Today we are launching Chat, a new space for writers and creators to host conversations with their subscribers.
Chat is a community space reimagined specifically for writers and creators— it’s like having your own private social network where you make the rules. Writers set the topic and the tone for every discussion, and can turn the feature on or off at any time.
Writers, podcasters, and video-makers can turn on Chat for their publications from within the iOS app. We are rolling this feature out gradually, with Android and web to follow.
Update: Chat launched on Android on December 1, 2022 and launched on the web on March 15, 2023.
Turning on Chat extends the relationships that writers and creators have already developed with subscribers on Substack. Writers can host Chat conversations for all of their subscribers, or just those who pay.
Why we built Chat
As the quality of writing on Substack has blossomed and comments sections lit up with intelligent discussions, subscriber communities began to take shape. Some enterprising writers have taken matters into their own hands, hacking together integrations with Discord, Slack, and Telegram to cultivate communities of supporters.
For the last few months, our product teams have been working closely with a small group of writers to address this problem. The result is a simple-to-use space where writers can have more frequent conversations with the people who appreciate their work most. Chat also eliminates the need for writers to frankenstein together different software tools and cross-reference subscriber lists. These are just the early days for Chat and all of Substack’s social features. There’s lots more to come!
How to turn on Chat
If you would like to turn Chat on for your publication, here’s how to do so:
Get the Substack app
Announce Chat to your readers—the most important step!
If you have questions about Chat, visit our Chat FAQ, check out our getting started guide, or head to the support center.
How writers and creators are using Chat
Here are a few examples of how writers, illustrators, journalist, comics creators and more are using Chat:
Sports journalist Joe Posnanski welcomed subscribers to chat by proclaiming, “Hey, it's like JoeBlogs Twitter!” and “Elon Musk isn't the only guy who can run a Social Media company.” To kickoff the space, Joe hosted live chats from Game 3 of the World Series from the field.
Hunter Harris uses her subscriber chat to talk with readers about more niche pop culture topics than would normally go out via email. “I’m always trying to think of ways to reach Hung Up readers with a greater level of specificity without stomping into your inbox to talk about something that’s not of interest to most of us.”
After receiving ongoing calls from subscribers for more community building efforts, comics writers 3 Worlds / 3 Moons use Chat casually as a place to speak with superfans “away from the noise of social media.” They’ve gathered subscribers for viewing parties of iconic movies like Alien, share early glimpses of new work, and hosted AMAs.
This On Substack publication will also be using Chat. Stop by our first thread and say hi:
Have questions about how Chat works? Ask in the comments section of this post and we’ll do our best to answer. You can also head to the support center or visit our Chat FAQ and getting started guide.
Thank you to all of the writers who helped us test and build Chat: Bill Bishop, Wendy MacNaughton, Terrell Johnson, Elle Griffin, Haley Nahman, Marc Stein, Leslie Stephens, Bernard Hickey, Tic Toc Trading, Snowball.xyz, Hunter Harris, Darryl Cooper, 3 Worlds / 3 Moons, Jessica Reed Krauss, and The Isolation Journals. We couldn’t have built Chat without you.
I don't have an iPhone, and just a basic cell phone for emergencies... when will this function be available to people with regular computers? I am disabled. I function best on a CPU. Cell phones are too cumbersome and small. Thank you!
I second this. Needs a desktop version
I can't share any timelines, but we've already started designing how this might work on web and have a lot of enthusiasm for launching it there. So: hopefully soon!
Great! That would be wonderful. I am often shoved out of social media bc I don't live on a cell phone... or have an iPhone. I would really appreciate a chat feature that I could access. Thank you! Dawn
I'm also not very into phones —practically an occupational dilemma for me, given my field— and expect to love Chat once it's on web!
Second this strongly! There are many folks without smart phones or a lot that prefer to use the desktop, me included! So would love to have this option as both a reader and writer :) :) glad you have already started designing how it would work!
My vote is for the desktop version. I type over 60 wpm on the keyboard, but I'm terrible typing on a screen and fat finger all the time. Very frustrating. I text using Messages for Web because I'm usually at home when I text. As a genealogist, I anticipate that my Chat responses are going to be long and contain links.
Yes please, desktop version.
