Why Newsletter Creators Are Abandoning Substack and What It Means for Digital Publishing
In 2026, the digital publishing landscape is undergoing a quiet but significant transformation. Substack, once the darling of independent writers and niche publications, is facing an exodus of creators migrating to alternative platforms like Ghost and Beehiiv. This shift isn t just about cost or convenience it reflects deeper concerns over control, revenue, and the future of audience ownership. For writers in North East India, where digital media is rapidly expanding, these developments offer critical lessons on platform dependency and the risks of building a business on borrowed land.
The "Substack Tax" and the Cost of Doing Business
At the heart of the migration is what creators have dubbed the "Substack Tax" a combination of rising fees, limited revenue-sharing options, and a business model that increasingly favors the platform over its users. Sean Highkin, founder of the NBA-focused The Rose Garden Report, revealed that his annual costs dropped by nearly 60% after switching to Ghost. While Substack charged him $4,968 per year, Ghost s pricing including an add-on service called Outpost totaled just $2,052. For independent writers, especially those in regions with lower disposable incomes, such savings can mean the difference between sustainability and shutdown.
Substack s fee structure isn t the only financial concern. The platform s integration with Apple s in-app payments adds another layer of complexity. Creators enabling subscriptions through Substack s iOS app lose 30% of their revenue to Apple s commission a cut they can t recover if they later decide to leave. This "walled garden" effect, where platforms control both access and monetization, is a growing frustration for writers who want full ownership of their audience relationships.
Regional Relevance: Why North East Writers Should Take Note
For digital publishers in North East India, where local journalism and niche content are thriving on platforms like Substack, these trends carry particular weight. Many writers in the region rely on subscription models to fund their work, often catering to diaspora communities or specialized interests. If Substack s fees continue to rise or if its algorithms deprioritize smaller creators these publications could face an existential threat. The lesson? Diversifying platforms and maintaining direct audience connections (via email lists or self-hosted websites) may be the key to long-term survival.
The Follower Dilemma: Why Audience Ownership Matters
One of Substack s most contentious policies involves its handling of "followers." While the platform allows creators to export their email subscribers, it retains control over followers users who engage with content through Substack s social feature, Notes. This distinction has real-world consequences. When The Ankler, one of Substack s most popular publications, migrated to a competitor, it could only take its paying subscribers, not its broader audience. For writers, this means rebuilding engagement from scratch, a daunting task in an already crowded digital space.
Substack co-founder Hamish McKenzie defends the policy, arguing that Notes serves as a "growth engine" to convert followers into subscribers. But critics see it as a way to lock creators into the platform. Casey Newton, founder of Platformer, left Substack in 2024, citing the need for a "home on the open web" that he fully controls. His move to Ghost wasn t just about cost it was about insulation from future platform changes that could undermine his publication s independence.
Case Study: The Ankler s Exit and the Rise of Alternatives
The Ankler s departure from Substack in April 2026 sent shockwaves through the digital publishing world. The publication, which covers Hollywood and entertainment, wasn t just a high-profile name it was a proof of concept for other creators considering a move. Its migration to a self-hosted platform demonstrated that even established publications could thrive outside Substack s ecosystem, provided they had the technical resources to manage their own infrastructure.
This trend is accelerating as platforms like Ghost and Beehiiv offer more customization, lower fees, and greater transparency. Ghost, in particular, has positioned itself as a creator-friendly alternative, emphasizing open-source tools and direct audience relationships. For writers in North East India, where technical support may be limited, these platforms could provide a middle ground offering independence without the steep learning curve of self-hosting.
Substack s Counterplay: Expansion and Retention Strategies
Despite the exodus, Substack isn t backing down. The platform is aggressively expanding into new markets, including the UK, where paid subscriptions for figures like Charli XCX and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer have surpassed 500,000. It s also investing $20 million to attract TikTok creators, betting that short-form video talent can be converted into newsletter subscribers. These moves suggest Substack is evolving from a writer-centric platform into a broader content ecosystem one that may prioritize scale over individual creator success.
Substack s leadership has also pushed back against claims of being a "walled garden." Hanne Winarsky, the company s head of New Media, emphasized that creators retain ownership of their email lists and payment relationships. She pointed to examples like SemiAnalysis and Glenn Greenwald, who returned to Substack after experimenting with other platforms, as evidence of its enduring appeal. Yet for every creator who stays, others are leaving, raising questions about whether Substack s model is sustainable in the long run.
The TikTok Factor: A Double-Edged Sword
Substack s $20 million push to court TikTok creators is a gamble. On one hand, it could inject fresh energy into the platform, attracting younger audiences and diversifying its content. On the other, it risks alienating its core base of writers, who may feel sidelined by the influx of video creators. For North East Indian writers, who often rely on text-based storytelling, this shift could mean less visibility on a platform that once championed long-form journalism.
What s Next for Digital Publishing?
The Substack exodus isn t just a story about one platform s struggles it s a microcosm of broader tensions in digital media. As platforms grow, they often prioritize their own interests over those of their users, leading to conflicts over revenue, control, and audience ownership. For writers, the message is clear: no platform is permanent, and building a direct relationship with readers is the only true safeguard against disruption.
For North East India s digital publishers, this moment offers an opportunity to reassess their own strategies. Whether through diversifying platforms, investing in self-hosted solutions, or cultivating direct audience connections, the goal should be resilience. The Substack saga is a reminder that in the digital age, the only constant is change and those who adapt will be the ones who thrive.
As the newsletter wars heat up, one thing is certain: the future of digital publishing won t be dictated by any single platform. It will be shaped by creators who demand more control, more transparency, and more ownership over their work. And in that fight, the winners won t be the ones who follow the trends they ll be the ones who set them.