The Substack revenue calculator shows your exact monthly net income after Substack's 10% platform fee and Stripe payment processing charges. Enter your subscriber metrics and pricing to see current earnings and what you'll make at 2x, 5x, and 10x paid subscriber growth.
Typical range: 5-10%
Discount offered for annual vs monthly
% of paid subscribers on annual plan
How to Calculate Substack Revenue
The Substack revenue calculator helps you understand the real math behind building a paid newsletter on Substack. With a clear picture of fees, net income, and growth scenarios, you can set realistic milestones and pricing strategy.
Understanding Substack's Fee Structure
Substack charges 10% of all paid subscription revenue — this is their primary monetization. On top of that, Stripe (their payment processor) charges 2.9% + $0.30 per successful payment. For a $10/month subscriber: Substack takes $1.00, Stripe takes $0.29 + $0.30 = $0.59. You receive $8.41 — an 84.1% payout. Annual subscribers cost you less in Stripe fees because the $0.30 flat fee is charged once (not 12 times).
The Free-to-Paid Conversion Journey
Building a Substack typically follows this arc: 0-500 subscribers (build the habit, write consistently), 500-2,000 (launch paid with founding member pricing), 2,000-10,000 (grow the list aggressively, optimize conversion), 10,000+ (full-time income possible). At 10,000 subscribers and 7% paid at $10/month, you'd have 700 paid subscribers at $8.41 net = $5,887/month. That's $70,644/year — solid full-time income.
Monthly vs Annual Plan Strategy
Encouraging annual subscriptions at a 20% discount ($96/year vs $120/year at $10/month) has several benefits: better cash flow (receive the year upfront), dramatically lower churn (annual subscribers almost never cancel mid-year), and lower effective Stripe fees per month. Most successful Substacks see 20-35% of paid subscribers on annual plans. Use this calculator to model your optimal monthly/annual mix.
Setting Your Growth Milestones
Use the growth projections to set concrete milestones. Want $1,000/month net? At $10/month with 5% paid conversion, you need roughly 2,500 total subscribers (125 paid × $8.41 = $1,051/month). Want $5,000/month? You need roughly 12,000 subscribers. These numbers clarify your marketing goals and make growth tangible.
FAQ
Is this Substack revenue calculator free?
Yes, completely free with no signup required. Enter your total subscribers, paid percentage, and pricing to instantly see your monthly net income after Substack and Stripe fees, plus growth projections. All calculations run locally in your browser.
What fees does Substack charge?
Substack takes 10% of paid subscription revenue. Additionally, Stripe payment processing fees apply: 2.9% + $0.30 per monthly subscription, or 2.9% + $0.30 per annual subscription (one charge). These fees apply only to paid subscribers — free subscribers cost nothing. For a $10/month subscriber, Substack keeps $1.00 and Stripe keeps ~$0.59, leaving you $8.41 net.
How does annual vs monthly subscription pricing work on Substack?
Substack lets you offer annual subscriptions at a discount (typically 10-30% off the monthly price). Annual subscribers pay one lump sum upfront, which is better for your cash flow. Substack's 10% fee and Stripe's processing fee still apply, but Stripe's per-transaction flat fee ($0.30) is charged only once for the year instead of 12 times. Annual plans typically have much lower churn too.
What conversion rate should I expect from free to paid on Substack?
Typical Substack free-to-paid conversion rates are 5-10%. Writers with highly engaged audiences and premium content can hit 15-20%. A new publication with 1,000 subscribers converting at 5% has 50 paid subscribers. The conversion rate depends heavily on your content quality, niche, and how clearly you communicate the value of paid access.
What is a good monthly price for a Substack newsletter?
Most Substack writers charge $5-10/month (or $50-100/year). Higher prices ($15-25/month) work for niche professional content, business insights, or investment newsletters with demonstrably valuable information. General interest, culture, and creative writing publications typically find the sweet spot at $7-8/month for maximum total paid subscribers.
Is my Substack revenue data safe using this tool?
Yes, all calculations run entirely in your browser. No subscriber counts, revenue figures, or publication data are sent to any server or stored anywhere. The tool is completely private.
How does Substack compare to other newsletter platforms?
Substack takes 10% but provides built-in discovery (Substack network), no platform fee until you have paid subscribers, and a simple one-click subscription experience. Ghost ($9-199/month) charges no revenue percentage but requires self-hosting or managed hosting. Beehiiv ($39/month) also charges no revenue percentage. For creators just starting, Substack's zero upfront cost is attractive despite the higher ongoing percentage.