Don’t want to give you a hard time, but have you ever considered an iPad? Quite a bit larger than an iPhone, with all the features plus more
I find writing on a tablet even less practical than on a phone, personally.
I basically only use my tablet to read, watch or listen, but never ever to write.
Same issues, agree wholeheartedly re: web functionality & phone suck ability. Rarely use iPad. THEN… I bought a keypad and now use it CONSTANTLY. Like right now. :)
It’s easy if you get a keyboard for your tablet instead of just using the keyboard on the screen. I find it’s just like typing on laptop keyboard. I’m a fast but not accurate typist.
This !!!
Will you be supporting chat for Android users as well?
Android support is coming soon. :)
Why even launch if you don't support Android which is 2/3rds of all phones? Nothing says we think our app is going to fail as much as saying "Android Support is coming soon." Most dishonest BS statement in the tech industry. Ya'll are never gonna support Android and your app will fail because you didn't support it!
Thanks -- this could be a really useful addition!
Yall keep rolling out more features that are incredibly useful! Thanks so much!
I'd love to try it. Not getting an iPhone, though. 🙄 #noloveforandroid #again
Truly cannot wait to get it going on Android, and very sorry for the delay.
I understand you folks are working on it, but this happened with the app rollout, too. Tons of delays, and we get a stripped down version. The coding can't be that different.
This is definitely on us, and we regret it, so I don't want to make excuses, but I do want to assure you that if it were possible for us to have launched simultaneously, we would have! We have some *serious* Android fans in the company, people we work with and love, and they give us heat for this too. So it's truly a priority for us to get better at this, and I'm sincerely sorry we're not there yet.
If you know any Android engineers, we need them https://substack.com/jobs
Just shared your link on LinkedIn. Thanks for providing it, Bailey!
I'll be glad to share this!
Couldn't you bring in android pros and let folks who know how to do it
get the job done? I have an iphone because it was a gift. But ignoring half? your subscribers with a change that could potentially correct one of the platform's biggest problems and presumably increase traffic and glean more business for writers doesn't sound like a great idea I paid attention to the comment that described an earlier android delay and the inferior product android users finally got. It doesn't take many like that or many people reading them to do some damage
Excited to see this new feature. I'm an Android user, so waiting (im)patiently ❤ for that! I think the desktop version will also be super helpful for a lot of people! Thank you.
We'll have it ready very soon!
🤔
So excited to engage with my community on a closer level! Thanks, Substack!!
And meanwhile those of us with Android phones are receiving numerous (annoying) emails that someone we subscribe to has just sent us a message (I would insert an eye roll emoji if I wasn't on my desktop, another place I can't see chat.)
I will however try to wait patiently, honestly!
I agree, those emails are super annoying, especially when you can't actually access the chat because there's no Android or desktop version. I did discover that you can unsubscribe from the chat emails. But those should not have been turned on automatically. That's spam. I did not subscribe to those, a new setting popped up turned on as the default mode?!!
The iOS folks are always first!
Seems good. Waiting to see it on Android.
It's great news and I'm looking forward for the Chat to be available on Android (I don't want to split my readers by os). It's great that Substack introduces new big features.
But I'd also like to see 5 much smaller interface improvements that would make creators' life much easier.
1. I miss the possibility to add notes to my subcribers' info that I had on Patreon but I don't have on Substack. Notes could be extremely useful, e.g. to see that subscribers are early adopters, or were warned for their rude comments, or won a prize in a quiz, etc.
2. Another info about subscribers that I had on Patreon and miss on Substack is their names. Sometimes it feels rude when you have to write an email to your subscribers without even knowing their name.
3. The next thing I miss on Substack is from Medium. There you can click 3 dots on your post to see the post stats. On Substack you have to scroll down on dashboard to see stats for your posts, it's very inconvenient when you want to see stats for an old post.
4. Another very useful feature implemented on Medium but missing on Substack is performance in time for each post. There you can see the number of readers for each of the posts for each day since they'd been published. Substack ― only daily number of readers for your entire blog
5. The last but by no means the least is the lack of the ways to contact support. Substack Help Center doesn't show any ways to contact support either by chat, email of form. My Substack subscribers write me when they have problems with subscription, because they don't have other options. Very inconvenient.
