The hottest Subscriptions Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Finance Topics

360 million views and unable to pay her rent

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 274 implied HN points • 10 Mar 26
💼 Business Subscriptions
  1. Creators can get massive TikTok views but still earn very little, so many move their audiences to platforms like YouTube that offer clearer ways to make money.
  2. Sustainable publishing can come from prioritizing high‑quality, differentiated journalism and building subscription revenue rather than chasing scale with ad tech.
  3. Niche experts can expand a small audience into a diversified media business — podcasts, courses, events, and communities — though some eventually refocus on their core trade.

David Ellison gets his pyrrhic victory

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 424 implied HN points • 27 Feb 26
💼 Business Subscriptions
  1. Netflix stepping out of the bidding war cleared the way for David Ellison’s Paramount to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, a deal that likely burdens the buyer with heavy debt and weakens a major competitor over time.
  2. Publishers lose time and money to fragmented publishing stacks, so unified platforms that combine editorial workflows, live publishing, and analytics can reduce operational complexity and let teams focus on content and monetization.
  3. FAST streaming faces long‑term risks because many services are filling catalogs with overlapping, lower‑quality content, creating signal‑to‑noise for viewers, while YouTube’s broad reach and attractive revenue split could lure away content suppliers.

Netflix wants to offer more ambient TV

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 349 implied HN points • 27 Feb 26
💼 Business Subscriptions
  1. Netflix is pushing video podcasts and other ambient TV as a low-cost way to keep the TV on and win more living-room attention instead of spending big on prestige shows.
  2. Creators are getting better at weaving sponsorships into their work, so ads feel more natural and help creators monetize without turning audiences off.
  3. News organizations are unifying TV and digital operations and moving content behind paywalls to collect first-party data and charge more for subscriptions and ads.

Zombie news sites are taking over the internet

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 174 implied HN points • 04 Mar 26
💼 Business Subscriptions
  1. Marketing firms are buying or hijacking gaming and news sites and filling them with AI-written content and gambling ads to exploit existing SEO and expired domains for easy revenue.
  2. Relying on platform referrals like Google Discover is risky because traffic can drop suddenly. Publishers shouldn’t build their operations around audiences they don’t own.
  3. Media businesses are shifting toward direct monetization and platform-native distribution. Newsletters, specialized ad platforms, and multiplatform streaming personalities are becoming more reliable than chasing programmatic or referral traffic.

There's a goldmine hiding in your content archives

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 349 implied HN points • 25 Feb 26
💼 Business Subscriptions
  1. Evergreen content in your archives is a goldmine that’s often overlooked. Regularly resurfacing older articles can boost reader interest and significantly increase subscription conversions.
  2. AI is changing how sourcing works and raising the risk of fake experts and AI-generated commentary. Publishers need stronger verification and access to vetted expert networks to protect trust.
  3. The creator economy and platform monetization are evolving fast, with subscriptions, royalty-tracking tools, and brand deals creating new revenue paths. Creators and startups that capture scale or better revenue tools can reshape how media dollars are distributed.
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$89 Lifetime Lunduke Journal Subscriptions all January!

The Lunduke Journal of Technology • 2297 implied HN points • 09 Jan 26
🕹 Technology Subscriptions
  1. A limited-time sale offers lifetime subscriptions for $89 when paid with Bitcoin or $99 via other platforms, a big discount from the regular $300 price, valid through January 31, 2026.
  2. Monthly and yearly plans are half off during the sale,-priced at $3 per month or $27 per year.
  3. Subscriptions include perks like forum access, DRM-free video downloads, and ebooks, and can be purchased via Substack, Locals, or Bitcoin (Bitcoin payments are cheaper due to lower fees).

Meta keeps finding new ways to not pay its creators

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 274 implied HN points • 24 Feb 26
💼 Business Subscriptions
  1. Meta pays creators almost nothing compared with how much Reels and Instagram earn, so monetization is dominated by creators in low-cost countries and that encourages lots of low-effort, AI-driven content.
  2. Shifting from ad-based models to subscriptions and creator-owned projects can sustain independent journalism and niche media, and podcasts or blogs can successfully spin out from companies to build paying audiences.
  3. A purely data-driven playbook that cuts niche or lower-traffic coverage can alienate loyal, information-hungry subscribers, risking long-term subscription value and reader loyalty.

