Substack launched a TV application for both Apple TV and Google TV on Thursday, enabling subscribers to view video posts and livestreams from creators on their televisions.
The new TV app incorporates a “For You” row, which highlights videos from creators and provides recommended content. Subscribers, both free and paid, can access the app based on their current subscription tiers. Substack intends to introduce paid content previews for free subscribers in the future. The platform also plans to integrate audio posts and read-alouds, enhance search and discovery functionalities, permit in-app upgrades to paid subscriptions, and establish dedicated sections for each publication to explore creator-specific videos.
This development aligns with Substack’s increased investment in video and livestreaming, positioning it to contend with platforms such as YouTube and Patreon for both content creators and audience engagement. Substack initiated its video strategy in 2022 by introducing video posts. Early last year, the platform enabled creators to monetize video content and subsequently rolled out livestreaming capabilities to all publishers. In March 2025, the company also launched a short-form video feed within its app.
The company stated in a blog post, “Substack is the home for the best longform—work creators put real care into and subscribers choose to spend time with. Now these thought-provoking videos and livestreams have a natural home on the TV, where subscribers can settle in for the extended viewing that great video deserves.”
User feedback on the announcement indicates a mixed reception. The top comment on the company’s blog post read: “Please don’t do this. This is not YouTube. Elevate the written word.” Another comment stated: “You guys have gone from saying Substack is the best home for longform writing/writers to ‘Substack is the home for the best longform—work…’. I get trying to evolve, but this just seems like another venture capital-fueled idea.” Additional comments expressed similar concerns regarding a perceived shift in the platform’s focus from written content to video.
Instagram also released IG for TV, a new experience allowing users to watch Reels on TV, initially available on Amazon Fire TV.
