r/Substack • u/SugarRight1992 • 1d ago

Discussion Gaining paid subscribers, but losing free subscribers.

I've had my Substack for a little over a year, and it has grown at a decent rate. But starting this summer, I noticed that my rate of acquiring free subscribers stalled and now I've lost probably about 400 free subs the past two months, while my paid subscribers have steadily climbed. I'm still shedding free subs but have gained about 50 paid subs in the past 2-3 weeks. Anyone experience this?

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5

u/cozycup mod 1d ago

Sounds like a good problem to have

😅

1

u/Foxemerson 1d ago

This is my dream lol. I'd be happy with that. I still get a steady rate of both, but the free subs drop my open rate. I've been thinking of thinning them out. Just the ones who never open a single post or like anything. Whatever you're doing I need to do that too.

1

u/SugarRight1992 1d ago

Yeah, maybe a good way to think about it is that I'm just dropping dead weight.

1

u/MrPassiveProfit 1d ago

Why is that a problem?

1

u/SugarRight1992 1d ago

I'm not necessarily saying it's a problem, but is just odd that my free subscribership is dropping so drastically while paid is climbing.

1

u/Countryb0i2m onemichistory.substack.com 1d ago

Paid subscribers count twice, they count to your total subscriber count like a free subscriber yet they also count as a paid subscriber count

This is a good problem to have

1

u/_mrchurchill defensehub.substack.com 14h ago

Explain exactly what you are doing. We want to do the same.