The journalists embracing AI in their reporting

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 299 implied HN points • 20 Feb 26
📰 News Subscriptions
  1. Freelance journalists are increasingly using AI to speed up pitching, transcribing interviews, researching, and drafting, which frees time to focus on editing and big-picture reporting.
  2. Some streaming platforms are exploring add-on subscription bundles to sell niche services through their storefronts, but those moves can fail if the host lacks scale or international reach.
  3. Local news can thrive with community-funded, membership-driven models that prioritize neighborhood reporting, enabling growth to tens of thousands of paying subscribers.

Apple's move into video podcasts is too little too late

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 299 implied HN points • 19 Feb 26
🎙 Podcasts Subscriptions
  1. Apple’s new video-podcast features and HLS support improve the experience but are likely too little, too late to stop market share loss to Spotify and YouTube, which benefit from much stronger user lock-in.
  2. More publishers are shifting from metered paywalls to hard paywalls and confidently charging full price, because metered models only work if you produce enormous volumes of repeat traffic.
  3. Niche and independent publishers can build durable businesses by selling direct subscriptions, high-priced specialized access, memberships, events, and brand-funded projects, reducing dependence on big tech platforms.

Big Technology's Cyber Monday Discount!

Big Technology • 3752 implied HN points • 01 Dec 25
💼 Business Subscriptions
  1. Big Technology Premium is on sale for Cyber Monday at just $60 for the first year. It's a great opportunity to access exclusive perks.
  2. The package includes access to a private Discord server and bonus reporting, adding extra value to the subscription.
  3. Supporting Big Technology helps keep their reporting going, so your purchase makes a difference beyond just getting content.

Why I'll be putting out more paid content

Philosophy bear • 50 implied HN points • 15 Mar 26
💼 Business Subscriptions
  1. I used to keep everything free because charging felt tawdry and I wanted my writing to reach as many people as possible.
  2. I learned Substack's algorithm rewards having paid subscribers, so I'll put some articles behind a paywall to boost visibility even though that means excluding non-paying readers.
  3. If someone is truly broke they can ask and I'll give them a free subscription so they won't be shut out by the paywall.

Hey, thanks friends!

Disaffected Newsletter • 2238 implied HN points • 17 Jul 24
🎙 Podcasts Subscriptions
  1. The creator is thankful for their subscribers and the support they provide. It's great to have people interested in the work.
  2. Having subscribers helps with finances, especially after transitioning to freelancing. It means a lot to get paid for their content.
  3. New essays will be coming soon, despite a busy week with work and shows. The creator wants to keep engaging with their audience.

All the Good Stuff You're Missing on Culture Study

Culture Study • 807 implied HN points • 02 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture Subscriptions
  1. Culture Study has moved its main home to Patreon, where you can join as a free or paid subscriber and get help if you need to transfer comp access.
  2. There’s a lot of new Patreon content right now—book club picks, personal essays, podcast and reading recommendations, threads, and a subscriber-only chat—so it’s worth checking out if you’ve been missing the newsletter.
  3. They’re also running weekly fundraisers to help families targeted by ICE, directing donations to rent, meals, and utilities and committing to keep doing that work while the need continues.

Announcing the NonZero Network

Nonzero Newsletter • 384 implied HN points • 19 Feb 26
📰 News Subscriptions
  1. The NonZero Network is a new effort to amplify a small group of independent, intellectually honest newsletters and podcasts so readers can more easily separate signal from noise.
  2. Paid NonZero subscribers get a 50% discount on any member newsletter for a one-year subscription, and those discount purchases are reciprocal with proceeds split evenly between NonZero and the partner newsletter.
  3. All NonZero subscribers will get a weekly curated summary of highlights from network members and a few outside picks (with an opt-out option), and founding members were chosen for their independence and underrepresented perspectives.

Deal Ended: $89 Lifetime Lunduke Journal Subscriptions Through Tuesday, Dec 2nd

The Lunduke Journal of Technology • 2297 implied HN points • 29 Nov 25
💼 Business Subscriptions
  1. The Lunduke Journal had a huge increase in new subscribers and views, hitting over 12 million views in October alone.
  2. They offered a big discount on Lifetime Subscriptions for a limited time, reducing the price from $300 to $89 if paid with Bitcoin, or $99 through other methods.
  3. If a Lifetime Subscription is not what you're looking for, there are also 50% off Monthly and Yearly subscriptions available until December 2nd.

