I expect people to miss Sean's point. Substack has created something that adds value: bridging the gap between reader and writer. By bringing in Apple, all Substack has done is bring in a value extractor. Sure, it'll bring in more subscriptions. But who benefits the most in this, at least in the aggregate? Apple? Or the writers?
YES, EXACTLY. Nobody seems to fully get Sean’s point. Up until now, Substack created real value — bridging writers and readers. But today that value is not being protected at all. Instead, trust is being eroded on both sides: writers and readers.
Writers and readers don’t have a contract with Apple — they have a contract with Substack. And it is Substack’s duty to protect them. Right now, it’s not doing that. Instead, it leaves writers forced to absorb the loss either through their own margins or by pushing inflated prices onto their subscribers.
Writers are the engine of Substack’s business model. If the platform fails to protect them, this will inevitably trigger a massive migration. That’s a huge problem, especially given how much has been invested into Substack as a startup.
And let’s be clear: the rules that apply in the United States do not apply the same way internationally. Substack is a global platform — yet right now it’s failing to protect non-US writers and readers. How is this acceptable?
That's a good way to put it - value extractor. I already worked for a nonprofit for eleven years that extracted my labor without giving me a future. Substack can do what it wants, and so can I.
This is like blaming substack for Apple's tax makes no sense. The fact that it facilitates more subscriptions is a good thing and this workaround was needed for years. You could be complaining about something useful, but this is not one of them.
This is less of a Substack issue and more of an Apple issue, no? Apple's fee policy is predatory and monopolistic. This just looks like the best workaround the product team can cook up for a really crappy situation.
My two cents fwiw. Totally get you being frustrated! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
My problem is the Apple part and having the work of my labor cut up a little bit. I am a local publisher, and do not need to be part of a global network. I understand why this is happening and can see the benefits it might have. For, the waiting to be paid 45 days is a real issue. As with anything, I see value in the experience to help me grow.
The inability to disable in-app payments, combined with the 45-day payment delay and the lack of any meaningful choice in how transactions are handled, is deeply concerning...
From both a business and contractual standpoint, forcing writers into a channel where Apple extracts a disproportionate fee — with no option to opt out — fundamentally undermines trust in the platform. Writers should have agency over how their work is monetized, and this unilateral imposition feels not only unfavorable but structurally unsound.
What makes this even more problematic is the distortion of the pricing point. As Substack itself, being a startup, surely understands — pricing strategy is central to conversion. Inflated in-app prices directly erode conversion rates, which harms both writers and the platform’s long-term viability.
In my experience - I also live in SA - there is no way to enable direct Stripe payments. So I've never been able to have any paid subscribers. I add a Buy me a Coffee button to my posts, which is not ideal at all. I'm still looking for a writers platform which has multiple payment options...
I have the same issue with my bank and its connection with Stripe. Add to that, while attempting to make that connection with Stripe, I was fraudulently charged $50 for PREDATOR VERSUS THE PEOPLE stubstack to which I did not subscribe. And I had not used my credit card on Substack, but was fraudulently charged on my credit card.....Substack has been inflitrated in a most dark way. I just postulate, who could possibly be in on such slimy methods as to steal from we writers? I think that I know the answer....it lies with the (((bankers))) as it has always, historically and today. Such criminals.
Thank you Shell. Have you tried Atlas? I followed the steps and saw a 500 dollar payment request at the end. This is supposed to enable payments as you would have created a company in the US.
I don't want to have to pay another platform USD500... which is why I haven't tried it. I don't like Stripe at all... Still looking for somewhere to write which is not a ripoff.
Personally, I think people from countries which can't enable paid subscriptions get penalised by the Substack algorithm and are not as visible in searches as those who do have paid subscribers... Substack is a very different place compared to how it was when I first joined a few years ago.
I think this is a great development. Good work! One question I’ve always had: if you pay for a subscription with Apple do you (as a reader / subscriber) then manage the subscription in the same way as if you had subscribed, say, from a web browser. One thing I love about Substack is that I get to see exactly what I am subscribed to and I can manage those subscriptions all in one place. I’ve always worried that if I subscribe on my phone the same doesn’t apply — that’s part of why I tend to avoid subscribing on my phone. Recognize the options are now changing … but still have the question.
Hi Michael, nope… you can’t. And that’s exactly why I (and literally thousands of other writers) are so disappointed. Every time someone asks Substack for help, the answer is basically a super polite “good luck, you’re on your own.” 🙃
That was my experience when I was fraudulently charged. Substack bots just referred me to their rote question and answer page which did not address my issue. No one home........
Does it show up as a “paid subscription” in Substack? I guess my fear has always been that I have created paid subscriptions for things using Apple on my phone that I don’t know about.
I think it's a mandatory option. The subscriber can choose to pay more via an Apple in-app payment. Or the publisher (you) can opt to take the hit themselves to defray Apple's cut.
The content is what matters to my readers. They pay me to cover my community. I already have a WordPress blog where I archive stories because it's very difficult to find anything on Substack itself. Last year a company provided me with a roadmap to leave Substack but I've waited. I'll likely stay here for a while, but cannot rely on this platform for my future.