Thank you for the Chat and other new features and I hope you'll have time for these smaller fixes that would be extremely useful not just for me but for all of us here.
I’m feeling hesitant about this. I’m not sure I want more chat notifications in my life. I just like coming here to write and read. There’s peace in the lack of notifications.
I’ve definitely turned mine off, but would like to feel part of a community to check in on my time
this is why Substack is deserving of the praise by so many.
When will this be coming to Android? I feel like Android is now a major player. It sort of feels like features should be rolled out for all platforms at roughly the same time.
Or don't advertise it widely until it is perhaps?
Don't get me wrong, I like the platform and want only success, and look forward to all of the features and additions... When they get here.
We're working fast so we can have Android to you very soon!
I agree, they should have waited to roll them out simultaneously. But also, Don't opt me into emails. I didn't ask for
I'm really excited to try this new feature!
As many of us are trying to make the transition away from social media dependency, does anyone have tips for how to get people to sign up for your newsletter (and see it on social media) while making that transition.
Are there concerns that this new (and hopefully positive) feature will help people silo themselves even more than we already have? That is a constant concern of mine.
And keep up the innovation, Substack!
Sarah these two posts may be helpful!
Bringing your Twitter followers to Substack: https://on.substack.com/p/bringing-your-twitter-followers-to
Bringing your Instagram followers to Substack: https://on.substack.com/p/bringing-followers-from-instagram
Ok, next issue. My app is not opening the messages because I have Android. How much longer before we will be able to use this with Android?
🙌🏻
Very cool. Can't wait to explore this!
Love the idea. Can't wait for the Web and Android versions to launch. Seriously, if you all can surpass Spreaker (iHeart) in the number of podcast dissemination points - and make that a seamless and uncomplicated process - you will decimate other publishing outlets...
Looking forward to this once it's available outside of Apple devices. Rather frustrating receiving a million email notifications about author chats in the last hour, and being entirely unable to read them on my Android phone or even on a standard Windows PC... :P
Sorry, I know it's frustrating. We promise we are working fast so Android is available to you soon.
Sorry you have to put up with all of us Android users descending on the announcement. ;)
They did it to themselves
Good stuff.
What about for desktop?
Thank you.
Desktop and Android coming soon!
Very cool! Wonder what the IOS usage is vs other platforms: thinking about what % of readers can use this
I’m not sure how to feel about this feature. While I can see the benefits of something like this, I don’t know if I need a new social network given how many I have already.
If you don't want to turn it on for your publication, you never have to. You're in control!
Is there a way to opt out of publication’s you’re subscribed to doing chats? I’m subscribed to quite a few Substacks and I might not want to participate in the chat feature for all of them.
Oh I get that. Problem is that I can see how it could be beneficial for my publication. There’s something I’ve been thinking about doing which might be better in a chat format. I have wanted to spark debates about the various philosophical topics that I bring up in my publication. But it’s more online management that I would have to do.
This is exciting news. I’m thinking of moving my weekly discussion thread to Chat to keep all conversations in one place. Any thoughts?
Good question! I just responded to Natasha above but will share the same with you here:
Chat is a dedicated space for more casual interactions with your subscriber community. We hope it’ll allow you to share quick updates, photos (readers can reply with photos!), and discussion prompts on the go; and make reader engagement more vibrant through features like image replies and emoji reactions.
Thread posts are good to continue more longform discussion. For example, we'll continue to run our Office Hours using Thread posts: https://on.substack.com/s/office-hours
Also important to know that Chat notifications are only sent out via the app while thread posts will continue to go out via email.
Got it. Those are good points to keep in mind. As with anything, this is an opportunity to experiment. Thanks for your explanation. 😀
Excited to see you experiment!
This casual photo updates sharing on the go sounds a lot like an Instagram experience yet without the algorithms. Maybe the name ‘chat’ is a bit off as I’m thinking real time text messaging.
Agree, more like WhatsApp experience. I do like the fact the algorithms aren’t involved. 😀
what happens to your android users?
Please enable this for any web browser. Our life should not be dependent on a mobile phone and apps.
This (chat) is a fantastic idea poorly executed !