Inside The New York Times Business Model: How Bundling Saved Journalism

Huddle Up • 166 implied HN points • 25 Feb 26
💼 Business Subscriptions
  1. The New York Times built a bundle of products — like games, cooking, and Wirecutter — that now drive most user engagement and make news one piece of a larger offering.
  2. Moving readers onto bundled subscriptions instead of news-only plans dramatically improved economics, producing far more subscribers, revenue, free cash flow, and a higher market valuation.
  3. That bundling playbook is being copied across media because diversifying subscription products gives publishers a clearer path to sustainable growth and survival.

The threat of Google Zero was always overblown

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 274 implied HN points • 06 Feb 26
💼 Business Subscriptions
  1. The fear that AI 'Google Zero' would wipe out publisher traffic was exaggerated. AI summaries cut clicks on simple queries, but many searches are exploratory so people still visit multiple sources.
  2. YouTube has become a massive, profitable platform by combining ad and subscription revenue without paywalls, surpassing many streaming rivals in size. That success highlights the value of creator-friendly monetization and pressures other platforms to share revenue.
  3. Strong brands, diversified revenue (subscriptions, bundles, ads), and real audience engagement matter more than raw traffic. Companies that build loyal audiences or smart bundles can thrive even as search and AI change distribution.

Who's spending $80 a month on microdramas?

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 349 implied HN points • 30 Jan 26
💼 Business Subscriptions
  1. TikTok-like microdramas are making lots of money by using game-like, addictive monetization where viewers buy tokens or pay monthly to unlock short, low-budget episodes.
  2. The Washington Post’s relevance dropped sharply after its current publisher took control, and the data suggest much of that decline is self-inflicted.
  3. Paramount+ plans to add short-form video and user-generated content to its platform, but it’s unclear if it will share revenue with creators or rely on exposure to attract them.

Why sports leagues are going all in on the Creator Economy

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 124 implied HN points • 12 Feb 26
💼 Business Subscriptions
  1. Sports leagues are using social creators as low‑risk content partners, giving VIP access so creators produce lots of promotional material without threatening broadcast rights or big ad spends.
  2. The creator economy is maturing into real business power: creators are launching companies, attracting investment, and being funneled into TV, retail, and sponsorship deals that turn audiences into revenue streams.
  3. Journalism faces a new credibility risk from AI‑generated fake experts and quotes, so newsrooms must adopt fast vetting practices and trusted expert networks to protect accuracy and trust.

Lunduke Journal's Black Friday Super Mega Sale 2000

The Lunduke Journal of Technology • 1148 implied HN points • 24 Nov 25
🕹 Technology Subscriptions
  1. There's a big Black Friday sale going on for The Lunduke Journal. You can save 50% on new subscriptions, which is a great deal!
  2. You can choose different types of subscriptions, like monthly or lifetime. The lifetime subscription is usually $300, but during the sale, it's only $150!
  3. All subscriptions come with cool perks like DRM-free video downloads, access to an exclusive forum, and fun eBooks. Supporting this independent tech journalism feels good too!

Netflix is done zigging and is ready to zag

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 299 implied HN points • 21 Jan 26
💼 Business Subscriptions
  1. Netflix is moving away from its strict "zig where others zag" stance and is now embracing traditional models like theatrical releases and potentially ad-based monetization to grow beyond subscriptions.
  2. Major media outlets are integrating prediction markets and betting-style odds into coverage, which risks turning news consumption into gambling and creating ethical and public-harm concerns.
  3. The industry is experimenting with varied distribution and revenue strategies — from BBC making shows for YouTube and creators landing streamer deals to newsletters building ad networks — as publishers try to stabilize and find new growth paths.

Is it time for YouTube to invest in prestige TV?

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 124 implied HN points • 11 Feb 26
💼 Business Subscriptions
  1. YouTube should revive big-budget Originals now that it’s the top TV platform, because prestige shows can win premium advertisers and help keep top creators from fleeing to higher-paying rivals.
  2. The creator economy is consolidating — the biggest creators dominate, so newcomers need to niche down and build small, paid communities to succeed, as shown by huge Twitch subscription numbers and athlete creators.
  3. Media companies are reshaping strategies: Netflix is tightening and optimizing content spend, legacy players are buying into podcasts and subscription tools, and social-native firms are scaling massive audiences by mastering platform virality.

Hitting pause for a month!

