Switching from Substack: how to move your subscriber list
By: Kazushi Inui (Newsletter Ready) ・ Last updated:
How to move your subscriber list from Substack to Newsletter Ready. The Substack steps follow its official help pages as of October 27, 2026. If a screen has changed, check Substack's help as well.
1. Export your list from Substack
- In Substack, go to “Settings” → “Exports” → “New export” and export a CSV file.
- You get an email when the export is ready. Open the ZIP to find the CSV with your subscriber list.
2. Import it into Newsletter Ready
- Sign up for Newsletter Ready for free and create your organization.
- Open Subscribers → “+ Add subscribers” → “Switch from another service” and choose Substack.
- Choose all the CSV files you exported. Unsubscribed and bounced people are detected from the file names and status columns.
- Choose why you may email these people (usually opt-in consent you collected at your old service) and add them.
What moves and what doesn't
| Item | After you switch |
|---|---|
| Email addresses, names and companies | Moves over |
| Unsubscribed, bounced and spam-complaint contacts | Moves over as do-not-send, so they are never emailed by mistake |
| Consent records | We record the import date and the basis and note you choose. Keep your old service's records as well |
| Past newsletters and open or click history | Does not move. Save it from your old service |
| Templates and automations | Does not move. Newsletter Ready drafts each issue from your website with AI |
Before you switch
- Keep your old account until the import and your first send have worked.
- Do not import purchased lists or people you have no basis to email.
- To send from your own domain, set up domain authentication (SPF and DKIM) on the Pro plan.
About Newsletter Ready
Newsletter Ready drafts each issue from your website's news or blog with AI, and nothing is sent until you approve it. The Free plan covers 300 subscribers and 4 issues a month.
Compare Newsletter Ready
- A Mailchimp Alternative for Businesses That Don't Want to Write Newsletters
- Newsletter Ready vs rasa.io: Which AI Newsletter Tool Fits a Small Business?
- Brevo alternative: Newsletter Ready vs Brevo
- MailerLite alternative: Newsletter Ready vs MailerLite
- Kit alternative: Newsletter Ready vs Kit
- beehiiv alternative: Newsletter Ready vs beehiiv
- Switching from Mailchimp: how to move your subscriber list
- Switching from Benchmark Email: how to move your subscriber list
- Switching from Kit (ConvertKit): how to move your subscriber list
- Switching from Brevo: how to move your subscriber list
Sources
This page is general information, not legal advice.