I’m already spending most of my time on the app, reading and writing. Now I’ll never leave! Haha and I’m okay with that.
This is a great idea, but can it also be available on desktop?
My phone is old. It cannot handle new apps, and typing on my phone hurts my hands. I prefer using my desktop to type and communicate with people. If Substack Chat will not be available on desktop as well then I will not be using this feature.
We plan to launch on desktop / web too! I don't have a timeline to share, but it's part of the plan for sure, and we're sorry about not being able to launch everywhere at once yet; we're still a small company. But: we're racing to get there.
That's okay! A new feature doesn't need to be everywhere on launch. As long as you have plans for desktop, that makes me happy.
Yeah this is epic, I’m excited to play around with it!
I'm really looking forward to trying out this feature. One question I have: how do you see this working in tandem with thread posts as they currently exist? Do you have any tips on how to balance the conversation threads we may have already been running vs this?
Thank you!
Great question!
Chat is a dedicated space for more casual interactions with your subscriber community. We hope it’ll allow you to share quick updates, photos (readers can reply with photos!), and discussion prompts on the go; and make reader engagement more vibrant through features like image replies and emoji reactions.
Thread posts are good to continue more longform discussion. For example, we'll continue to run our Office Hours using Thread posts: https://on.substack.com/s/office-hours
Also important to know that Chat notifications are only sent out via the app while thread posts will continue to go out via email.
Hi Katie, sorry another question if that's ok! I've been having some trouble with the notifications and keeping on track of the comments. I find I don't get notifications in-app for all messages, and so I have to keep going into the reply threads on my post to keep up to date on the conversation happening there. Is there something I'm doing wrong, or that can help?
Thank you!
Ah this is so helpful - thank you!
Thanks Substack!
In a future version -- how about three access theirs for threads? Founder, paid, free. Another way to give added benefits to the premium-level Founders.
 Also, an edit option so we can fix our typos.  As I clearly could use in the comment above.
Fantastic!
Great news, looking forward to chatting with my subscribers about tech and career advice!
I think it's great, but I use Substack on my laptop and don't like the chat being mobile only forcing me to peck messages on my phone.
I love the idea, but is there a desktop version of this? If not, it is very unlikely I will use this.
Not yet but hope to have that available to you soon!
Very much looking forward to this - all that typing with my hands is quite difficult!
Looks potentially cool. Would be nice if you had your apps on android and they worked nearly as well.
Thanks Katie, so looking at the Desert Trumpet chat on my iPhone while I write you from my iPad. Signed into the admin acct there.....is there a way to restrict the chat? Say we wanted to do a text with just the contributing writers....
Sorry, meant chat not text of course 🙃
Whichever account you are signed into is the account the chat will come from. But for clarity, right now you are responding in the comments of a post. To enter chat you must be in the Substack iOS app. You can enter our chat here: https://on.substack.com/chat
Thanks Katie -- yes I know I am in a comment thread. I had a cup of coffee before diving in here 😁
A private social network’s exciting. I might con a diamond mine heir into buying mine.
another garb that only roll out for iOS and not android? it's 2022 and post-Twitterverse and still, this thing isn't ready for the rest of the world but get covered by Tech Crunch. smfh
How soon will Android chat be available?
I wish you would have held off on the announcement until the Android version was ready. I keep getting notifications about chat from people that I'm subscribed to, but I can't take part. Nor can I make use of it.
What about Android users?
I think it's wonderful. since by interacting with our readers they can send their concerns about topics that they want us to deal with in our posts. This would give "life" to our work
Great idea. Looking forward to using it. But...
iOS-only first? Boo. Web first. I have an iOS device, but I don't want to be chained to it.
Fantastic!
I’d like to test this by including a link to a chat thread about the topic of a post I am about to email to extend engagement.
Should I let subscribers know that I’ll be available to respond within x timeframe to set expectations?
If the real time aspect is not crucial as my subscribers and I can always respond later, then what’s the big difference between chat and Discussion Thread?
Can you clarify what emails if any will be automatically sent to subscribers as a result of the chat feature?
Thanks :)
I, too, have the same question as Shlomi about a link to a chat thread. Also it's confusing to see that the CTA in the substack reader uses the word "Thread". Substack already has a Thread function that shows up in email and app inbox.