It's all a work in progress. The story is my basic unit, and the newsletter is just one way it gets out there. There's also a podcast, a radio show, and two stories a week in our weekly paper. I refuse to pivot to video, though!
I don't want to wait 45 days to get paid. I do not want this. I'm already considering switching away from Substack, and this is going to hasten that process. I do not want to adjust my prices. This move eliminates a level of control in a way that provides me no benefit and further erodes my trust in Substack.
I do not have a relationship with Apple. I have a relationship with Substack. And now you're forcing a change to my business I do not want. Furthermore, now I'm concerned about this when I should be focusing on writing today's newsletter.
I've been happy with Substack and have grown a business here. But now a third-party company will take money away from me for a service I did not ask for. Patreon did this with IOS, too, but Patreon is a back-up for me for core supporters.
That’s Fair but just so you know ghost keeps none of the revenue and they just integrated with the activitypub so you get access to a whole bunch of platforms
As I’ve already argued on other platforms, migration costs time, and time costs money. It is absolutely unacceptable that writers should have to pay for this pain point — a problem that was not created by the writers. Writers entered into a relationship with Substack, not with Apple.
Hi Sean, I completely agree with you! And as I’ve said in multiple places, if Substack was forced to take this step in order to remain on the Apple Store, then Substack should be the one absorbing Apple’s commission. Exactly for the reason you pointed out: “I do not have a relationship with Apple. I have a relationship with Substack.”
So, dear Substack team — how do you plan to mitigate this huge pain point???
From the FAQ regarding 45 days for payment - “This means that for all IAP subscriptions purchased in January, you can expect to see earnings in your Stripe account by mid-March.” Truly interested in how this is beneficial.
Dude, now you'll have a smoother exp for your readers who want to not have to log into a browser. you're missing the forest for the trees (or whatever they say)
Is there a way to see the pending amounts through apple app subscriptions? Do the stats in the dashboard reflect the pending payouts, subscriptions i.e. gross annualized revenue, paid subscribers etc or is that also 45 days out?
Dude just go in and cancel his plan. The more I deal with substack the less I like it as well. You have one of the crappie rest password/recover user ID systems i have ever dealt with. You sitting here and fighting with him only pushes people away. I have never seen a system that had no opt out choice and definitely not one that HID the fact that once your in you can't opt out. So do the right thing and refund any money and take him out of your system by deleting his sign up. Otherwise don't start crying when more people delte their memberships and payment plans so they can get out that way.
Exactly and the benefit about purchasing it an app is what?? I don’t get it. What’s the disadvantage of going to the webpage? It takes like 10 seconds. Not to mention purchasing it in app makes it cost significantly more.
It would be better stated that before this change, Apple had no way to extract more $ for doing absolutely nothing of value for either the writers or consumers of Substack.
Yes. I hear you. I actually support Apple's business model. It is their App, their playground. The trick is that Substack wishes to use Apple's App but none of you want to pay for it. I get that.
The problem is the Substack "Founders" are lazy guys who like to ride the efforts of authors and the money of subscribers. They do not give a shit about your business.
What SS should do is make it EASY to have a different subscription model. Apps suck. Unless you design your own. SS Founders (you should read that "investors") are too lazy to figure that out.
The saving grace is that the Substack iOS app's highlighted UI default remains the cheaper/better subscription option for both publishers and subscribers.
But no one would ever logically go through the apples in app purchase since it cost costs significantly more. And if anyone does do that, I feel sorry for them because they could’ve gotten it way cheaper by simply going to the webpage.
Maybe this is a dimb question, but why can't people with I phones use the substack app to pay? Also, what Apple is doing is an example of predatory monopoly capitalism and I don't want to support that. And why do we have to go through Stripe? Why can't payments go directly from Substack into our bank?
I might be incorrect but I think up until the change was made, people using iPhones outside the US could not purchase subscriptions at all. Since they could not use the webpage and an app purchases were not enabled at that time.
Now, if you’re in the United States, you can still use the webpage or the app, but outside of the US you can only use the iOS app. Apple charges a 30% fee so Substack has an option to automatically raise the price 30% when purchasing it in app. That auto adjustment makes sure the publisher receives the same amount of money, but the person has to pay 30% more. The publisher can turn that off, but then you’ll receive 30% less if your subscription was purchased in app. Stupid I agree. Apple absolutely has a monopoly here, and fun fact: epic games is actually suing them over this exact same thing.
Fortnite has their own store to buy currency in-game, and when it was first released on iPhone, Apple would not let them use their third-party store and demanded they go through Apple. Epic games would need to raise all their prices and they did not want to do that. So Fortnite was not allowed on the iPhone for a long time until epic games sued apple and WON. Apple still refused to let them on the app store, but they couldn’t say it was for that reason since they lost the lawsuit so they made up another reason. And it is still not on iPhones to this day.
