Short answer: Substack is free to publish on. Once you turn on paid subscriptions, Substack keeps 10% of each subscription payment, and Stripe charges its own fees on top: for a US card that’s 2.9% + $0.30 per payment plus a 0.7% recurring billing fee. On a $10 monthly subscription paid on the web, you keep about $8.34.
That’s the headline number. What you actually keep moves around depending on your price, whether readers pay monthly or yearly, where they live, and whether they subscribe in the iPhone app. This guide goes through each fee, using figures from Substack’s own help center and Stripe’s published pricing, both checked in November 2026.
Every Substack fee in one place
Substack has no paid plans or tiers. Writing and sending free posts costs nothing, however many subscribers you have. Fees only start when readers pay you.
| Fee | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Substack platform fee | 10% | Every paid subscription payment (monthly, annual, founding member) |
| Stripe card processing (US) | 2.9% + $0.30 | Each card payment from a US card |
| Stripe Billing | 0.7% | Recurring subscription payments |
| Stripe international card | +1.5% | Reader’s card issued outside your Stripe country (US account) |
| Stripe currency conversion | +1% | When currency conversion is needed (US account) |
| Apple in-app fee | 15%–30% | Subscriptions bought inside the Substack iOS app |
| Custom domain | $50 one-time | Optional, if you connect your own domain |
Substack itself doesn’t charge readers extra for web payments. Readers pay the price you set, though they may pay more if you add sales tax or VAT, or if they subscribe through the iOS app.
Substack’s 10% platform fee
The 10% is flat. It’s the same at 10 paid subscribers or 10,000, and it applies to monthly, annual and founding member plans alike. According to Substack’s paid publication setup guide, the lowest price you can charge is $5 a month or $30 a year on a US-dollar Stripe account. Substack also doesn’t offer a yearly-only plan, so every paid publication has a monthly option.
Stripe’s card and billing fees
Substack doesn’t process payments itself. You connect your own Stripe account, and Stripe takes its fees from each payment. For a US Stripe account, the standard card rate is 2.9% + 30¢ for domestic cards, plus 1.5% for international cards and 1% if currency conversion is needed. On top of that, Stripe Billing’s pay-as-you-go price is 0.7% of billing volume, and Substack confirms this 0.7% applies to recurring subscriptions.
Watch out for one thing: the 0.7% Billing fee doesn’t show up on each payment. Substack says you’ll find it in Stripe under Balances → Payouts, inside a payout’s Summary, listed as “Stripe fee.”
UK writers: different Stripe rates
If your Stripe account is registered in the UK, Stripe’s card pricing is different. Stripe’s UK pricing page lists 1.5% + 20p for standard UK cards, 2.5% + 20p for EEA cards, and 3.15% + 20p for other international cards, plus 2% if currency conversion is needed. Substack’s 10% stays the same either way.
What you keep: worked examples
These examples use US-card web payments on a US Stripe account, with the fees above. Because of the fixed $0.30, cheap monthly plans lose a bigger share than annual plans.
| Plan price | Substack (10%) | Stripe card | Stripe Billing (0.7%) | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $5/month | $0.50 | $0.445 | $0.035 | ≈ $4.02 (80%) |
| $10/month | $1.00 | $0.59 | $0.07 | ≈ $8.34 (83%) |
| $50/year | $5.00 | $1.75 | $0.35 | ≈ $42.90 (86%) |
| $100/year | $10.00 | $3.20 | $0.70 | ≈ $86.10 (86%) |
Figures are rounded to the cent (the $5 row shows fractions of a cent so the math adds up). A reader paying with a non-US card adds about 1.5% more in Stripe fees (another $0.15 on a $10 payment). Refunds, chargebacks and taxes aren’t included. Stripe also lists a $15 fee for each dispute you receive.
The takeaway: if you’re pricing near the $5 minimum, pushing readers toward an annual plan saves you eleven $0.30 charges a year, per subscriber.
The iPhone app fee
Readers can subscribe inside the Substack iOS app using Apple’s in-app payments. Substack’s iOS payments article says Apple charges an extra 15–30% on these purchases, taken from your earnings alongside Substack’s fee. Substack’s 10% is still calculated on your web price.
You choose how to handle it:
- Adjust prices for in-app purchases (Substack’s recommended setting): in-app prices go up so you earn close to what a web subscriber pays you.
- Keep prices the same: app readers pay the web price (rounded to the nearest App Store price point), and you take a smaller payout per subscriber.
You can’t switch off iOS in-app payments while payments are connected, so it’s worth picking this setting on purpose before you launch.
When Substack pays you
Because the money flows through your own Stripe account, payout timing follows Stripe. According to Substack’s Stripe setup guide:
- Web subscription payments usually reach your bank within 48 hours of each transaction.
- The first payout on a brand-new Stripe account takes 7–14 days.
- App Store subscriptions are slower. Apple pays Substack for a month’s purchases up to 45 days after that month ends, so January in-app subscriptions show up around mid-March.
Compare that with platforms that batch payouts monthly, like the schedule we covered in Patreon’s payout schedule.
Is Substack’s fee high compared with other creator platforms?
A 10% cut is on the higher side for a percentage fee, but you’re paying for hosting, email delivery, the paywall, the app and Substack’s discovery features, with no monthly bill. Platforms built around tips and memberships price this differently. Some take a smaller percentage or charge a monthly plan instead. If you’re weighing options, see our breakdowns of Ko-fi fees and Buy Me a Coffee fees. In the end, the better deal depends on how many people pay you, not just the fee rate. A 10% fee on a list that converts well can beat 0% on a platform where nobody finds you.
On taxes: your Stripe dashboard keeps the payment and payout records you’ll need, and US creators selling through payment processors may get a Form 1099-K. Our 1099-K guide for Gumroad sellers covers how those forms work in general. This is general information, not tax advice. Talk to a qualified tax professional about your situation.
FAQ
Is Substack free to use?
Yes, for free newsletters. Substack only takes a fee (10%) once you turn on paid subscriptions, plus Stripe’s processing fees on each payment.
Does Substack charge readers a fee?
Not on web payments. Readers pay the price you set. They may pay more if you add sales tax or VAT, or if they subscribe in the iOS app and you’ve chosen adjusted in-app pricing.
What is the minimum price on Substack?
$5 per month and $30 per year for US-dollar Stripe accounts. Minimums in other currencies may vary.
Where can I see the fees taken from a payment?
In your Stripe dashboard, open Transactions and select a succeeded payment to see Substack’s fee and Stripe’s processing fee. The 0.7% Billing fee appears in the payout Summary under Balances → Payouts.
How long does a Substack payout take?
Web payments usually reach your bank within 48 hours. Your first Stripe payout takes 7–14 days, and iOS in-app earnings can take up to about 45 days after the end of the month.