Nice!
As for myself, I love my Substack. I just want to get in on the functionality. Thank you.
Make any comments you feel lead to make concerning our situations!
Congratulations on starting a new Chat service. It looks great, BUT:
1. When will I be able to start a new Chat service from my Desktop PC? I invented the Smartphone, but I never use it to chat.
2. Will the internet search applications (Google, Microsoft, etc.) be able to crawl through our Chats? The chat function is another great way to increase user engagement. But if it doesn't create SEO buzz, it becomes less attractive, in many ways, when compared to other blog like services.
We will have a web version, yes! Just not today :)
Is the chat real time? Or can people dip in and out? Like do I have to schedule a time and be there to moderate or can it just be a free form space where one can hand out and chat (like here)?
Writers can send in real time and readers can come and go as they please. But, you can turn off the chat replies at any time if you are going to be away.
FEATURE REQUEST:
Please add timestamps to Substack chat, as is already done on Twitter/X.
This is essential for investing/trading blogs like myself who wish to prove that we said something at a particular time.
Will you be supporting chat for Android users as well?
https://www.android.com/
we have to limit the number of our human fetuses, and feces for that matter. It's disgusting how we're proliferating at this point. The natural word wiped out by the concrete city. See a star in the sky? it's satellite simulation. See a dead person alive? It's it's robot clone, there for immortalization.
How do I opt put of these things? For me it feels like I am being sent group DM spam texts that funnel me into a Twitter-lite experience that I can't escape. Absolutely ruining the Substack experience for me - I know I can mute, I know I can change my prefs - but I still get the visual alerts for garbage I don't want. Substack product people - you don't have to be like Twitter... just let us read the articles from authors we pay money to without have to get involved in all this "social" noise. You're basically running a dark UX right now.
I honestly can't understand the difference between Chats and Notes
Hey Substack, can you please add timestamps to the chats? PLEASE. I beg you.
If I cannot use it on a desktop......eh
anyone know how to setup a weekly email update from the writers we have contributed to? I see nothing in substack help and no ability to send a support ticket. thank you
I would be interested in making videos on various features of Substack and in helping new writers get the most out of the tools. I wonder how I could go about doing this?
Does the chat function support 1-on-1 chats?
I, too, look forward to a desktop version. I type 100 words a minute, but about 10 words a minute with my fat fingers on a phone
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Does anyone know how you add the Recommend button to a post please?
Thanks!
Sooo excited for this! Now if only we could have one between us writers... Or even between writers within similar categories. Writer speed dating??
Thanks for all the new features!
Another feature request to center readers: can you please add the possibility for reader endorsements on the Welcome page? AFAIK currently endorsements can only come from fellow writers. It would be great to have the possibility to highlight words of appreciation from readers.
All my prayers have been answered. This is the GOLD I have been waiting for.
This is fantastic as this fills a need I have right now. However, I'm on a data diet. I no longer use a smartphone. Don't ask how I do it but it works. When I thought about going back to my iPhone, I couldn't bring myself to set all that up and do it. Being untethered has been too beneficial. With all that said, Not having chat for web is frustrating. I do realize I am in the minority by a light year.
Is the ability to embed Bandcamp links coming soon, hopefully?
Can't wait to get this feature on Android. Any time soon? i
Why no desktop version?
Sounds great!
Can anyone clarify how this is different from Threads, exactly? I'm not sure I'm quite getting it...
Might it be possible to edit Chat posts at some point?
Hello, while I don't tend towards prolific chat on social media, I very much like the idea of this one.
I'm a Substack new addition, so still quietly navigating the laneways. Like some others, I don't have an i phone, so my excitement has been stymied. Any plans for an Android version? Even better - to be able to use it on my Mac desktop?
This is a good way to substitute for Facebook.
Rolling out proprietary chat exclusive to their own app is peak VC-funded social media company. Substack is doing some cool things but anyone who thought it was alternative to algorithms and attention-grabbing social media has another thing coming. They're just another walled garden fighting for your attention.
Looks great. A useful feature would be the ability to save drafts of chat threads - even just one! Any plans for that?
I’m here and waiting in the wings.
Hard to believe the Substack app launched this past spring -- really a terrific tool, that has already improved so much.