If somebody is looking at you and your content in the app and decides they want to subscribe, in that moment of decision, it's usually a boom boom click click done. That's the way it is for most people in just about any purchase online. The way the sub stack app was set up and mostly continues to be set up is that when you hit the subscribe, it stops you. And you say. That's weird. Then you've got to back out. You got to go to a browser. You got to find sub stack. You got to find the Creator. And then subscribe. Anything that shortens that road trip around the block to an immediate purchase, will more than offset the extra couple extra bucks they have to pay for a subscription. Not in every case. But in a lot of cases. Especially when you're dealing with large numbers.... the statistics will work out.
" your price is automatically adjusted for IAP purchases, ... "
Yes, FUCK THE SUBSCRIBERS! Substack, which really is or should be a readers' platform at least as much as a writers one (let's face it, there is a lot of shit that is "published"here.
The fact you would push a price increase on subscribers is just amazing.
Another thing: the App sucks. Get rid of the chat feature or at least permit subscribers to opt out of it appearing. Same with "Home" which is just another form of Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc.
👏👏👏 Couldn’t agree more!! Both writers and readers chose Substack on the promise of a clear, fair model — and that promise has been seriously undermined here. This issue needs to be resolved quickly, because it affects trust, pricing, and ultimately the sustainability of the platform.
Yes, indeed! And Substack has always said they're *our* subscribers, so surely we should be taking care of them? Now, with the Apple Pay option, we can't even migrate these subscribers to another platform - breaking a commitment by Substack's owners.
I forgot about that. I can’t keep it free for everyone forever, it’s my dream to make money with these eventually and I haven’t even published my books yet so I’m only going to get 50% overall, if my subscribers can even pay that price
Please help me get a handle on this using this example. Let’s say I have a subscription that runs $30 dollars/month. Are you saying that for the first year Apple is going to collect $9.00 of that subscription (30%) and therefore, if we choose to pass that cost on to subscribers, they will be charged $39/month?
The situation is actually even more problematic than you describe.
If you don’t price in dollars but instead in another currency (like euros), the price first gets converted into USD — and because of exchange rate fluctuations and Substack’s handling of conversion, it ends up inflated again. On top of that inflated amount, Apple’s commission is applied.
In my specific case (and I’ve checked with other well-known publications on Substack), the increase isn’t 30% — it’s closer to 45%. That is a massive distortion.
I’ve tried multiple times to open a ticket with Substack, even providing screenshots comparing the app vs. the web version, but I’ve been unable to get any proper response!!
The explanations they give apply to the US environment, but Substack is not only a US platform — it operates globally. This is affecting everyone outside the US as well, and yet the focus seems to be only on the American market.
And this is not just a technicality: it undermines the pricing point — which, as every startup knows, is critical. A broken pricing point damages conversion for both writers and readers. Substack is supposed to serve both sides, yet right now both are penalized.
One more thing: even if you select the option where the writer absorbs Apple’s fees, the displayed price still doesn’t match. For example, if I set €18, it shows €20. Where is this documented? Why is this happening?
The pricing point is critical. I don’t know how many times I need to repeat it — but if Substack doesn’t fix this, it’s going to keep eroding trust and conversions across the platform.
Hi Matt, the following I believe is related. If you could clarify...
* Is the forthcoming drop in Apple's fee from 30% to 15% in the context of the amount of time "Substack Inc" has spent in the IAP relationship with Apple (so, Aug-2025 thru July-2026 (at 30%) and then beginning Aug-2026 (at 15%)), or, is it in the context of the amount of time a "publisher on the platform" has spent in the IAP relationship with Apple after they've received their first-paid IAP purchase?
* Also, regarding: "IAP price is always pegged to whatever your base web price is": "Substack Inc" has decided this to effectively be a hardcoded uplift (if you will) of "30%", correct? Even when Apple eventually starts taking 15%, correct?
1. The IAP price ends up inflated — and not just by 30% as mentioned in the link you shared about Apple’s conditions, but actually by around 45%!
2. As Substack should well understand, being a startup itself, the pricing point is a key element. Either they haven’t realized that increasing the price directly hurts conversions (which is very concerning for a platform whose entire business model is based on writers’ conversions), or it’s intentional for reasons that are… questionable....
Question: If the publisher's currency is NOT USD (say, because they're not US-tax-based), then the IAP retail price displayed to the reader will be further inflated -- beyond what the publisher specifies -- because of a "double currency conversion" that occurs in the implementation flow [my understanding of what you wrote else where in this post], but that NO "further inflation" occurs if the publisher's currency IS USD?
As more of a reader/subscriber than a writer, I shall definitely be avoiding using this facility. I either have to pay more or less goes to the writers I want to support? Sod off, Apple...
The problem here is that you keep responding with the response for in the US, but what about those of us outside of it? What will our subscribers see? Presumably they will just be routed straight to the Apple checkout with a ~30% increase?
I'm not wholly against the Apple IAP option being available, and I did opt my publications into it previously (don't think a single person has ever subscribed using it though), but the comms here should also be telling non-US options what the subscription flow looks like now.
