable email newsletters on Substack. It has more than 293,000 subscribers.
9. Steady
Number of Subscribers on Substack as of February 18, 2024: 301,000
Steady by Dan Rather is one of the most profitable email newsletters on Substack. Through the newsletter, Rather shares his complex views on the world with his readers.
8. Popular Information
Number of Subscribers on Substack as of February 18, 2024: 303,000
Popular Information by Judd Legum ranks eighth on our list of the most profitable email newsletters on Substack. The newsletter is aimed at accountability journalism.
7. Outside Voices
Number of Subscribers on Substack as of February 18, 2024: 311,000
Glenn Greenwald carries out investigative reporting and analyzes the status quo in his newsletter. Outside Voices by Glenn Greenwald is one of the most profitable email newsletters on Substack. It has more than 311,000 subscribers.
6. Robert Reich
Number of Subscribers on Substack as of February 18, 2024: 319,000
The daily newsletter by Robert Reich ranks sixth on our list of the most profitable email newsletters on Substack. The newsletter is delivered daily and it discusses the positive and negative nuances of power.
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Disclosure: None. 20 Most Profitable Email Newsletters on Substack is originally published on Insider Monkey.
