With companies using newsletter sites as a way to expand their brand, how do you stand out from the crowd?
Nowadays, if you can think of a topic, there’s sure to be people who would be interested in a newsletter covering it. That’s why we’ve put together this list of some of the best paid newsletter examples – we’re hoping to give you a burst of inspiration.
Top 5 Paid Newsletter Examples
Paid newsletters have become a popular way for creators and industry experts to monetize their expertise and insights. Here, we look at five successful examples of paid newsletters to help you get creative:
Stratechery
Founded by Ben Thompson, Stratechery offers content for different newsletters including the Stratechery Update, Stratechery Interviews, plus the Sharp Tech, Sharp China, Dithering, and Greatest Of All Talk podcasts.
Ben provides in-depth analysis and commentary on the latest developments in the tech industry. Weekly newsletters are for free, while subscribers who pay $15/month (or $150/year) receive 3 additional newsletters a week.
GR Market Commentary
We’re going to cheat a little bit here because Goehring & Rozencwajg’s commodities report is actually offered for free, but they use it as a lead magnet to acquire investors for their fund.
Once a quarter, G&R publishes one of the best commodities reports in the industry, covering a range of commodities such as gold, oil, uranium, and the like. The team produces some very high-quality analyses and packages it up into a 30 to 40-page report, which tends to be passed around hedge fund board rooms and used to make key investment decisions. They’ve grown a bit of a cult following, which has served their money management business well.
Go sign up for free on their website to see what a high-quality research-based newsletter looks like.
Lenny’s Newsletter
Lenny Rachitsky is a software engineer who has turned to writing newsletters that offer “counterintuitive advice for building AI products”. Lenny shares career advice, interviews with industry leaders, and actual case studies to help you build your own products.
The newsletter has both free and paid versions, with the paid subscription offering exclusive weekly content delivered to your inbox. Non-paying subscribers get access to one newsletter a month, while paid subscribers get a weekly post and an invite to the members-only online community.
The Daily Stoic
Ryan Holiday, a best-selling author and marketer, created The Daily Stoic to provide daily wisdom from the ancient philosophy of Stoicism. The paid newsletter, ‘Daily Stoic Life’, offers members exclusive content, a free copy of the ebook, product discounts, and access to a members-only discussion board.
The annual membership costs $249, targeting those interested in personal development and philosophical reflection.
Go Long
Go Long offers a behind-the-scenes look at American football with in depth interviews, opinions, and discussions about the sport.
Subscribers can look forward to ‘The Morning After’ column which wraps up the weekend’s games, Q&As with different players, podcasts, and more.
These examples illustrate the diverse range of topics and formats that paid newsletters can cover. Whether it’s business insights, product management tips, philosophical reflections, or sports coverage, the key to a successful paid newsletter lies in providing high-quality, exclusive content that clicks with your specific audience.
Read next: How to Start a Newsletter (+ Examples)
