Substack launches a TV app

Substack, a platform known primarily for newsletters, is launching a TV app for Apple TV and Google TV. The company announced on Thursday that the beta app will allow subscribers to watch video posts and livestreams on TV created by authors on its platform. The TV app features a TikTok-like “For You” row that will highlight videos from these creators, along with recommended videos. Free and paid subscribers can now start using the TV app, with access based on their subscription tier. Substack plans to add paid content previews for free subscribers in the future. The platform also plans to add audio posts and read-alouds, enhanced search and discovery features, in-app upgrades to paid subscriptions, and dedicated sections for each publication where subscribers can explore all videos from a specific creator. The move comes as Substack has been investing more heavily in video and livestreaming, as it looks to compete with platforms like YouTube and Patreon for both creators and viewers. Substack began its push into video with the launch of video posts back in 2022. It then started allowing creators to monetize videos early last year. Around the same time, it rolled out livestreaming capabilities to all publishers. The company has also embraced short-form video, launching a TikTok-like video feed in its app in March 2025. “Substack is the home for the best long-form—work creators put real care into and subscribers choose to spend time with,” the company wrote in a blog post. “Now these thought-provoking videos and livestreams have a natural home on the TV, where subscribers can settle in for the extended viewing that great video deserves.” While Substack sees the launch as the next step in its video ambitions, comments on its announcement tell another story. The top comment on the company’s blog post reads: “Please don’t do this. This is not YouTube. Elevate the written word.” Another popular comment reads: “You guys have gone from saying Substack is the best home for longform writing/writers to ‘Substack is the home for the best longform—work…’. I get trying to evolve, but this just seems like another venture capital-fueled idea.” Techcrunch event San Francisco | October 13-15, 2026 Other comments reflect a similar sentiment, questioning why the platform appears to be shifting its focus from writing to video. It’s worth noting that Substack isn’t the only platform pushing into the living room, as Instagram recently launched IG for TV, a new experience that lets users watch Reels on TV, starting with Amazon Fire TV.