Key Highlights:

• Substack has launched a beta TV app for Apple TV and Google TV.
• Subscribers can now watch video posts and livestreams on television.
• The app includes a TikTok-style “For You” feed and creator pages.
• The move deepens Substack’s shift toward video-led content.

Substack, best known for newsletters, has launched a TV app for Apple TV and Google TV. The beta app lets subscribers watch video posts and livestreams from creators on the platform. The move matters because it takes Substack beyond the inbox and into the living room, placing it in direct competition with video-first platforms.

Both free and paid users can access the app, depending on their subscription tier. The company plans to add previews of paid content for free users in future updates.

What does the Substack TV app offer?

The TV app features a TikTok-like “For You” row. It highlights videos from Substack creators and surfaces recommended content. Users can also explore dedicated sections for each publication and browse all videos from a specific author.

Substack says upcoming updates will bring audio posts, read-alouds, enhanced search, and in-app upgrades to paid subscriptions. The app will also expand discovery tools, making it easier to find creators and series.

In short, Substack wants its content to behave like a streaming service.

Why is Substack pushing into video?

Substack began adding video posts in 2022. In early 2025, it rolled out a short-form video feed inside its mobile app. Creators can already monetize videos and host livestreams.

The TV app is the next step. It places Substack alongside platforms like YouTube and Patreon, where creators mix long-form ideas with visual storytelling. The company frames the shift as giving “thought-provoking videos and livestreams a natural home on TV.”

How are creators and readers reacting?

Reactions on Substack’s own blog reveal tension. Some writers worry the platform is drifting away from its writing-first identity. Popular comments ask the company to “elevate the written word” and question whether the move reflects venture-backed pressure to chase video trends.

The concern highlights a larger issue across media platforms: balancing depth with reach. Substack built its reputation on text. Video changes how audiences engage.

What does this mean for the creator economy?

Substack is not alone. Instagram recently launched a TV experience for Reels on Amazon Fire TV. Platforms are racing to own attention on the biggest screen in the home.

The TV app turns newsletters into a cross-format media network. Creators can now build audiences across inbox, phone, and television. Whether that strengthens or dilutes its identity will shape the platform’s future.

One thing is clear. Substack no longer lives only in your email.