This update highlights the tension between accessibility and control. Yes, in-app purchases lower friction for new subscribers—but they also introduce Apple as a value extractor, add delays in payouts, and force higher pricing on readers. Substack’s safeguard (auto-adjusted pricing) helps writers keep earnings steady, but it risks alienating subscribers who see a sudden markup.
The bigger issue: trust. Writers need confidence that Substack is a partner, not a conduit for third-party fees. Transparency and optionality—not mandates—will decide whether this move strengthens or erodes the creator economy.
At least we have more defense against the almighty AppStore...
I think another issue is that writers no longer "own" the payment information. Before, readers would pay writers' Stripe accounts directly, but with an iOS subscription, it looks like they pay Substack now.
Note that with iOS purchases, you're paying all of the fees: Apple's 30% fee, Substack's 10%, Stripe's 2.9%+$0.30 + 0.7% plus any fees for Stripe Tax, etc.
This is so dumb. Just because you "adjust" the prices in-app to compensate for the 30% does not mean people will understand why that's happening and bypass it.
Consumers are inherently impatient and have the attention spans of goldfish. This will just turn them away faster. It's a net negative. Was already contemplating leaving, but this pretty much settles it.
Exactly Paul, this seriously damages the Pricing Point and conversions... it's very "funny" given that Substack's business model is based on the ability of us writers to convert...
Apple doesn’t just take 30 percent. They play morality cop. First it is about money, then it is about what content they will allow. If Substack caves the way Patreon did, erotica and anything sexual will be first on the chopping block.
I don’t want this. Now I’ll need to ensure all my posts warn subscribers not to use this.
Rather than giving such a large cut to Apple at a burden to our readers (who are already challenged to pay for as many subscriptions as would like to), I have a better idea: Substack absorbs the cost and passes the savings along to those keen to upgrade. If this is going to increase paid subscriptions so easily, then the offset should be worth it.
Better idea: Substack absorbs 100% of Apple's costs because, as other users have already pointed out, Substack writers and readers have a relationship with Substack, not Apple.
Hi Giulia! Agreed! That's exactly what I was suggesting by saying "Substack absorbs the cost"! (By "passing the savings," I simply meant, don't charge the subscribers.) :-)
Dear Substack team, everything you’re saying in terms of “choice” only applies to the US. But you are also operating legally in other countries… and for those markets you are doing absolutely nothing. How do you plan to address this?
Submitting to Apple’s extortion and forcing authors to accept this seems completely out of alignment with what Substack claims to be: for writers/creators! Readers/subscribers are likely to be completely unaware of this extortion — just like on Patreon.
Do I still have access to subscriber payment and contact info if they subscribe through the iOS app? It feels like I'll no longer have access to that information for new subscribers. Can you confirm?
I will be disabling this instantly as Apple takes a large cut for almost no benefit to me at all.
EDIT: I am aware now I can't opt out which I find highly disappointing. I do not want this.
I expect people to miss Sean's point. Substack has created something that adds value: bridging the gap between reader and writer. By bringing in Apple, all Substack has done is bring in a value extractor. Sure, it'll bring in more subscriptions. But who benefits the most in this, at least in the aggregate? Apple? Or the writers?
YES, EXACTLY. Nobody seems to fully get Sean’s point. Up until now, Substack created real value — bridging writers and readers. But today that value is not being protected at all. Instead, trust is being eroded on both sides: writers and readers.
Writers and readers don’t have a contract with Apple — they have a contract with Substack. And it is Substack’s duty to protect them. Right now, it’s not doing that. Instead, it leaves writers forced to absorb the loss either through their own margins or by pushing inflated prices onto their subscribers.
Writers are the engine of Substack’s business model. If the platform fails to protect them, this will inevitably trigger a massive migration. That’s a huge problem, especially given how much has been invested into Substack as a startup.
And let’s be clear: the rules that apply in the United States do not apply the same way internationally. Substack is a global platform — yet right now it’s failing to protect non-US writers and readers. How is this acceptable?
That's a good way to put it - value extractor. I already worked for a nonprofit for eleven years that extracted my labor without giving me a future. Substack can do what it wants, and so can I.
This is like blaming substack for Apple's tax makes no sense. The fact that it facilitates more subscriptions is a good thing and this workaround was needed for years. You could be complaining about something useful, but this is not one of them.
This is less of a Substack issue and more of an Apple issue, no? Apple's fee policy is predatory and monopolistic. This just looks like the best workaround the product team can cook up for a really crappy situation.
My two cents fwiw. Totally get you being frustrated! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
My problem is the Apple part and having the work of my labor cut up a little bit. I am a local publisher, and do not need to be part of a global network. I understand why this is happening and can see the benefits it might have. For, the waiting to be paid 45 days is a real issue. As with anything, I see value in the experience to help me grow.
One more step for Substack to charge fraudulently.
I completely agree with you on this!
The inability to disable in-app payments, combined with the 45-day payment delay and the lack of any meaningful choice in how transactions are handled, is deeply concerning...
