Writers are fleeing the Substack Tax

Writers are fleeing the Substack Tax

Substack, the once buzzy newsletter platform, is losing a new swath of writers to rival platforms most people haven't heard of. Just last month, The Ankler, one of Substack's most popular publications, left for a platform that gives it more control over its site. Others who have departed Substack within the past year voiced similar complaints and cite the platform's increased focus on social features as well as a pricing model that puts a chokeh…

Where is Substack Headed?

Interesting Tweet Sunday evening from Matt Mullenweg, a co-founder of WordPress. Really proud to have @TheAnkler on Open Source with @automattic and @benthompson's Passport product, you can apply for the waitlist here: https://t.co/sPliIxzxxU https://t.co/TlaA27nxgc— Matt Mullenweg (@photomatt) May 11, 2026 Per Emma Roth of The Verge,“Substack, the once buzzy newsletter platform, is losing a new swath of writers to rival platforms most people ha…

The Substack Tax Drives Writers to Beehiiv and Ghost

Substack built an empire on the promise that writers could own their audience and keep most of their earnings. That pitch worked brilliantly for years. Now a growing number of successful creators say the math no longer adds up. They call it the Substack Tax. The platform takes 10 percent of every paid subscription in perpetuity. Add payment processing fees and the cut climbs closer to 13 percent. For tiny newsletters the amount feels manageable.…