Substack
Key Concerns
5Policy Analysis
Substack's Terms of Use govern the use of its publishing platform for both content creators and readers. Users retain ownership of their content but grant Substack a broad, perpetual, and irrevocable license to use it for operating and improving the service. The terms include a minimum age of 16, strict acceptable use policies, and a significant limitation of liability for Substack, while mandating binding arbitration for dispute resolution.
Users retain ownership but grant Substack a royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, and worldwide license to use their content for service operation and improvement, and to other users for public posts.
Substack can terminate accounts for 'any reason' at its discretion, with only an attempt to provide advance notice, which may not always be possible or practical.
Substack's liability is severely limited to the greater of $100 or the amounts paid by the user in the preceding twelve months.
All disputes are subject to binding arbitration in San Francisco, California, and include a class action waiver, restricting users' ability to pursue collective legal action.
The document mentions 'subscription fee' but does not explicitly state whether subscriptions auto-renew.
The document does not mention free trials or their conversion to paid subscriptions.
If you'd like to delete your account, you can do so from your [account page](https://substack.com/account/settings).
The document states 'When you delete your account, any Posts associated with that account will also be deleted' but does not specify when subscription cancellations take effect.
No mention of a notice period for account deletion or subscription cancellation.
A Creator may offer their publications for free or for a subscription fee, to be determined in the Creator’s discretion. Readers may choose to subscribe to Creator publications on Substack and agree to incur any applicable subscription fees.
Creators will set prices for their publications, and may change the prices at their sole discretion through their Creator account, though no price changes shall apply retroactively.
In the event that a Reader has a dispute with a Creator, you agree, as either/both a Reader and a Creator, that Substack is under no obligation to become involved other than to direct any inquiries regarding a Creator’s publication to the appropriate Creator pursuant to the Publisher Agreement.
Since Substack states it is under no obligation to become involved in disputes, no refund window is specified by Substack.
Substack is under no obligation to become involved in disputes between Readers and Creators, implying it does not offer prorated refunds.
Substack is under no obligation to become involved in disputes between Readers and Creators, implying it does not offer refunds for renewals.
Any dispute arising from or relating to the subject matter of these Terms shall be finally settled by arbitration in San Francisco County, California
in accordance with the Streamlined Arbitration Rules and Procedures of Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services, Inc. (“JAMS”) then in effect
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To the fullest extent permitted by law, you and Substack Inc agree that all claims against the other can only be brought in an individual capacity, and not as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class, consolidated, or other representative proceeding.
These Terms are governed by and will be construed under applicable federal law and the laws of the State of California, without regard to the conflicts of laws provisions thereof.
For all purposes of these Terms, you consent to exclusive jurisdiction and venue in the state or federal courts located in, respectively, San Francisco County, California, or the Northern District of California.
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Any amount, in the aggregate, in excess of the greater of (1) $100 or (2) the amounts paid and/or payable by you to us in connection with Substack in the twelve-month period preceding the applicable claim.
Substack is provided to you on an “as-is” basis. This means we provide it to you without any express or implied warranties of any kind. That includes any implied warranties of merchantability, warranties of fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, or any warranty that the use of Subst
Substack is provided to you on an “as-is” basis.
To the fullest extent allowed by applicable law, you agree to indemnify and hold Substack, its affiliates, officers, agents, employees, and partners harmless from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages (actual and consequential), losses and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) arisin
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