From both a business and contractual standpoint, forcing writers into a channel where Apple extracts a disproportionate fee — with no option to opt out — fundamentally undermines trust in the platform. Writers should have agency over how their work is monetized, and this unilateral imposition feels not only unfavorable but structurally unsound.
What makes this even more problematic is the distortion of the pricing point. As Substack itself, being a startup, surely understands — pricing strategy is central to conversion. Inflated in-app prices directly erode conversion rates, which harms both writers and the platform’s long-term viability.
did you read the post you dingus. It says they increase the price so that you DON"T lose any money.
As a writer, you might need to practice your reading skills haha
Stop it😂😂😂😂😂😂
Same here
@mattklein I’m in South Africa. Is there any other way to sign up for Stripe payments for my business without paying 500 dollars through Atlas?
In my experience - I also live in SA - there is no way to enable direct Stripe payments. So I've never been able to have any paid subscribers. I add a Buy me a Coffee button to my posts, which is not ideal at all. I'm still looking for a writers platform which has multiple payment options...
I have the same issue with my bank and its connection with Stripe. Add to that, while attempting to make that connection with Stripe, I was fraudulently charged $50 for PREDATOR VERSUS THE PEOPLE stubstack to which I did not subscribe. And I had not used my credit card on Substack, but was fraudulently charged on my credit card.....Substack has been inflitrated in a most dark way. I just postulate, who could possibly be in on such slimy methods as to steal from we writers? I think that I know the answer....it lies with the (((bankers))) as it has always, historically and today. Such criminals.
Thank you Shell. Have you tried Atlas? I followed the steps and saw a 500 dollar payment request at the end. This is supposed to enable payments as you would have created a company in the US.
I don't want to have to pay another platform USD500... which is why I haven't tried it. I don't like Stripe at all... Still looking for somewhere to write which is not a ripoff.
Personally, I think people from countries which can't enable paid subscriptions get penalised by the Substack algorithm and are not as visible in searches as those who do have paid subscribers... Substack is a very different place compared to how it was when I first joined a few years ago.
I think this is a great development. Good work! One question I’ve always had: if you pay for a subscription with Apple do you (as a reader / subscriber) then manage the subscription in the same way as if you had subscribed, say, from a web browser. One thing I love about Substack is that I get to see exactly what I am subscribed to and I can manage those subscriptions all in one place. I’ve always worried that if I subscribe on my phone the same doesn’t apply — that’s part of why I tend to avoid subscribing on my phone. Recognize the options are now changing … but still have the question.
How do I cancel all incoming in-app subscriptions? Either manually or automatically. I don't want readers to pay $100 extra.
Hi Michael, nope… you can’t. And that’s exactly why I (and literally thousands of other writers) are so disappointed. Every time someone asks Substack for help, the answer is basically a super polite “good luck, you’re on your own.” 🙃
This is shocking. I can't believe it
That was my experience when I was fraudulently charged. Substack bots just referred me to their rote question and answer page which did not address my issue. No one home........
Does it show up as a “paid subscription” in Substack? I guess my fear has always been that I have created paid subscriptions for things using Apple on my phone that I don’t know about.
I think it's a mandatory option. The subscriber can choose to pay more via an Apple in-app payment. Or the publisher (you) can opt to take the hit themselves to defray Apple's cut.
I see that now. I skimmed the email and the word "disable" applied to the adjustment.
This definitely moves me off of Substack much faster than I had planned.
Where will you be going? What platform?
The content is what matters to my readers. They pay me to cover my community. I already have a WordPress blog where I archive stories because it's very difficult to find anything on Substack itself. Last year a company provided me with a roadmap to leave Substack but I've waited. I'll likely stay here for a while, but cannot rely on this platform for my future.
Thank you for your reply. I was just curious. That’s a great strategy to archive them all on your website. Smart!
It's all a work in progress. The story is my basic unit, and the newsletter is just one way it gets out there. There's also a podcast, a radio show, and two stories a week in our weekly paper. I refuse to pivot to video, though!
And wise you are to consider leaving Substack. It has seriously been compromised by the jew.
In EU they cannot choose
Why can’t we opt out? Disable it? Or delete it before hitting the publish button? I guess I to research this. I feel the same as you do about it! 😞
I don't want to wait 45 days to get paid. I do not want this. I'm already considering switching away from Substack, and this is going to hasten that process. I do not want to adjust my prices. This move eliminates a level of control in a way that provides me no benefit and further erodes my trust in Substack.
I do not have a relationship with Apple. I have a relationship with Substack. And now you're forcing a change to my business I do not want. Furthermore, now I'm concerned about this when I should be focusing on writing today's newsletter.
I will say if you are not happy with substack check out ghost org
I've been happy with Substack and have grown a business here. But now a third-party company will take money away from me for a service I did not ask for. Patreon did this with IOS, too, but Patreon is a back-up for me for core supporters.