Odds and Ends of History • 670 implied HN points • 01 Jan 26
📰 News Subscriptions
  1. The paid newsletter is being paused for exactly one month so the creator can finish another work project and avoid overcommitment.
  2. Existing paid subscribers won’t lose time — subscriptions will be automatically extended by one month and no action is needed.
  3. The podcast will continue (with a new name), occasional urgent or guest posts may appear, and full newsletter publishing will resume in February.

The YouTube "middle class" does exist

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 199 implied HN points • 22 Jan 26
💼 Business Subscriptions
  1. YouTube and social-first channels can support a real middle class of creators. Big audiences and advertisers are increasingly treating YouTube like TV, which makes sustainable revenue more possible.
  2. Newsletters still make money but require active strategies like tracking sponsors and using creative referral partnerships to grow. If you sell your newsletter, try to keep ownership or negotiate a buyback option.
  3. Media companies are diversifying with new products and business moves—standalone apps, licensing viral clips, and acquisitions—to reach audiences and create new revenue streams.

Media outlets outsourced all their audience engagement to the tech platforms

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 174 implied HN points • 23 Jan 26
📰 News Subscriptions
  1. Many news outlets gave up on their own comment sections and pushed engagement onto big tech, which cost them direct relationships and email addresses. Rebuilding on-site community with basic moderation can boost subscriptions and ad revenue.
  2. Substack launching a TV app shows platforms chasing the streaming space, but connected-TV is crowded and most creators’ video isn’t yet polished for that environment. Focusing on web and mobile growth first would likely pay off more.
  3. A large share of top news sites are blocking AI training crawlers, and there’s little downside to doing so aside from Google. Blocking bots helps prevent scraping and gives publishers leverage to negotiate licensing deals.

How do we fund slow journalism?

The Novelleist • 304 implied HN points • 29 Dec 25
📰 News Subscriptions
  1. Publish fewer, much longer, deeply researched essays as digital and print pamphlets to reclaim attention and produce higher-quality, evergreen work.
  2. Cover costs with a blended funding model: annual subscribers and paid tiers, direct sales on platforms like Metalabel, plus patronage or organizational sponsors to fund design and print.
  3. Publishing less often is a financial risk, but it yields stronger, better-tested ideas and allows commissioning custom art and research, making niche, slow journalism sustainable for dedicated readers.

When investing $200 million in a media company is actually worth it

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 199 implied HN points • 15 Jan 26
💼 Business Subscriptions
  1. Big checks into creator-led companies can make sense when the creator has massive reach and builds real non-media businesses like products and merch.
  2. Merging or bundling streaming services can create a viable challenger to Netflix, since some services (like Disney+) haven’t produced enough regular, broad-appeal originals to keep viewers coming back.
  3. Media companies are shifting toward sponsorships, events, newsletter ad strategies, and creator partnerships—leaning on branded experiences and owned products rather than trying to match big tech ad scale.

Legacy publishers embrace the Creator Economy

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 249 implied HN points • 07 Jan 26
💼 Business Subscriptions
  1. Big publishers are building creator networks and paying individual creators to make content on their channels, acknowledging that individual personalities now hold more audience power than brands alone.
  2. Creators are choosing platforms based on audience ownership and monetization control, with some moving platforms over fears of lock‑in even though email lists are generally portable.
  3. Newsletter and creator monetization is shifting: sponsorship tracking is becoming important as ad formats fragment, market forces like GLP‑1 drugs are changing affiliate and brand-deal dynamics, and some partisan outlets are losing traffic as audiences splinter.

The most exciting media companies have non-media business models

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 199 implied HN points • 14 Jan 26
💼 Business Subscriptions
  1. The most successful modern media companies build non-media businesses — like ecommerce, SaaS, or product lines — so audience attention turns into direct revenue. Those commerce arms often outperform ads and subscriptions.
  2. Live events and conferences are a lucrative revenue channel because they generate fast, high-margin income and attract influential audiences. But events carry high overhead, are limited by venue capacity, and are hard to scale indefinitely.
  3. Creators and publishers need diversified monetization — sponsorships, paid newsletters, AI tools, branded content, and partnerships — plus a focused, often affluent audience and active sales effort to make those models pay. Relying on a single revenue stream or on platform-driven distribution leaves businesses exposed.

