Start your podcast now.
Start your podcast on Substack or import past episodes in less than five minutes.
Get startedYour podcast. Bigger and better.
Substack makes it simple to start a subscription podcast. You can distribute to Apple and Spotify, build a home for your community, and grow your audience right here.
Get started“We moved to Substack because the platform enables us to develop Pack Your Knives into more than a weekly podcast, expand our offerings beyond the weekly recap, and build a community hub for all things Top Chef.”
More than a podcast.
Each podcast episode can become a bigger, richer experience by adding supporting multimedia material around it—writing, images, transcripts, or bonus audio and video content.
A direct relationship with listeners.
On Substack, you’re not podcasting into a void. Email subscriptions create direct relationships with listeners. Comments and community threads connect subscribers.
Monetize through devotion.
Share free episodes broadly via email, web, in the Substack app, or via RSS feed to all major podcast players—and add extra perks for paying subscribers all in one place.
“Adding my podcast to Burnt Toast has been such an important way to build my community and make my work more accessible to a wider audience… Since I launched my podcast, my total list has grown by 30 percent and my paid subscribers have nearly doubled.”
Get startedGreat podcasters are on Substack.
From food and culture to politics and crypto, Substack is a home for podcasts by both seasoned hosts and new talent.
The easy way to get started with audio.
No need for long episodes, hefty edits, or expensive equipment. Keep it simple and record audio directly in the Substack editor.
Get startedA Message
Share personal messages with voice
Musician, author, and poet Patti Smith regularly sends audio clips to subscribers, reflecting on travels and even singing.
Entrepreneurship is contagious
Start a lightweight podcast
Matt Clancy, an economist at Iowa State, publishes written research alongside a spoken exploration of his learnings.
Hild of Whitby
Read posts aloud
Florence H. R. Scott, a historian from Leeds, UK brings written posts to life by reading them in their own voice.
Friday night mini-pod recap
Live dispatches from behind the scenes
Ariel Helwani narrates the latest news and shares his thoughts on big fights as they are happening.
“I loved using the audio feature. It was a real raw way to get my thoughts on that night's fights out fast and in a digestible format to the audience, and it couldn't have been easier. The feedback I got for it was great.”
Substack is for podcasters.
Substack is the only podcasting host where free listeners can convert to paid subscribers in one space, and truly own their relationship with their subscribers.
Create your Substack| Features | Anchor.fm | Simplecast | Patreon | Substack |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free & paid episodes | ||||
| Own your subscriber list | ||||
| Own your payment stream | ||||
| Rich newsletter, video tools | ||||
| Comments and threads | ||||
| Analytics | ||||
| Audio editing | ||||
| Ad tools | ||||
| Custom domain |
Podcasting questions answered.
If you’re interested in starting a new podcast or migrating a podcast from another hosting platform to Substack, here are some answers to common podcasting questions.
How do I set up a podcast on Substack?
We created a step-by-step guide here.
How much does it cost to host my podcast on Substack?
It’s free to host and distribute podcasts via Substack. Podcasters who turn on paid subscriptions keep 90% of their revenue, minus credit card fees.
Will I keep the email addresses for my podcast listeners?
You will always own your subscribers’ email addresses and be able to export them at any time, if you wish. When a new person subscribes from the Substack app or the Substack website, you’ll get their email address.
If you distribute your podcast through other hosting platforms, there will be a distinction between people who listen on those podcasting apps and people who subscribe directly to your Substack.
How can subscribers listen to podcasts hosted on Substack?
You can listen from your email, in the Substack app, or on the web, as well as register your podcast to be distributed (via RSS feed) to Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, and more. You can find more information on how to distribute your podcast to other platforms here.
How do free and paid subscriptions work with podcasts?
Free subscribers get all free episodes in their podcast feed. They do not see any paid or paywalled content in their feed.
Paying subscribers can listen seamlessly in the Substack iOS app, or will receive a private RSS feed that they can enter into an alternative podcast player of their choice. This link is included in their welcome email and is accessible on the Substack episode page.
How can I interact with my listener community on Substack?
On Substack, podcasting can transform from a one-way megaphone into more of a conversation. Podcasters can invite listeners to weigh in on episodes directly through comments on each episode page and Chat threads, or not. You’re in control.
I have a question or problem that’s not answered here!
Answers to podcasters’ and writers’ most frequently-asked questions about Substack can be found on our Support center.
You can also subscribe to On Substack for advice, inspiration, community events, and product news, and visit our Resource hub for guidance and case studies on how to succeed on Substack.