That’s Fair but just so you know ghost keeps none of the revenue and they just integrated with the activitypub so you get access to a whole bunch of platforms
As I’ve already argued on other platforms, migration costs time, and time costs money. It is absolutely unacceptable that writers should have to pay for this pain point — a problem that was not created by the writers. Writers entered into a relationship with Substack, not with Apple.
Buttondown is excellent too
Hi Sean, I completely agree with you! And as I’ve said in multiple places, if Substack was forced to take this step in order to remain on the Apple Store, then Substack should be the one absorbing Apple’s commission. Exactly for the reason you pointed out: “I do not have a relationship with Apple. I have a relationship with Substack.”
So, dear Substack team — how do you plan to mitigate this huge pain point???
Valid point, Sean.
Don’t cut your nose off to spite your face! Look at the bigger picture.
Mine too. I’m still new on here and now this. I don’t want it. I want the control. I want my subscribers to be encouraged-not discouraged to subscribe
From the FAQ regarding 45 days for payment - “This means that for all IAP subscriptions purchased in January, you can expect to see earnings in your Stripe account by mid-March.” Truly interested in how this is beneficial.
The FAQ states payment takes 45 days. I'm not comfortable with that. I am not interested in promoting the app.
Dude, now you'll have a smoother exp for your readers who want to not have to log into a browser. you're missing the forest for the trees (or whatever they say)
Exactly, he's too focused on himself. It's hella easier to check out using Apple Pay.
Is there a way to see the pending amounts through apple app subscriptions? Do the stats in the dashboard reflect the pending payouts, subscriptions i.e. gross annualized revenue, paid subscribers etc or is that also 45 days out?
Dude just go in and cancel his plan. The more I deal with substack the less I like it as well. You have one of the crappie rest password/recover user ID systems i have ever dealt with. You sitting here and fighting with him only pushes people away. I have never seen a system that had no opt out choice and definitely not one that HID the fact that once your in you can't opt out. So do the right thing and refund any money and take him out of your system by deleting his sign up. Otherwise don't start crying when more people delte their memberships and payment plans so they can get out that way.
"Until now, subscribers couldn’t upgrade directly in the iOS app at all"
Yet, somehow we managed!
" This change gives subscribers more ways to pay you directly,"
Did you get that from Corporate Communications? What a positively pathetic piece of BS.
Exactly and the benefit about purchasing it an app is what?? I don’t get it. What’s the disadvantage of going to the webpage? It takes like 10 seconds. Not to mention purchasing it in app makes it cost significantly more.
"Founders" are Silicon Valley lazy ass rich Boyz.
It would be better stated that before this change, Apple had no way to extract more $ for doing absolutely nothing of value for either the writers or consumers of Substack.
Yes. I hear you. I actually support Apple's business model. It is their App, their playground. The trick is that Substack wishes to use Apple's App but none of you want to pay for it. I get that.
The problem is the Substack "Founders" are lazy guys who like to ride the efforts of authors and the money of subscribers. They do not give a shit about your business.
What SS should do is make it EASY to have a different subscription model. Apps suck. Unless you design your own. SS Founders (you should read that "investors") are too lazy to figure that out.
The saving grace is that the Substack iOS app's highlighted UI default remains the cheaper/better subscription option for both publishers and subscribers.
But no one would ever logically go through the apples in app purchase since it cost costs significantly more. And if anyone does do that, I feel sorry for them because they could’ve gotten it way cheaper by simply going to the webpage.
Maybe this is a dimb question, but why can't people with I phones use the substack app to pay? Also, what Apple is doing is an example of predatory monopoly capitalism and I don't want to support that. And why do we have to go through Stripe? Why can't payments go directly from Substack into our bank?
I might be incorrect but I think up until the change was made, people using iPhones outside the US could not purchase subscriptions at all. Since they could not use the webpage and an app purchases were not enabled at that time.
Now, if you’re in the United States, you can still use the webpage or the app, but outside of the US you can only use the iOS app. Apple charges a 30% fee so Substack has an option to automatically raise the price 30% when purchasing it in app. That auto adjustment makes sure the publisher receives the same amount of money, but the person has to pay 30% more. The publisher can turn that off, but then you’ll receive 30% less if your subscription was purchased in app. Stupid I agree. Apple absolutely has a monopoly here, and fun fact: epic games is actually suing them over this exact same thing.
Fortnite has their own store to buy currency in-game, and when it was first released on iPhone, Apple would not let them use their third-party store and demanded they go through Apple. Epic games would need to raise all their prices and they did not want to do that. So Fortnite was not allowed on the iPhone for a long time until epic games sued apple and WON. Apple still refused to let them on the app store, but they couldn’t say it was for that reason since they lost the lawsuit so they made up another reason. And it is still not on iPhones to this day.
The option to choose is only available in the US. Everyone else has to use Apple
If somebody is looking at you and your content in the app and decides they want to subscribe, in that moment of decision, it's usually a boom boom click click done. That's the way it is for most people in just about any purchase online. The way the sub stack app was set up and mostly continues to be set up is that when you hit the subscribe, it stops you. And you say. That's weird. Then you've got to back out. You got to go to a browser. You got to find sub stack. You got to find the Creator. And then subscribe. Anything that shortens that road trip around the block to an immediate purchase, will more than offset the extra couple extra bucks they have to pay for a subscription. Not in every case. But in a lot of cases. Especially when you're dealing with large numbers.... the statistics will work out.
