The Best Substacks About Podcasting

Substack is a platform that allows writers to publish newsletters and other content directly to subscribers, offering both free and paid subscription options. It’s essentially a combination of a newsletter and a blog, with additional social features like “Notes” and “Chat”. Essentially, it’s a space for writers to build an audience and monetize their work through subscriptions.

Substack has over 35 million active subscriptions, including more than 5 million paid subscriptions. These figures represent a substantial growth in both free and paid subscribers over the past few years.

Ear Worthy started a Substack a few years ago, and it’s an ideal setting to communicate podcast reviews and recommendations about superb, independent podcasts. Since the platform offers such fertile ground for exploring that specific topic, podcast journalists have enriched it with some of the best Substacks available.

First, I would like to emphasize that this is not an exhaustive list. That’s not possible with so many superb podcasting Substacks extant now. Second, this list includes podcast Substacks that we are familiar with and read regularly. After this list is published, I am sure that we will hear from excellent podcast Substacks that we missed. Fear not, because more such Substack lists will be forthcoming.

Here we go. This list has no ranking function.

The Black Podcasting Awards Substack has been at the forefront of recognizing and rewarding Black podcasters. Their Substack notes: “We celebrate, spotlight, and bolster Black podcasts to succeed and win more. We do this by producing an annual awards program and ceremony.” The organization also publishes three free newsletters.

Some of my favorite podcasts that have been award winners include What’s Ray Saying, Queer News, Stitch Please, and Ice Cold Case.
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Although the U.S. President has some unresolved issues with Canada, the nation produces some of the best podcasts in the world. As creator Kattie Laur explains: “Pod the North is a bold attempt to uplift the Canadian podcast ecosystem and foster community in this fractured space. Every other Tuesday, get a fresh issue of Pod the North that includes recent articles titled, Are podcasts blurring truth and trust? 7 Podcasts Every Canadian Should Subscribe to in 2025 and Why Canada needs a thriving podcast community…

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Podcast Strategy Weekly provides actionable tips and advice to help you increase your influence, grow an audience and create revenue through podcasting.

Podcast Professional Chris Stone explains: “In Podcast Strategy Weekly I will share lessons I’ve learned — and am still learning — to help you develop your own strategies for podcast success. Each issue will provide actionable takeaways you can implement immediately to make an impact in your podcast strategy.”

Chris continues: “Some of the topics I’ll cover include Podcast development, production, and marketing, Video podcasts and YouTube, the business of podcasting: teams, revenue models, and integration.”

This Substack is ideal for aspirational and indie podcasters.
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Andreea Coscai, the founder of Eurowaves, has worked, and excelled, at almost every aspect of podcasting, from hosting to marketing, and producing to promoting.

Andreea says: “I’m a podcaster with international experience in marketing, production, social media, and community-building. But more than anything, I’m a big podcasting fan and audio nerd.”

The podcasting scene in Europe is very diverse. Each country has its own approach, but the more you look at it closely, you’ll see surprising similarities. Compared to the U.S. space, which is well-developed (although arguably shaky), there’s plenty of room for growth, funding, and support. The great news is there are many wonderful podcasters working to build those bridges and grow the European podcasting community.

Andreea notes: “I’m embarking on a mission to connect European stories through podcasting.” At Eurowaves, Andreea explores ways to build connections between European podcasting industries and internationally, helping to grow podcast listenership across the continent and showcase the uniqueness of audio in connecting us.

Eurowaves is filled with podcast recommendations, industry insights, interviews with European podcast professionals, upcoming events and opportunities, and spotlights on companies and organizations driving change in European podcasting.
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Thanks to Captain Ron, finding podcast recommendations is so much easier than the needle-in-the-haystack approach. Great Pods feature weekly podcast recommendations from Critic Reviews and Ratings, occasional Top Lists from various publications, our journey as a podcast resource startup, and podcasts with reviews that were just added to the site.

Captain Ron tells us: “We are a team with over 10 years of experience in the audio/podcast industry. Our ecosystem includes this newsletter and greatpods.co (if you don’t want to wait for the newsletter recommendations!)! We encourage you to take a look. Send us feedback and suggestions.”

With Great Pods, You won’t have to worry about missing any podcast recommendations. Every new edition of the newsletter goes directly to your inbox.

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Podcast The Newsletter is “your weekly love letter to podcasts and the people who make them.”

