5 Proven Rules to Reach 100 Paid Subscribers in 2026
No huge audience needed. Here’s how Ellen Scherr did it and how you can reach bestseller status in 2026, fast
Did you know you can become a Substack bestseller with only 100 paid subscribers in total?
You don’t need a massive audience from other platforms.
You simply need 100 people who trust your voice enough to pay for your writing.
Today I want to show you exactly how to do this in 2026 using a real case study.
We’re going to look at my friend and this year’s Substack Bootcamp co-host Ellen Scherr and how she reached bestseller status so quickly to celebrate her huge milestone:
Congrats!! 🥳🥳🥳🍾🍾🙌🏻🙌🏻
If she can do this in a busy season of life, then you can do it too.
What the Subsatck bestseller badge really means in 2026
Let’s start with something many writers don’t fully understand yet.
Substack has three levels of bestseller badges that show your growth.
The white badge means you have 100 of paid subscribers already.
The orange badge means you have reached 1000 of paid subscribers.
The purple badge means you have tens of thousands of paid subscribers.
Ellen has the white badge right now, and that means she’s a bestseller with 100 paid subs.
I also got the white badge two years back in March 2024.
Ellen Scherr’s Substack success story to inspire you
Let me tell you why Ellen’s story matters so much right now.