OMG! There's Now a New Way to Make Money on Substackš¤
I tested the new beta feature and screenshotted so you can steal the ideas
OMG. Stop everything.
Substack just shipped something that, in my opinion, is a massive shift for paid newsletters. š¤Æ
Now, let me be precise, because you know I test and get back to Substack before I drop a story: perks themselves arenāt new. Youāve always been able to list subscriber benefits in your settings, extras like Q&As, courses, or community access. The problem? They were buried. A few lines of text on your checkout page that most readers scrolled right past.
Like this boooooring page here at onlinewritingclub.com/subscribe
šš»You can access yours: yoursubdomain.substack.com/subscribe
(** This is a callout block, wanna learn more about the NEW feature? Go here!**)
What just changed
Perks are now visually present: real cards, real images, real unlock buttons, all surfaced on a brand-new Perks tab right on your publication. Your extras finally get the shop window they deserve!
Member Steve Stein and I were talking about TikTok shop a few days back šš
And THAT is the shift.
Because the difference between a benefit nobody sees and a perk displayed like a gift under the tree? Thatās the difference between āmehā and ātake my money.ā
This is the playbook Lenny Rachitsky, #1 in Business on Substack, used to build one of the most successful publications on Substack, perks alongside the writing.
Now itās built into the platform. For everyone. Including you.
I tested it, clicking every button, and experimenting with my own perks, to save you time. Hereās everything you need to know.
Why I got early access (and you can trust me on this)
I got an email from Substack telling me about the feature because Iām part of the Substack Product Lab.
Never heard of it? The Product Lab is Substackās inner circle of writers who get new features in beta before everyone else, test them in the wild, and give the team direct feedback that shapes what ships next.
And hereās why I take that job seriously: I built my audience on this platform from zero to 18,000 subscribers and 34,000 readers. Substack changed my writing life, so when they ask āWhat do you think?ā, I test, I experiment, I break things and then I report back to you so you donāt have to figure it out alone.
So consider this your tested-by-Kristina guide.
How to Add a Perk, Exactly, Step by Step
Ready? This takes about 5 minutes. Hereās exactly where to click:
Go to your publication Dashboard and open your Settings.
Scroll to the Payments benefits section and open it. This is where your old benefits live ā and where the new perks live too.
Click to create a perk and choose the perk type. Right now you can pick a discount code, a downloadable resource, or an invite to a special or live session.
Add the reward details. This is the actual goodie: paste in your link or your code.
5. Target the perk to a specific audience. All paid subscribers? Founding members? You decide who unlocks what.
6.Save it and youāre live. A brand-new Perks tab automatically appears on your publication site. You donāt build a custom page. Substack does it for you.
ā ļø REMEMBER: What visitors see on that tab depends on who they are. Logged-out visitors see the rewards as locked.
šEligible paid subscribers unlock the perk with the link or code. Everyone else sees an upgrade flow nudging them to go paid. Your Perks tab quietly works as a sales page without you lifting a finger.
Todayās post was brought to you by the FREE Substack for Beginners Course.
Here are some of the the class of 2026 students:
And itās official: the course is now my perk for annual +founding subscribers. š
Upgrade to an annual subscription and you unlock the complete Substack for Beginners Course, the same course that has helped 700+ writers kickstart their Substack journey.
Jojn me live on Friday, weāll set up your perks together!
You didnāt think Iād leave you alone with this, did you?
This Friday weāre hosting our first-ever live class about the Substack post editor, and hereās whatās on the menu:
A full tour of the editor and all the new features (yes, including highlighting!)
How to make your newsletters better and get more opens and more reads
A live walkthrough of Subscriber Perks, weāll set yours up together, step by step
A Q&A where I answer your monetization questions live
If you want to purchase ONLY the LIVE session, purchase it for $10 (super affordable, right?!) and join more than 50 students:
Bring your laptop and your questions. Youāll leave with a better newsletter and your first perk ready to go.
