Paid Substack Newsletter
A paid Substack newsletter built around one clear transformation, with members-only access and extra products
Video published Sep 25, 2026 by Richard Yu
Startup cost: Free to start (our estimate; the video doesn’t give figures)
Source video
Richard Yu · Substack for Beginners: The Complete 2026 Digital Product Tutorial ↗
What It Is
You write a newsletter on Substack about one clear outcome readers want. Free posts build the list, and paying members get extra access such as a group, live calls and direct answers. Later you sell courses or templates to the same readers.
The Pitch
Richard says the number of people paying for writing on Substack doubled in a year, and that many writers underprice at $5 to $10 a month; he'd charge more and make the annual plan the obvious deal.
Who It’s Best For
Writers with steady expertise who can publish every week.
The Truth (as we see it)
Most newsletters take a long time to reach enough readers to pay, and Substack takes a 10% cut. You'll need to keep writing reliably for months. Richard says he has built systems for over 3,000 people who sell digital products, and his videos promote his own paid programs.
Our assessment, based on the video and what’s typical across similar videos. We don’t independently verify income claims or prices.
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