Substack, a platform known mostly for newsletters, is launching a TV app for Apple TV and Google TV. The company was announced on Thursday that the beta app will allow subscribers to watch video posts and live TV streams created by writers on its platform.
The TV app has a TikTok-style “For You” series 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 level. Substack plans to add paid content previews for free subscribers in the future. The platform also plans to add audio posts and reading voices, improved search and discovery capabilities, in-app upgrades to paid subscriptions, and dedicated sections for each post where subscribers can explore all videos from a specific creator.
The move comes as Substack has invested more in video and live streaming as it looks to compete with platforms like YouTube and Patreon for both creators and viewers.
Substack started promoting video with the launch of video posts in 2022. Then, it started allowing creators to monetize videos early last year. Around the same time, it rolled out live streaming capabilities to all publishers. The company also embraced short-form videos, launching a TikTok-style video stream on its app in March 2025.
“Substack is home to the best long-form—creators of work truly care and subscribers choose to spend time with them,” the company wrote in a blog post. “Now these thought-provoking videos and live streams have a physical home on TV, where subscribers can enjoy the extended exposure that great video deserves.”
While Substack sees the release as the next step in its video ambitions, the comments on its announcement tell another story. The top comment on the company’s blog post is: “Please don’t do this. This is not YouTube. Upload the written word.” Another popular comment says: “You guys have gone from saying Substack is the best home for long-form writing/authors to “Substack is the home for the best long-form work…”. I’m trying to evolve, but this seems like another VC-fueled idea.”
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Other comments echo a similar sentiment, questioning why the platform seems 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.
