Substack
A platform for independent writers to publish paid newsletters.
Substack at a glance
Substack is a social media website and one of the most visited sites in United States, currently ranked #196 in the country. It was founded in 2017 by Chris Best, Hamish McKenzie, Jairaj Sethi and is headquartered in San Francisco, CA, USA. Today Substack is owned by Substack Inc.. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 80 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through subscription commissions. Its closest rivals include medium.com, beehiiv.com, ghost.org.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 75.2 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 77.6 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 80 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 84.8 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct76%
- Organic search13%
- Referral6%
- Paid3%
- Email2%
Audience & demographics
- Men52%
- Women48%
- Age 18-2430%
- Age 25-3429%
- Age 35-4420%
The audience is concentrated in United States, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- United States86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 24 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- United States
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| substack | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| login | Top 10 | High | — |
| sign up | Top 10 | High | — |
| download app | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the United States web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 88% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading social media apps in United States
Company information
- Website
- substack.com
- Sector
- Social Media
- Owner
- Substack Inc.
- Owner type
- Private company
- Founders
- Chris Best, Hamish McKenzie, Jairaj Sethi
- Founded
- 2017
- Headquarters
- San Francisco, CA, USA
- Employees
- 200+
- Ownership
- Substack Inc. controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $100 million annual revenue (est.)
- Languages
- English
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, referral
Financials
- Revenue
- ≈ $100 million annual revenue (est.)
- Ownership
- Private company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
Substack operates a social platform focused on United States. A platform for independent writers to publish paid newsletters. Revenue comes mainly from subscription commissions, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Subscription commissions
Products & services
International presence
- Primary market
- United States
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (United States)
- #196 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading social media site in United States
- Global rank
- 500
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| medium.com | ≈ 48 million / month | #197 class competitor | — |
| beehiiv.com | ≈ 36 million / month | #198 class competitor | — |
| ghost.org | ≈ 24 million / month | #199 class competitor | — |
What is Substack?
Substack (substack.com) is a social platform serving users in United States. A platform for independent writers to publish paid newsletters. It ranks #196 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the social media category.
Who owns Substack?
The site is operated by Substack Inc., founded by Chris Best, Hamish McKenzie, Jairaj Sethi. The company was established in 2017 and is headquartered in San Francisco, CA, USA. It employs around 200+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place Substack at roughly 80 million visits per month, about 2.7 million per day. Around 88% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 11.4 pages per visit with an average session of 12 min.
How Substack makes money
Revenue comes primarily from subscription commissions, alongside .
Competitors in United States
Its closest rivals include medium.com, beehiiv.com, ghost.org.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 2017
Substack is founded in San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Growth phase
Expands its social media offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #196 among the most visited websites in United States.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Very high daily engagement
- Strong creator and community ecosystem
- Free to use with broad reach
- Self-serve advertising for small businesses
Cons
- Moderation and misinformation criticism
- Privacy and data-use concerns
- Algorithm changes hurt organic reach
- Ad load increases over time
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Substack?
Substack is operated by Substack Inc.. Private company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is Substack headquartered?
Substack is headquartered in San Francisco, CA, USA.
When was Substack founded?
Substack was founded in 2017 by Chris Best, Hamish McKenzie, Jairaj Sethi.
How many employees does Substack have?
Substack employs approximately 200+ people.
What is Substack's revenue?
Substack's revenue: ≈ $100 million annual revenue (est.).
Who are Substack's competitors?
Main competitors in United States include medium.com, beehiiv.com, ghost.org.
How does Substack make money?
Mainly subscription commissions.
Is Substack publicly traded?
No — Substack is not listed as an independent public company; it is operated by Substack Inc..
How many visitors does Substack get?
Third-party estimates place Substack at roughly 80 million visits per month, mostly from United States, with 88% mobile traffic.
Is Substack safe?
Substack is an established social media site founded in 2017 and ranked #196 in United States; use the official domain substack.com and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementssubstack.com
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageUnited States and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos