Substack Revenue Share Calculator
Estimate Substack revenue share and creator payout in USD
Substack revenue share calculator FAQs
What fees does this Substack revenue share calculator include?
This Substack calculator combines the Substack platform fee with Stripe payment processing fees into a single percentage, plus an optional fixed payout fee in USD. From there it estimates total fees and your net payout based on the gross subscription revenue you enter.
How should I set the Substack + payment fee %?
Substack currently takes around a 10% share of paid subscriptions, and Stripe charges card and billing fees on top. Many US-based writers see an overall effective rate somewhere in the low-to-mid teens. Use your own payout reports to pick a blended percentage that matches your real Substack + Stripe costs.
What counts as gross Substack subscription revenue here?
Use the total amount subscribers pay before fees in the period you’re modeling: monthly and annual subscriptions allocated to that month, upgrades, and paid founding member tiers. Keep everything in USD so the fee math lines up with the calculator outputs.
Does this include Substack in-app subscriptions and localized currencies?
Not automatically. In-app purchases and localized pricing can change your effective take-home because Apple and extra Stripe fees may apply. If a big share of your revenue comes via the iOS app or non-USD currencies, increase the Substack + payment fee (%) until the effective fee in the results roughly matches your payout history.
Is this an official Substack revenue calculator?
No. This is an independent estimation tool for newsletter writers who want a quick Substack payout model. Always rely on your Substack dashboard, Stripe statements, and accountant for final financial and tax decisions.
How to use this Substack revenue share calculator
This Substack revenue share calculator is for writers who want to understand what they actually keep after Substack’s 10% cut and Stripe’s payment fees. Instead of reverse-engineering every payout or guessing from headline percentages, you can plug in your own numbers and see gross subscription revenue, modeled fees, and take-home pay in USD.
1. Enter your gross Substack subscription revenue
Start by entering your gross Substack revenue for a month, quarter, or launch. That means what readers are charged before Substack and Stripe fees are removed. Include monthly and annual subscriptions, plus any paid founding member or premium tiers that ran in that period.
2. Add a net payout goal if you’re planning a move or launch
If you know how much you’d like to clear from Substack, use the “You want to receive after fees” box. The calculator flips the equation and shows the minimum gross subscription revenue you’d need so that, after Substack’s share and processing fees, you still hit that net income number.
3. Match the fee % to your real Substack + Stripe setup
Use the Substack + payment fee (%) input for your combined platform cut and processing fees. Start with roughly 10% for Substack, then add a few percent for card and billing fees to reflect your Stripe account. Add any recurring extra cost into Other payout fees (USD) if you want to model an additional flat hit per period.
4. Read the revenue share summary to see what you keep
When you click Calculate, the summary highlights one main number: either your net Substack payout based on the gross you entered, or the required gross needed to reach your target net. A breakdown underneath shows gross revenue, modeled Substack + Stripe fees, and the effective fee percentage so you can see exactly how much of each subscriber dollar you’re keeping.
5. Copy the summary to compare Substack with other platforms
Use the Copy summary button to paste a clean text breakdown into your notes or spreadsheet. Run a few what-if scenarios: adjust your fee %, tweak your net goal, or compare Substack’s take-home against Patreon, app stores, or a direct Stripe setup. That way you can decide whether moving your newsletter really pays off.
Remember that this tool focuses on Substack-style platform and processing fees. Your true profit margin also depends on writing time, editing, marketing, software, and taxes. Treat this calculator as a fast way to understand the Substack slice of your publishing business and layer in other costs separately.
How the Substack revenue share math works
Behind the scenes, this Substack revenue share calculator uses the same simple model as your payout exports: a percentage fee plus an optional fixed payout fee per period. Let G be your gross Substack subscription revenue in USD, r the combined Substack and payment fee rate as a decimal (for example 0.135 for 13.5%), and f any fixed payout fee you decide to include.
Total modeled fees are:
Substack + payment fees = G × r + f
Your modeled net payout after these fees is:
Net payout = G − (G × r + f)
When you enter a target net payout, the calculator rearranges the equation to solve for required gross revenue. If N is the net you want in USD, then:
Required gross revenue = (N + f) ÷ (1 − r)
The effective fee percentage shown in the results is:
Effective fee % = modeled fees ÷ gross revenue × 100
All outputs are estimates in USD, rounded to two decimals, and meant for planning only. Substack’s pricing, Stripe processing fees, billing fees, in-app purchase share, and FX adjustments can change over time, so always check your latest Substack and Stripe payout reports for exact figures.
References and further reading
- Substack Help: How much does Substack cost? – Official breakdown of Substack’s 10% fee and Stripe processing/billing fees on paid subscriptions.
- Substack Help: How do payouts work on Substack? – Details on payout timing, how fees appear in your Stripe payouts, and what affects your final take-home.