How much Substack costs
Prices from the official page as of 2026-11-02. The service may change them; the exact amount is shown at checkout.
- Minimum paid tier — $5 per month
- Minimum paid tier, annual — $30 per year
Paying for Substack step by step
Use the card like any foreign bank card:
- Each paid subscription is bought separately on the writer's page: pick a monthly or annual plan and enter the card.
- The writer sets the price, but not below Substack's minimum of $5 a month or $30 a year for USD publications.
- The card is saved on your Substack account, so later subscriptions are quicker.
- Some writers offer a founding member tier — a voluntary payment above the regular price.
What can go wrong
If the Substack payment fails, it is usually one of these:
- The writer picks the subscription currency, so a USD card may see a conversion.
- If the writer raises the price, existing subscribers usually keep the old one, but resubscribing means the new price.
- In the iPhone app a subscription may go through the App Store, and then it's cancelled in Apple ID settings.