Substack does not publish exact paid subscriber counts for other writers. It shows a band (Hundreds, Thousands, Tens of thousands, Hundreds of thousands) on some profiles and a bestseller badge at 100, 1,000 or 10,000 paid subscribers. Of the 6,391 writers Stackblade tracks, 992 show a band and 2,458 more show only the badge. Updated Nov 6, 2026.
The bands
| Shown on the profile | Tracked writers |
|---|---|
| Hundreds | 0 |
| Thousands | 915 |
| Tens of thousands | 73 |
| Hundreds of thousands | 4 |
| Badge only, no band | 2,458 |
The badges
The orange bestseller check marks 100+, 1,000+ or 10,000+ paid subscribers. Tracked writers with each: 2,458 at 100+, 902 at 1,000+, 75 at 10,000+. Where no band shows, the badge is the best floor available.
Narrowing it down
A writer's position on their category's Bestsellers board is ranked by paid subscribers, so the writers just above and below them on that board are a fair comparison. Each writer page on Stackblade shows the band, the badge, every board position over time and the follower trend. Writers who claim their page can share an exact paid count and choose to show it there.
Limits
I don't estimate exact figures. The band changes only at a tenfold step.
Numbers updated Nov 6, 2026. Other answers: How to see a newsletter's follower count history, How do Bestseller and Rising rankings work?.