Subscrive Drive 2025 + Free Unlocked Posts

Astral Codex Ten • 6400 implied HN points • 14 Jan 25
💼 Business Subscriptions
  1. You can subscribe to Astral Codex Ten for paid access, which includes extra articles and special threads for subscribers. It's a chance to support the blog and get more content.
  2. The blog had strong subscriber growth at first but has seen a drop in recent years. The author encourages financial support but understands if people cannot afford it.
  3. Several subscriber-only posts offer unique insights, covering topics like historical figures and personal reflections. When you subscribe, you can access a lot of great content.

welcome to not boring world

Not Boring by Packy McCormick • 235 implied HN points • 06 Jan 26
💼 Business Subscriptions
  1. Not Boring World is a paid section that gathers smart founders, researchers, and creators and helps them co-write longform essays so their best, frontier ideas actually get published.
  2. This is a bet on the written word over podcasts and video: deep, canonical ideas are meant to be written, and the project aims to surface fresh inputs you won't find in LLMs.
  3. They'll build editorial infrastructure and a contributor network to curate those inputs into a coherent 'means and meaning' worldview, funded by subscribers, with community features like chats, debates, and more frequent co-written pieces.

50% Off Lunduke Journal for August

The Lunduke Journal of Technology • 1723 implied HN points • 11 Aug 25
💼 Business Subscriptions
  1. The Lunduke Journal is having a 50% off subscription sale for the entire month of August. This is a great chance to save money while supporting independent tech journalism.
  2. You can choose between a monthly or yearly subscription, with prices starting as low as $3 a month or $27 a year, making it very affordable.
  3. There's also a special Lifetime Subscription available for half price this month, allowing you to pay once for lifetime access to all content from The Lunduke Journal.

How Anthropic Can Win in Consumer

How the Hell • 108 implied HN points • 01 Feb 26
🕹 Technology Subscriptions
  1. Claude is technically liked but losing consumer mindshare because it lacks a big brand, easy creative features, and strong consumer distribution channels.
  2. Letting people ‘sign in with Claude’ so subscriptions can power third‑party apps would create a two‑sided network effect that attracts both developers and users.
  3. That approach would hurt short‑term margins but likely drive more users to higher tiers and deliver long‑term consumer market leadership.

Here’s to the First Million Free Pressers—And the Next

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 4405 implied HN points • 28 Dec 24
📰 News Subscriptions
  1. The Free Press has grown to one million subscribers by focusing on delivering honest journalism. People are looking for trustworthy news that reflects reality.
  2. Instead of just rejecting old media, The Free Press aims to provide valuable content that people need. They emphasize the importance of pursuing truth in their reporting.
  3. The growth of The Free Press shows that many people still care about real journalism and want to support it. This gives hope for the future of journalism as a whole.

I'm tracking which brands are sponsoring newsletters

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 274 implied HN points • 10 Dec 25
💼 Business Subscriptions
  1. Tracking newsletter sponsorships can be tricky due to many brands and no standard ad units. Some suggest starting with brands already advertising in other newsletters.
  2. Forbes is cutting back on its contributing writers to focus on a more financially sound model as they face pressures from declining traffic and revenue.
  3. More independent media outlets may start experimenting with print media to engage fans, as it offers a tangible experience away from online platforms.

50% off The Lunduke Journal (including Lifetime Subscriptions) through Saturday!

The Lunduke Journal of Technology • 1723 implied HN points • 29 May 25
🕹 Technology Subscriptions
  1. There's a 50% off sale on subscriptions for The Lunduke Journal until Saturday. This includes monthly, yearly, and lifetime options.
  2. The journal has received a lot of support from readers, setting records for new subscriptions during past promotions.
  3. Subscribing helps keep The Lunduke Journal ad-free and supports independent tech journalism, allowing for honest and bold stories.

Not all media outlets are worried about declining Google traffic

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 324 implied HN points • 19 Nov 25
💼 Business Subscriptions
  1. Many new media startups are doing well without depending on Google for traffic. They focus more on building strong connections with their audience.
  2. The Economist is seen as a luxury brand like Ferrari because it maintains high standards and limits supply, making it more valuable to its subscribers.
  3. Vox is teaming up with Patreon to create exclusive content, showing that media companies are finding new ways to attract paying audiences.

Looking Back: One Year Of Big Technology's Paid Edition

Big Technology • 4128 implied HN points • 22 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Subscriptions
  1. The launch of paid subscriptions for Big Technology has been a success, allowing the publication to grow and provide better content.
  2. The newsletter included valuable insights on major tech companies like Amazon and Google, highlighting important trends and changes in leadership.
  3. Engagement with subscribers has been strong, with the addition of exclusive podcasts and events, making the relationship between the writer and readers even more meaningful.