Substack Pricing Calculator
Want $3000 monthly net from Substack? Substack takes 10% plus Stripe 2.9% + $0.30 per sub, so you need to price higher than target divided by subscribers. Enter desired net monthly income, estimated paid subscriber count, fees, and annual discount you plan to offer. See required monthly price, recommended annual price, projected gross, and actual net after fees. Helps price before you launch or before you raise prices.
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Make the next pricing or planning decision with context
Set a price for your Substack offer that covers the costs in this model and supports the target contribution you need. It covers Reverse-engineer the Substack subscription price you need to hit a target monthly net income after Substack's 10% and Stripe fees.
Instant calculations · Editable fee assumptions · Export-ready results
Inputs
Values update results instantly. Adjust fee assumptions to match your seller dashboard.
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Income goal
Net you want after all fees, monthly.
Audience
Expected paid subs at this price.
Fees
Flat 10% usually.
Typically 2.9%.
Fixed per monthly charge, usually $0.30.
Annual plan
Discount for annual plan, e.g. 15%.
Results
Live estimates based on your inputs and editable fee assumptions.
Required monthly price
$15.65
Price to hit net goal at estimated subs.
Recommended annual price
$157.78
Monthly ×12 × (1-discount).
Monthly equivalent of annual
$13.15
Annual ÷12.
Projected gross monthly
$2,347.88
Required price × paid subs.
Estimated fees monthly
$347.88
Substack + Stripe.
Projected net monthly
$2,000.00
Should match desired (validation).
Effective fee rate
14.8%
Fees ÷ gross.
Net yearly per subscriber
$160.00
Net monthly ×12 ÷ subs.
What this means
To net $2000.00 monthly with 150 paid subs after 12.9% variable + $0.30 fixed each: charge $15.65 monthly, annual $157.78 (16% off, $13.15/mo equiv). Gross $2347.88, fees $347.88, net $2000.00 hits goal, effective 14.8%, $160.00 net per sub yearly.
Pricing needed vs fees
Interactive breakdown of fees, costs, and remaining profit.
Distribution
- Fees$347.8814.8%
- Net income$2,000.0085.2%
Total $2,347.88 · 2 segments · interactive
Line-item breakdown
Dollar amounts, share of revenue, and visual proportion.
- Desired net monthly
- $2,000.00
- Paid subscribers
- 150
- Variable fee rate
- 12.9%
- Fixed per sub
- $0.30
- Required monthly price
- $15.65
- Annual discount
- 16.0%
- Recommended annual price
- $157.78
- Monthly equiv annual
- $13.15
- Projected gross monthly
- $2,347.88
- Estimated fees
- $347.88
- Projected net
- $2,000.00
- Net per sub yearly
- $160.00
Assumptions used
- • Price = (2000.00 + 150×$0.30) ÷ (150×0.871) = $15.65
- • Annual $15.65×12×84% = $157.78
- • Fees $2347.88×12.9% + 150×$0.30 = $347.88
Your next best moves
Use your Substack Pricing result to make the next decision. These Substack tools follow the same cost and pricing thread.
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Explore SubstackSubstack Pricing Calculator
Generated 9/10/2026, 8:05:24 PM · Currency USD
Inputs
- Desired net monthly income: 2000
- Estimated paid subscribers: 150
- Substack platform fee %: 10
- Stripe processing %: 2.9
- Stripe fixed per subscriber: 0.3
- Annual discount you plan to offer %: 16
Results
- Desired net monthly: $2,000.00
- Paid subscribers: 150
- Variable fee rate: 12.9%
- Fixed per sub: $0.30
- Required monthly price: $15.65
- Annual discount: 16.0%
- Recommended annual price: $157.78
- Monthly equiv annual: $13.15
- Projected gross monthly: $2,347.88
- Estimated fees: $347.88
- Projected net: $2,000.00
- Net per sub yearly: $160.00
Interpretation
To net $2000.00 monthly with 150 paid subs after 12.9% variable + $0.30 fixed each: charge $15.65 monthly, annual $157.78 (16% off, $13.15/mo equiv). Gross $2347.88, fees $347.88, net $2000.00 hits goal, effective 14.8%, $160.00 net per sub yearly.
How it works
Methodology & formulas
This calculator is transparent by design. Review the steps and formulas so you can trust the estimate and adjust assumptions when your dashboard differs.
Calculation steps
- 1Collect desiredNet, subs, substack%, stripe%, fixed, annual discount
- 2Calculate price denominator = subs × (1 - substack% - stripe%)
- 3If denominator <=0, price extremely high (fees >=100% impossible)
- 4Required monthly = (desiredNet + subs×fixed) ÷ denominator
- 5Annual price = monthly ×12 × (1 - discount%)
- 6Monthly equivalent annual = annual ÷12
- 7Projected gross = monthly × subs
- 8Fees = gross×(substack%+stripe%) + subs×fixed
- 9Projected net = gross - fees should equal desiredNet (floating error tiny)
Formulas
- Denominator = subs × (1 - substack% - stripe%)
- RequiredMonthly = (desiredNet + subs×fixed) ÷ denominator
- Annual = monthly×12×(1-discount%)
- Gross = monthly × subs
- Fees = gross×(substack%+stripe%) + subs×fixed
- Net = gross - fees
Important assumptions
- Price solves: desiredNet = (price×subs) - (price×subs×(substack%+stripe%) + subs×fixed)
- Rearranged: price = (desiredNet + subs×fixed) / (subs × (1 - substack% - stripe%))
- If annual discount offered, monthly equivalent yearly revenue slightly less but reverse calc uses monthly price as anchor
- Estimated subs assumed constant — does not model churn or conversion from free to paid
- Does not include taxes — add your effective tax rate to desired net if you need pre-tax target
Sources & review
Know what this estimate is built on
Use these official references to locate the policy, plan, or help details behind the editable inputs.
Official references
Use the current terms
These official references are starting points for published policies, pricing, or help. They do not validate every default in this calculator. Rates, plans, eligibility, regions, and account terms can change, so compare the editable fields with your account before relying on the result.
Defaults are editable estimates. Match them to your current account, provider statement, official authority, lender, or adviser before making a pricing or investment decision.
Calculator model reviewed: August 9, 2026. This date covers the page and calculator guidance, not a guarantee that every live platform rate or term was re-audited on that date.
Worked example
$2000 net goal with 150 paid subs
Desired net $2000 monthly, 150 paid subs, 10% Substack, 2.9% + $0.30 Stripe, 16% annual discount
FAQ
Common questions
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