Substack has launched the Substack Recording Studio, a built-in mechanism for creators to pre-record and publish videos. The studio, available on desktop, supports solo videos and conversations with up to two guests.
Creators can add custom watermarks to their videos and share their screen with co-hosts. Once the recording is over, Substack auto-generates clips and thumbnails for sharing. This move is part of Substack's efforts to invest in video content and position itself as a Patreon competitor.
According to the company, creators who have used audio or video on Substack in the past 90 days have grown revenue 50% faster than creators who haven’t. Substack has been prioritizing updates that encourage creators to explore multimedia, including allowing creators to upload videos since 2022 and letting them livestream and monetize videos last year.
The Funding and Growth Context
Substack has also launched a Creator Accelerator Fund of $20 million to help transition creators from other platforms to Substack. The company has recently launched a TV app, available on Apple TV and Google TV, which allows viewers to watch video posts and livestreams on TV.
Substack's focus on video content comes as people are turning to TV screens to watch longer-form content. YouTube viewers watched over 700 million hours of podcasts each month on living room devices in 2025, up from 400 million per month last year.
Market Positioning
Substack's move into video content is part of a broader trend, with companies like Netflix and Instagram also investing in video content. Substack's built-in recording studio is a key differentiator, making it easier for creators to produce and publish high-quality video content.
What's Next
As Substack continues to invest in video content, it will be interesting to see how the company's creator base responds. With the Substack Recording Studio, creators now have a powerful tool to produce and publish video content, and the company's focus on video is likely to continue in the coming months.
