5 Ways to Monetize Your Substack (Even If You Don’t Have Stripe)
If you live in a country where Stripe isn’t supported, Substack can feel like a locked door.
You see everyone talking about:
• Paid subscriptions
• Monthly recurring income
• Stacked paid tiers
• Six-figure newsletters
And you think:
“Well that’s nice… but I can’t even activate paid.”
I know that feeling.
When I started building seriously online, I wasn’t using Instagram. I wasn’t running ads. I didn’t have fancy funnels.
I was using WhatsApp groups. Business cards. Old-school conversations. And a stubborn belief that clarity beats complexity.
So when I moved into Substack, I didn’t see it as a “subscription platform.”
I saw it as a distribution channel.
That shift changed everything.
Because here’s the truth:
Stripe is a tool.
Monetization is a strategy.
And if your strategy is strong, you can make money anywhere.
Let me show you how.
1. Sell Digital Products Off-Platform (Substack Is the Trust Engine)
Most creators think:
“No Stripe = no monetization.”
False.
Substack builds attention. Trust builds sales. Your offer creates income.
You can sell digital products using platforms like:
• Gumroad
• Payhip
• Any checkout platform available in your country
Substack becomes your warm-up room.
Your product becomes the transaction.
When I started refining my monetization structure, I stopped asking:
“How do I get paid subscriptions?”
And started asking:
“What problem can I solve clearly?”
That’s when things shifted.
I realized I already had:
• Frameworks
• Worksheets
• Sales systems
• Offer clarity exercises
• Structures that worked for clients
Instead of hiding them inside free posts, I packaged them.
And when I linked them inside my newsletter?
People bought.
Not because I had thousands of subscribers. But because my positioning was clear.
You don’t need Stripe to sell.
You need:
• One clear micro-offer
• One defined outcome
• One repeated message
Your newsletter educates. Your product converts.
2. Build a Paid Community (People Pay for Access, Not Just Content)
Let me say something slightly controversial.
Most people don’t pay for newsletters.
They pay for proximity.
They pay for:
• Access
• Structure
• Accountability
• Implementation
When I built paid spaces before relying on any platform feature, it wasn’t about posts.
It was about support.
That’s why community-based monetization works so well if Stripe isn’t available.
You can run:
• A WhatsApp support group
• A mastermind
• A structured implementation room
• A small beta classroom
Your Substack builds trust. Your paid room builds transformation.
And transformation creates recurring income.
One of the biggest mistakes creators make is thinking:
“If I just write better posts, people will pay.”
No.
They pay when they feel:
“I don’t want to do this alone anymore.”
Which is exactly why I’m currently building the SOLO beta implementation group.
Not another info product.
A structured system with support.
If you want to test it with me as a founding member, you can join here: SOLO beta spots 😉
(Spots are intentionally limited. Small room. Real work.)
3. Offer Services First (It Funds Everything Else)
If you’re early, small, or still growing…
Services are your fastest monetization route.
Before scaling products, before building complex systems, services create:
• Cash flow
• Confidence
• Case studies
• Real transformation stories
And I’ll be honest with you.
A huge part of my growth came from direct coaching.
From real conversations. From helping clients clarify their offers. From refining messaging. From building sales rhythms.
That experience later turned into frameworks.
Frameworks later turned into products.
Products later turned into scalable offers.
But it started with service.
If you’re stuck thinking:
“I need 1,000 subscribers before I can sell.”
No.
You need 10 serious people.
Substack is perfect for this.
Because when someone reads you consistently, they already feel like they know you.
That shortens the trust cycle.
If you position yourself clearly and consistently, services become a natural next step.
4. Sell Micro-Offers (Not Big Courses)
This one is important.
You do not need a massive course to monetize.
You need clarity.
Micro-offers convert faster because:
• They solve one problem
• They feel achievable
• They don’t require huge commitment
• They are low risk
Examples:
• Offer Clarity Blueprint
• Sales Script Pack
• 14-Day Content Planner
• Newsletter Monetization Guide
Notice something?
All of these solve specific, painful problems.
When I stopped trying to “create big” and started creating focused, results-driven tools…
Sales became simpler.
You don’t need to impress.
You need to solve.
And your Substack becomes the proof that you can.
5. Monetize Through Authority (Long-Term Play)
This is the layer most people skip.
When you consistently publish strategic, problem-solving content, you build:
• Search visibility
• Brand recognition
• Referral credibility
• Cross-platform opportunity
That opens doors like:
• Podcast invites
• Partnerships
• Collaborations
• Speaking
• Cross-promotions
Stripe has nothing to do with that.
Authority compounds.
If your content is structured and clear, opportunities multiply.
But if your content is random and unfocused?
You stay busy. Not profitable.
The Real Issue Isn’t Stripe
It’s structure.
I’ve seen creators with Stripe struggle. And creators without Stripe thrive.
The difference?
Clarity. Offer positioning. Sales rhythm.
That’s it.
You can:
• Have 100 free subscribers
• Sell micro-offers
• Build a paid support room
• Offer services
• Launch betas
Without Stripe ever touching your account.
If You Want to Do This Properly
This is exactly what we’re implementing inside my SOLO beta.
S – Strategy
O – Offer
L – Leverage
O – Ownership
Not just content. Not just inspiration. Actual structure.
If you want to build this with me from the ground up, you can join here: SOLO beta spots
We start soon. Small group. Hands-on refinement.
And if you want deeper breakdowns like this every week, including templates and full implementation guides, upgrade to the paid Selfmade Badass Inner Circle.
Free readers gather ideas.
Paid members build income.
You don’t need Stripe.
You need leadership in your own business.
And the moment you stop waiting for platform permission…
That’s when monetization starts.
— Liana