I teach in English but also can do a session in German for everyone interested!
What to Include: Hereās My Exact Perk Lineup (Steal It!)
āOkay Kristina, but what do I actually offer?ā Let me show you instead of tell you. I screenshotted my own benefits so you can see exactly how I structure mine, tier by tier:
Free subscribers: Occasional posts, tutorials + podcasts
Monthly members: Access to EVERYTHING + Weekly Q&As + Monthly Masterclasses
Annual members: The Complete Substack for Beginners Course + Superstars Community
Founding members: My tier is called BEYOND š ā because it goes beyond writing. Itās my personal coaching program for a handful of people and businesses: the Substack Bestseller Coaching Retainer (4 x 1:1) + an ALL ACCESS PASS
š” TIP: See what I did there? Each tier gets a reason to exist. Monthly gets access, annual gets the course, founding gets me. Don't make your tiers different prices for the same thing ā make them different promises.
On top of that, I offer:
DM support: paid subscribers can send me direct messages on Substack for quick help when theyāre stuck
Gift a free premium membership to a friend: my founding members can gift a membership to a writer friend (generosity is the best retention strategy, trust me)
One-on-one consultations, a resource library, office hours, DM support and more.
Thatās what the new visual perks experience looks like in the wild. Cards, images, unlock buttons. Doesnāt that make you want to upgrade just looking at it? Exactly. Thatās the point.
More ideas if youāre still stuck:
Checklists, cheat sheets, templates and swipe files
Discount codes for your course, book, or a partner tool
Monthly AMAs, office hours, or co-writing sessions
A bonus PDF chapter, first chapetr of your book, or behind-the-scenes resource
Start with ONE perk that matches what readers already come to you for. A food writer offers a recipe e-book. A finance writer offers a budget spreadsheet. You get the idea.
What perks can and canāt do (right now)
I experimented with the feature so you get the honest picture. Hereās the state of play:
What perks CAN do today:
Offer discount codes, downloadable resources, and session invites
Target specific audiences (like annual + founding subscribers only)
Auto-create a Perks tab with visual cards that adapt to each visitor
Turn locked perks into an upgrade prompt for free readers
What perks CANāT do (yet):
No native digital downloads or e-books hosted by Substack (you link out for now)
No live sessions with built-in start and expiration dates
No community invites baked in
No annual and monthyl subscriber perks!!
Only annual and founding member. But you want to offer both different things.
And itās beta-only: Product Lab members can use it today, everyone else gets it soon
If the perks have significant monetary value, Substack says this:
The good news?
Substack says all of the above is on the roadmap, digital downloads and e-books, scheduled live sessions, community invites. Theyāll ship more perk types and keep making it better. And the feedback we give this week decides what comes first. (See the last section, this is where you come in.)
Help shape Substack (yes! you!)
Remember the highlighting story? A writer asked, Zach from Substack built it overnight. Asking works.
This time Substack is asking us.
Jackson from Substack wants to know:
What kinds of perks are you offering first?
What perk types would you most want Substack to add?
How would you use perks?
Your answers shape what Substack builds next. Iāll make sure your feedback gets where it needs to go.
Iāll go first: my perks are the Substack for Beginners Course for annual subscribers and my BEYOND coaching program for founding members. And the perk type I want most? Live sessions with start and expiration dates, so classes like Fridayās can live right in my Perks tab.
Drop your answers in the comments.
Worst case, nothing happens. Best case? Your idea becomes the next āKarena feature.ā
Shoot your shot!
Leave a comment
See you Friday! š
P.S. Canāt wait until Friday? Need a FREE Substack for Beginners course? Sooo much to learn⦠not so much time. Learn from someone who has gone before you, from zero to 18,000 subscribers and helped 700+ Substack writers kickstart their journey. Join the course + the live. Immediate access!





















Great info Kristina. Thanks!
I'm wondering if they are slow rolling this as I don't see it as an option on mine yet...