Here’s Lauren’s confession: “I’m Lauren Passell and I’m podcast-obsessed. I am the founder of Tink Media, a podcast marketing and PR company that has helped shows like Dani Shapiro’s Family Secrets, American Hysteria, Our Body Politic, PEOPLE magazine’s PEOPLE Every Day, and more.”

Each issue of Podcast The Newsletter includes a HUGE list of Lauren’s recommendations, a little note from her heart, and an interview with someone she’s obsessed with in the podcast community–someone she thinks you should be obsessed with, too.

The cherry topper is that Lauren has Wil Williams as one of her newsletter writers/editors. Wil is one of the best writers in podcasting journalism. She’s the Caitlin Clark of words about podcasting!

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Dave Jackson is famous in podcasting. His School of Podcasting show is necessary listening for aspirational and indie podcasters. His Substack is called Podcast Observations.

Dave explains: “My Substack is short and to the point. You’ll see what I’ve been up to, what is coming in the future, and what caught my eye.”

Get “behind the scenes” glimpses of the School of Podcasting before they are published, and insights into new tools, strategies, and more.

Dave tells us: “I’ve been podcasting since April of 2005. I’ve helped hundreds of people launch podcasts. Before podcasting, I used my degree in education (specializing in technical education) to harness the power of hardware and software.”

There is no greater authority on podcasting than Dave Jackson. Check out his Substack.

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Into The Podverse is a podcast and newsletter hosted by Tony Doe, a seasoned media professional and radio consultant, focusing on the world of podcasting with a unique African perspective. Tony’s Substack has a particular emphasis on the experiences and voices of the African podcasting community. Tony Doe, whose full name is Tony Onwuchekwa, aims to empower independent African podcasters by providing insights, strategies, and stories from creators who are making an impact both locally and globally.

Just like with Eurowaves, take a trip to different parts of the world via the best podcasts, continents like Africa and Europe have to offer. You don’t need a passport, just earbuds.

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The Podcast Tech Stack begins with, “Hi, I’m Cody. I run Trout Stream Studios, where I help podcasters launch, grow, and monetize their shows — whether they’re indie creators or media organizations with entire networks.”

Cody continues: “Over the past few years, I’ve been behind the scenes of hundreds of podcasts, working with clients like news publishers, legacy magazines, nonprofit causes, and brands across almost every podcast category from Wilderness + Sports (where I cut my teeth) to ultracompetitive categories like News + Politics, True Crime, Christianity, Business and beyond. Along the way, I’ve tested just about every podcasting tool out there — some amazing, some… not so much.”

This Substack is where Cody shares his curated tech stack, trusted tools, and strategies that work — with occasional discounts and behind-the-scenes insights from the world of podcasting.

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Today, we finally discussed Substack's approach to podcasting in the industry. How about a superb independent podcast that has invested the time, energy, and creativity in developing and maintaining a Substack for its podcast?

The Captain’s Log by Captain Kitty is the Substack arm of the 6 Degrees of Cats podcast.

Captain Kitty, or Amanda B., explains: “Our cat-themed culture, history, and science podcast is for fun, cool, and interesting humans with natural curiosity about all things cultural, historical, or scientific — and/or, you love cats!”

How smart is this? When the 6 Degrees of Cats podcast is not producing episodes, Amanda B. still connects with her audience regularly through her Substack. Moreover, she collects additional revenue via paid Substack subscriptions.

Captain Kitty AKA Amanda B. meows: “Because you are also smart and caring, and wish to see 6 Degrees of Cats grow and continue sharing the wacky, incredible fun facts about feline AND humankind, you naturally want to subscribe to get full access to the newsletter and website”

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I’ve just glazed the ice in a journalistic Zamboni machine. More to come with future articles about terrific podcasting Substacks. Don’t forget about Ear Worthy, where our premise is simple: You’ll read reviews of the best indie podcasts you probably never heard of. In fact, we have a chain-link fence around our Substack.

It reads NO TRESPASSING if you want to read about the latest celebrity podcasts and their discussions of self-care, true-crime podcasts from the major networks where the first words uttered are, “Jane Doe has been missing for seven years,” and comedy podcasts with an assortment of “bros” who are aggrieved because they can’t make fun of the horrific fame in Gaza.

Think of us as journalistic graffiti artists, spray painting the words, “Indie Podcasts Rule” all over the internet. Suck it, Amazon, for laying off those 100+ people from Wondery. Jeff Bezos has a $50 million wedding, and 100 people have to hit the unemployment line. Bezos could have at least sold a few wedding gifts — like gravy boats or fondue forks — on Amazon to keep those people employed.