Glad to see there will be a web version too. That’ll be great for many of our readers.
Amazing feature! While we wait for the Android app, is there a way to disable the email notifications when a writer starts a chat?
Yes. They rolled it out with these notifications turned on automatically! Pretty rude if you ask me. But it's in your settings. Go to one of those chat emails and hit unsubscribe
Just started to use substack, but this looks like a great feature. Looking forward to learning more.
Android app would be cool!
Excited to use this on android.
So chat is only available on an app? Is there a desktop version of the app? Because I'm not putting another app on my phone for this. I'm app saturated.
Currently Chat is only available in the iOS app but we are getting ready to develop for web. Stay tuned
This is an interesting feature but not for me. I know I don't have to use it but it's way too social media-ish, which many of us are trying to get away from. The comment section and emails are enough interaction.
Can you schedule chats?
No not yet!
Cool, looking forward to it, though!
Will Chat come to the Android app too?
Yes, soon!
This is excellent news!
Say we wanted to restrict who participates in a chat -- for instance contributing writers only? Is there a way to manage who participates beyond subscribers and paid subscribers?
Only contributors can start a chat but there is not a way to restrict who can reply beyond free vs. paid subscribers. Once a chat is live, you do also have the option to turn off replies form all subscribers, free and/or paid, so no new replies can be made.
Do any of the contributing writers have the ability to manage the chat by turning off replies? It doesn’t need to come from the admin? And thanks! Looking forward to live chatting our City Council meetings....which may be an odd commentary on what’t exciting here...
They all should be able to moderate and turn off replies
And that can be done by user if needed? Highly necessary if live chatting election returns, City Council meeting etc...can replies be deleted if offensive? There doesn’t
appear to be a way to test it so hard to know what moderation tools are available...
Wonderful! This is going in the right direction! But, I already don't have or use a "smartphone" anymore. Will there be a version that communicates with BrainChip? Thanks so much!
We will be working on the web version soon. Stay tuned!
Curious how the chat works for Substacks with multiple writers. For instance right now I’m logged into the admin account for Desert Trumpet, a news site for 29 Palms. Would it be correct that we’d kick the chat off from the admin log in? Then each of us would contribute from our individual accounts? How do the different levels of account access play out inside of a chat?
Anyone with the “Contributor,” “Admin,” or “Owner” role in your publication can start a chat on your publication. It will show as the personal account starting the thread.
And now I’m replying to this thread from my individual account. So looking at this....how would I have asked the question as Desert Trumpet and not 29 Palms Neighbors (which publishes Desert Trumpet)?
You would have to be signed in the app as Desert Trumpet.
Nice feature !
When will thisbe available on android?
Very, very soon
Word!
Any chance an Android version will be released soon?
Can't share a timeline but: we're racing towards it as fast as we can!
So glad to see such big new announcements! Exciting to see where this is going to lead the Substack community.
Thanks! Gracias!
Welcome
This is so cool! I don’t have enough subscribers to warrant my using this function but I can’t wait to see what others get up to with it!!
Now we’re talking
Thank you. You are a part of the new revolution. We need you. Keep it secure and keep on keeping on.💙💙🔥🔥
can someone set up Chat so all the Commenters who respond can be anonymous if they so choose?
Very much an odd ball comment to post here but... here it goes!
I write Letters from Emery here on Substack.
https://lettersfromemery.substack.com/
Inspired by a near death experience I had in the Sierra mountains, LFE is a series of letters I write to “the world” as my way of keeping the promise I made to the me who almost died.
The promise to write, and the promise to (at least try to) make the world a better place with it.
Anyway, I started some 6 months ago and have seen some decent traction and very heartwarming letters back from a few loyal readers.
I’d say however that I’m at a bit of a crossroads with my niche, voice, and plan for growth and would love some genuine advice from some or a few of you wonderful writers!
Perhaps some peer review, general tips and pointers, and even your own story of growth would be invaluable...
Would so appreciate any advice I can get, and I’d be more than happy to even compensate for more of a coaching experience.
If you’d be willing to help in any way, you can reply here or text/call me at 720-980-7317
That’s all from me, thank you all and I wish you every success in the world.
-Emery
Not for long!