But for non-US creators the appeal of the platform is significantly diminished
Yes John, this is another huge pain point!
" your price is automatically adjusted for IAP purchases, ... "
Yes, FUCK THE SUBSCRIBERS! Substack, which really is or should be a readers' platform at least as much as a writers one (let's face it, there is a lot of shit that is "published"here.
The fact you would push a price increase on subscribers is just amazing.
Another thing: the App sucks. Get rid of the chat feature or at least permit subscribers to opt out of it appearing. Same with "Home" which is just another form of Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc.
👏👏👏 Couldn’t agree more!! Both writers and readers chose Substack on the promise of a clear, fair model — and that promise has been seriously undermined here. This issue needs to be resolved quickly, because it affects trust, pricing, and ultimately the sustainability of the platform.
Right on!
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
You can switch it so when you open the app it defaults to your inbox.
This assumes the Apple in-app subscriber will want to pay 30% more than other subscribers for the same content.
Exactly. But even if they don’t mind paying it, I do. I don’t want my subscribers ripped off like this!
Yes, indeed! And Substack has always said they're *our* subscribers, so surely we should be taking care of them? Now, with the Apple Pay option, we can't even migrate these subscribers to another platform - breaking a commitment by Substack's owners.
I forgot about that. I can’t keep it free for everyone forever, it’s my dream to make money with these eventually and I haven’t even published my books yet so I’m only going to get 50% overall, if my subscribers can even pay that price
From the informal stats I've seen bandied about, assume only 1-2% of subscribers will convert to a paid subscription.
Please help me get a handle on this using this example. Let’s say I have a subscription that runs $30 dollars/month. Are you saying that for the first year Apple is going to collect $9.00 of that subscription (30%) and therefore, if we choose to pass that cost on to subscribers, they will be charged $39/month?
The situation is actually even more problematic than you describe.
If you don’t price in dollars but instead in another currency (like euros), the price first gets converted into USD — and because of exchange rate fluctuations and Substack’s handling of conversion, it ends up inflated again. On top of that inflated amount, Apple’s commission is applied.
In my specific case (and I’ve checked with other well-known publications on Substack), the increase isn’t 30% — it’s closer to 45%. That is a massive distortion.
I’ve tried multiple times to open a ticket with Substack, even providing screenshots comparing the app vs. the web version, but I’ve been unable to get any proper response!!
The explanations they give apply to the US environment, but Substack is not only a US platform — it operates globally. This is affecting everyone outside the US as well, and yet the focus seems to be only on the American market.
And this is not just a technicality: it undermines the pricing point — which, as every startup knows, is critical. A broken pricing point damages conversion for both writers and readers. Substack is supposed to serve both sides, yet right now both are penalized.
One more thing: even if you select the option where the writer absorbs Apple’s fees, the displayed price still doesn’t match. For example, if I set €18, it shows €20. Where is this documented? Why is this happening?
The pricing point is critical. I don’t know how many times I need to repeat it — but if Substack doesn’t fix this, it’s going to keep eroding trust and conversions across the platform.
☝️
Sheesh.
Looks like yet another jew invasion of our rights.
What?
Plus the percentage that Substack gets which is 20% if I’m not mistaken.
And substack has no issues charging readers 30% extra. wow
To confirm, do writers still own their fans' payment information? Or is that different now?
Put another way, are fans still paying _writers_? Or are they technically paying _Substack_ with this change?
What you write here applies only to the US. Elsewhere Apple is the only option
What happens in Year 2? Does my IAP price drop to reflect the lower Apple commission? (This should be added to the FAQ.)
Hi Matt, the following I believe is related. If you could clarify...
* Is the forthcoming drop in Apple's fee from 30% to 15% in the context of the amount of time "Substack Inc" has spent in the IAP relationship with Apple (so, Aug-2025 thru July-2026 (at 30%) and then beginning Aug-2026 (at 15%)), or, is it in the context of the amount of time a "publisher on the platform" has spent in the IAP relationship with Apple after they've received their first-paid IAP purchase?
* Also, regarding: "IAP price is always pegged to whatever your base web price is": "Substack Inc" has decided this to effectively be a hardcoded uplift (if you will) of "30%", correct? Even when Apple eventually starts taking 15%, correct?
Thank you.
I don’t want my price to go up so high that nobody wants to subscribe to me.
Hi Sean, this has just a couple of major issues…
1. The IAP price ends up inflated — and not just by 30% as mentioned in the link you shared about Apple’s conditions, but actually by around 45%!
2. As Substack should well understand, being a startup itself, the pricing point is a key element. Either they haven’t realized that increasing the price directly hurts conversions (which is very concerning for a platform whose entire business model is based on writers’ conversions), or it’s intentional for reasons that are… questionable....
