Should Substack Add a One-Time Tipping Feature?

Why not

May 23, 2025

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clear glass jar — Photo by Sam Dan Truong on Unsplash

What if Substack added a “tip jar” for one-time contributions instead of just monthly subscriptions?

It’s a question that keeps popping up in my Substack Notes feed, and I think it’s worth digging into.

The idea is simple: Let readers toss a few bucks at a writer they love without signing up for (yet another) monthly subscription.

But, like most things, it’s not as straightforward as it seems.

Why

You just read a Substack post that just hits right.

Maybe it’s hilarious, maybe it’s super insightful. Maybe even both.

You want to show some love, but you’re not ready to commit to a monthly subscription. Perhaps you only read this writer every now and then, or your wallet’s feeling a bit thin.

A one-time tip would be perfect for that moment when you just want to say, “Yo, that was awesome, take my $5.”

Just ask Ko-Fi or Buy Me a Coffee.

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For Readers

For readers, a one-time tip is a low-stakes way to support someone.

You’re not signing up to fund their whole career, just showing some quick appreciation. This could pull in a ton of casual readers who’d never go for a subscription but are happy to chip in once in a while for a great free post.

Love that idea!

For Writers

For writers, it’s a chance to make money off their free content.

Many Substackers still choose to put much of their work and content out for free. No paywall. And that’s a good thing, because it has some unique upsides, like more readers, more exposure, more possible search engine traffic.

A lot of Substack folks use free posts to build their audience and show what they’re about.

A tip jar could turn those posts into some dollars, even from readers who aren’t ready to pay monthly.

Plus, if Substack builds it right into the platform, it’s way smoother than sending people off to third-party sites like Ko-fi or Buy Me a Coffee.

All the while, it could also benefit Substack if they decided to take a small cut from those tips, just like they do from subscriptions.

Why Not

But here’s the flip side: a tip jar could mess with Substack’s bread and butter.

Subscriptions.

The whole magic of Substack is that somewhat predictable monthly income that lets writers plan ahead and keep the good stuff coming.

If readers can just tip here and there, why would they bother with a subscription? There’s a real risk it could eat into that steady revenue stream.

Tips are nice, but they’re random. One month you might rake in a bunch, the next, nada. We already have this issue on so many other platforms, like Medium, YouTube, etc.

That unpredictability can make it tough for writers to plan long-term, especially if they’re trying to make Substack their main gig.

Begging

And let’s talk about “tip jar fatigue.” If every Substack post ends with a “gimme a tip” button, readers might start rolling their eyes.

It could feel like every newsletter is begging for cash, which gets old fast. Writers would need to be smart about how they use it .

For Substack

Substack itself would have to deal with the headache of building this thing. It’s probably no rocket science since they already have the infrastructure to include payments, but still…

It’s another thing to add on top.

The Pros and Cons

Pros:

Makes it super easy for readers to support without committing long-term.
Turns free posts into potential paychecks for writers.
Captures those spur-of-the-moment “that was awesome” vibes.
Adds another way for writers to make money.
Keeps everything smooth and in-platform, no redirects to other sites.

Cons:

Could make subscriptions feel less important.
Tips are unpredictable, so no steady income.
Readers might get annoyed by constant tip requests.
Substack has to deal with the tech and logistics of setting it up.

Should They Do It

Honestly, I’m torn.

I like the idea on paper, but I think it would truly impact the subscription market.

If they did it, they could let writers choose whether to turn it on, not include it by default.

If Substack nails the balance, a tip jar could bring in more money for writers who publish free content, get readers more engaged, and make the platform even better for creators building their own thing.

But if it fails to accomplish this, it could very well downgrade the Substack subscription model that seems to thrive like crazy right now.

I couldn’t make that decision.