Dear Substack: I Love You—So Let’s Make This Better

A MAC Assessment – With Affection, Admiration, and Accountability

Let me say it clearly and proudly:
I love Substack.

Not just because of what it does, but because of what it makes possible for creators, for communities, and for people who want to build trust, not chase clicks.

The features are solid and work better than any software I have ever used.

• A clean, joyful writing experience

• Transparent subscriber insights

• Intuitive and robust features

• Seamless Stripe integration

• RSS that works—quietly, reliably

• Layouts and AI tools that enhance, not overwhelm

• Built-in audio to read the articles

• Customer-focused Apps, integrations, and and podcasting

But more than that—it feels right.

The tools don’t get in the way—they get out of it.
And when you need to grow? The platform scales with you, not against you.

You can:

• Set pricing tiers down to the cent

• Offer paywalls, founding plans, and referral perks

• Host podcasts, manage domains, and track behavior

• Run a full-fledged publication—no dev team required

This is what platform maturity looks like: absolute control, clean design, and tools that support thoughtful publishing.

So yes, I’m staying. Substack is one of the most creator-first platforms out there, and I love what it enables.

And because I believe in what you’re building and where it’s going, I offer this not as critique, but as commitment:

You’ve nailed the foundation. Now let’s fine-tune the first impression.

That moment matters. It sets the tone.
And if Substack is serious about helping creators build sustainable, trust-based relationships with their audience, this is where refinement counts.

Because every click counts.
And the people subscribing? They’re not just readers.
They’re choosing to trust us.

The Subscription Onboarding Experience:

Polished on the surface, presumptive underneath

When someone clicks “Subscribe” to this publication, they’re met with a screen showing four plans: Annual, Monthly, Founding Member, and Free. Seems simple enough. But let’s unpack what’s happening:

• The Annual plan is pre-selected by default, highlighted in bold orange, drawing the eye. That’s not a neutral presentation—that’s a nudge.

• The Free plan is to the right (on desktop- similar behavior on mobile), visually diminished, with benefits struck through, signaling: “You don’t really belong here unless you pay.”

• There’s no content preview, no welcome message, no sense of what you’re subscribing to. Just choose a plan or get out of the way.

• And there’s no explanation of what happens next. If I choose Free, what do I get? How often will I hear from this publication? What’s the value?

This kind of design assumes intent. It assumes urgency.
It assumes payment is the next step, even when the reader hasn't seen anything yet.

That’s not respectful UX. That’s behavioral economics masquerading as a clean interface.
And I get it.
Substack makes money when creators make money. This is the business model. I support that. But building trust with readers shouldn't come from nudging them into subscriptions they don’t need, want, or understand.

Especially not when this publication was founded to call out exactly these kinds of practices in the marketing world.

That’s more than ironic. That’s a problem.

Here’s What I Recommend—As a Creator and as a Reader Advocate

• Let readers opt in, not be nudged.
  Don’t pre-select any plan. Let people make a conscious, informed decision.

• Respect the Free tier.
  Frame it as a starting point, not a lesser experience. Make it feel like a welcome, not a penalty.

• Show value before asking for payment.
  Let readers preview a post or get a sense of the voice and mission of the publication. Trust is earned.

• Clarify what happens next.
  Add simple copy:
  “You’ll receive posts in your inbox. You can unsubscribe anytime. You’re in control.”

• Give creators control of the subscription experience.
  Let us reorder this screen, skip it entirely, or write our own intro message. If we’re accountable for our audiences, we should guide them in a way that aligns with our values.

The Bottom Line

I’m not going anywhere.
I believe in this platform, and I believe Substack can lead the way in building a more ethical, creator-powered internet.

But if we’re going to build it together, we have to start with trust.
Not pressure. Not assumptions. Not pre-checked boxes.

Trust.

That’s what MAC is here to model. That’s what our readers deserve. And that’s what I hope Substack will continue evolving toward—not just for us, but for the future of publishing.

Let’s raise the standard, starting at the subscription screen.