Question: If the publisher's currency is NOT USD (say, because they're not US-tax-based), then the IAP retail price displayed to the reader will be further inflated -- beyond what the publisher specifies -- because of a "double currency conversion" that occurs in the implementation flow [my understanding of what you wrote else where in this post], but that NO "further inflation" occurs if the publisher's currency IS USD?
As more of a reader/subscriber than a writer, I shall definitely be avoiding using this facility. I either have to pay more or less goes to the writers I want to support? Sod off, Apple...
This is a good first step, I find.
The problem here is that you keep responding with the response for in the US, but what about those of us outside of it? What will our subscribers see? Presumably they will just be routed straight to the Apple checkout with a ~30% increase?
I'm not wholly against the Apple IAP option being available, and I did opt my publications into it previously (don't think a single person has ever subscribed using it though), but the comms here should also be telling non-US options what the subscription flow looks like now.
Yeah exactly!!
OM fucking G, please stop using the term 'pain point' -- your comments sound like they are written by ChatGPT.
This update highlights the tension between accessibility and control. Yes, in-app purchases lower friction for new subscribers—but they also introduce Apple as a value extractor, add delays in payouts, and force higher pricing on readers. Substack’s safeguard (auto-adjusted pricing) helps writers keep earnings steady, but it risks alienating subscribers who see a sudden markup.
The bigger issue: trust. Writers need confidence that Substack is a partner, not a conduit for third-party fees. Transparency and optionality—not mandates—will decide whether this move strengthens or erodes the creator economy.
At least we have more defense against the almighty AppStore...
I think another issue is that writers no longer "own" the payment information. Before, readers would pay writers' Stripe accounts directly, but with an iOS subscription, it looks like they pay Substack now.
Great point, I still prefer to pay Substack instead of Apple if the cut is lower...
Note that with iOS purchases, you're paying all of the fees: Apple's 30% fee, Substack's 10%, Stripe's 2.9%+$0.30 + 0.7% plus any fees for Stripe Tax, etc.
That's exactly the point, we need alternatives (we have them now)...
This is so dumb. Just because you "adjust" the prices in-app to compensate for the 30% does not mean people will understand why that's happening and bypass it.
Consumers are inherently impatient and have the attention spans of goldfish. This will just turn them away faster. It's a net negative. Was already contemplating leaving, but this pretty much settles it.
Exactly Paul, this seriously damages the Pricing Point and conversions... it's very "funny" given that Substack's business model is based on the ability of us writers to convert...
This is going to lead to a mass exodus from substack. You guys have really dropped the ball.
Agreed. Nightmare.
Yes. I'm looking at other alternatives now. Wow.
Apple doesn’t just take 30 percent. They play morality cop. First it is about money, then it is about what content they will allow. If Substack caves the way Patreon did, erotica and anything sexual will be first on the chopping block.
I don’t want this. Now I’ll need to ensure all my posts warn subscribers not to use this.
And romance authors like me will be among the first wave ugh.
Came here to say this. I'll be counting the months before the notices start appearing about controversial content.
Rather than giving such a large cut to Apple at a burden to our readers (who are already challenged to pay for as many subscriptions as would like to), I have a better idea: Substack absorbs the cost and passes the savings along to those keen to upgrade. If this is going to increase paid subscriptions so easily, then the offset should be worth it.
Better idea: Substack absorbs 100% of Apple's costs because, as other users have already pointed out, Substack writers and readers have a relationship with Substack, not Apple.
Hi Giulia! Agreed! That's exactly what I was suggesting by saying "Substack absorbs the cost"! (By "passing the savings," I simply meant, don't charge the subscribers.) :-)
Agreed.
Why would any subscriber want to pay more just for the very minor convenience of purchasing through the app?
Not sure why but they do. I have seen it already on my end.
Dear Substack team, everything you’re saying in terms of “choice” only applies to the US. But you are also operating legally in other countries… and for those markets you are doing absolutely nothing. How do you plan to address this?
This is a horrible move!
Submitting to Apple’s extortion and forcing authors to accept this seems completely out of alignment with what Substack claims to be: for writers/creators! Readers/subscribers are likely to be completely unaware of this extortion — just like on Patreon.
A very disappointing move Substack. Shame.
Do I still have access to subscriber payment and contact info if they subscribe through the iOS app? It feels like I'll no longer have access to that information for new subscribers. Can you confirm?
Upvoting this. Curious to know what info is available and when i.e. only 45 days after the fact?
We should be able to opt out. It's an additional 30% going directly from subscribers to Apple, which is absurd.
Will we be able to see stats on the number of subscribers coming from in-app payments?
*reads through comments* Well, this is going down like a cup of cold sick.
I spy the Dry Down Diaries! 🤩
Have you guys ever considered the other percentage of Substack writers that aren’t US based?
Stripe works only for a majority? What about the minority😆
Indeed. I've never earned a cent from my articles on Substack because there is no alternative to Stripe and I won't use Stripe anymore (long story!).