Substack bets big on video as TikTok’s future remains uncertain

With TikTok’s future in the U.S. still uncertain, Substack is doubling down on attracting video creators.

As of yesterday, creators can now publish video posts directly from the Substack app—a feature previously limited to desktop. This update marks a significant shift, enabling creators to upload, publish, and monetize videos entirely from their phones. They can instantly reach subscribers via email, app notifications, or both, streamlining content distribution like never before.

“This isn’t just about adding video, it’s about creators building more engaged communities that make independent publishing stronger than ever,” Substack cofounder and CEO Chris Best tells Fast Company.

While creators could previously share videos in Notes—Substack’s Twitter-like feed—that feature doesn’t support paywalls, nor does it notify subscribers when a new post goes live. With this update, video creators can now reach their audience directly, bypassing algorithms and monetizing their work more effectively.

Creators can track post views, new subscribers, and estimated revenue impact (if paywalled) of their published material. Substack also says it’s committed to expanding its video tools, with potential additions like in-app trimming and editing (similar to CapCut), customizable paywalls with free previews, and enhanced analytics to better track video performance.

The brief time that TikTok went dark in late January was a wake-up call for creators, underscoring the importance of owning their audience. For those concerned about their future on TikTok and other algorithm-driven platforms, Substack presents a solution: a subscription-based video business built entirely within the app.

Last month, Substack launched its $20 million Creator Accelerator Fund, which promises content creators that they won’t lose revenue by jumping ship to Substack. Other updates include the recent expansion of Live Video, now available to all publishers on the platform.

“As the internet shifts, Substack is proving that when creators have true ownership, their success isn’t just possible, it’s inevitable,” Best says.

The efforts appear to be paying off. According to Substack, those who have added video and/or audio to their Substacks have seen their revenue grow 2.5 times faster than those who haven’t. In April 2024, more than half of the 250 highest-revenue creators used audio and video. By February 2025, that number has surged to 82%. 

There is also a ripple effect across the platform. Currently the likelihood that subscribers (who come from audio and video creators) will pay for other Substacks has almost tripled, jumping from 52% to 150% in just six months.

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