A newsletter is a regular email magazine sent to subscribers. Over the past 5 years newsletters have become a key monetization channel for creators — journalists and experts have moved en masse from Twitter, Medium, and YouTube to newsletters. The appeal: direct connection with the audience, no algorithm dependency, and predictable revenue under paid subscription.
Main platforms
Substack — market leader, founded by Chris Best in 2017. Substack takes 10% of paid subscriptions. As of 2026: 35M active subscribers and ~3M writers. Clean interface. Top advantages — built-in audience, strong deliverability, low entry barrier.
Beehiiv — 2021, by former Morning Brew employees. Positioned as a Substack alternative with stronger monetization: ad network (Beehiiv Boost), referral program, premium subscriptions, boost ads. Free up to 2500 subscribers, then $39-99/mo. Better analytics and A/B testing.
Ghost — open-source newsletter and blog platform, self-hosted or via Ghost Pro. Self-hosted is free (hosting only), Ghost Pro $9-249/mo. Top advantage — full data ownership, pro SEO and site features, premium themes. Some tech skills needed, but easier than WordPress.
Alternatives
ConvertKit (now Kit) — for bloggers and creators, strong email automation, $9-79/mo. Buttondown — minimalist, developer-friendly, $9-79/mo. Revue (acquired by Twitter, shut down 2023). MailerLite, Brevo, Mailchimp — also offer newsletter features but focus on email marketing.
Monetization
Paid subscription — $5-50/mo, requires quality content and a loyal audience. Advertising — $20-100 CPM per 1000 views. Sponsorship — one paragraph or full newsletter, $200-5000+. Product sales — newsletter as a funnel for your course, book, or consulting. Affiliate — commission on recommended products.
Sayt.uz practice
Sayt.uz launched its newsletter in 2025, free for now — "Online Business Weekly," twice a month. 6800 subscribers across 4 languages, mostly from Uzbekistan. Open rate 38%, click 9.2%. A paid plan "Sayt.uz Pro" (50K sum/mo — deeper SEO and e-commerce courses) is in design. Clients have 23 newsletter projects, mostly on Substack and Beehiiv. Tip: to accept payments you need PayPal or Wise — local payment methods aren't fully supported.