A laptop, a cup of coffee, and a notepad with handwritten notes on a wooden desk

Fund Your Newsletter, Straight From Your Readers

Plenty of readers will chip in to keep a good newsletter going; far fewer want another monthly subscription. PayIt2 gives you one link for a one-time funding push, a specific project, or a paid reader meetup, without switching platforms or gating your writing.

Start a Reader Fundraiser
Stripe-secured • No monthly fees • Funds in 2-3 days

How to Get Paid for a Newsletter Without Paid Subscriptions

The default advice for monetizing a newsletter is to turn on paid subscriptions. That works for some writers, but it comes with real tradeoffs: Substack takes about 10% of every paid subscription plus payment processing for as long as the subscription lasts, and paywalling your best work can slow the audience growth that makes the newsletter valuable in the first place. Many writers on free tools like Beehiiv or Ghost simply never turn paid on.

A direct collection link is the lighter-weight option. You keep the newsletter free, and once or twice a year you ask readers to fund what you are actually doing: a season of reporting, a redesign, conference travel, or just "keep this thing running." Readers pay once, from any device, with no account and no new subscription to manage.

There are two ways to do it, depending on what you are raising for:

Run a Reader Fundraiser (any amount)

For a funding push, a reporting project, or an annual "support the newsletter" drive. Readers give any amount and the fee is 3.85% per donation plus Stripe processing, with no ongoing platform cut.

Sell Tickets to a Reader Event (set amount)

For a subscriber meetup, a workshop, or a live Q&A. You set the price and the fee is a flat $1.49 per ticket plus Stripe processing, so more of each ticket stays with you.

Where subscriptions still make sense

If you want recurring monthly revenue with gated posts and member-only threads, a subscription platform is purpose-built for that and worth its fee. The two approaches also stack: plenty of writers keep a free list and run an annual PayIt2 funding drive, exactly the way public radio does pledge drives. Contributions to a personal fundraiser are generally not tax-deductible unless you are raising for a qualified nonprofit. Check the current rates on the fees page before you launch.

Why PayIt2 for Newsletter Writers

Keep More of Every Dollar

A paid-subscription platform takes about 10% plus processing from every pledge, every month, forever. A PayIt2 fundraiser is 3.85% per donation, and a reader-event ticket is $1.49 flat, plus Stripe processing.

No Paywall Required

Your writing stays free and your list keeps growing. Readers who want to support you can, without you gating issues or managing member tiers.

One Link in Every Issue

Put the link in your footer, a P.S., or a dedicated funding-drive issue. It works the same on Substack, Beehiiv, Ghost, Mailchimp, or plain email.

How It Works

1

Create Your Page

Choose a fundraiser (any amount) or an event (set ticket price), explain what the money makes possible, and your page is live in minutes.

2

Put the Link in an Issue

Announce the drive in a dedicated issue and keep the link in your footer. Readers pay in seconds, no account needed.

3

Get Paid Fast

Funds deposit to your bank in 2-3 business days. Track contributions and ticket sales from your dashboard.

Frequently asked questions

Getting paid by newsletter readers

Keep the newsletter free and run a direct funding drive instead. Create a PayIt2 fundraiser, put the link in your issues, and readers contribute once with any card from any device. The fee is 3.85% per donation plus Stripe processing, and there is no ongoing platform cut and no paywall. Funds reach your bank in 2 to 3 business days.
They solve different problems. Paid subscriptions suit writers who want predictable monthly revenue and are comfortable gating content, in exchange for roughly 10% plus processing on every pledge. A PayIt2 drive suits goal-based asks: fund a project, cover a year of costs, or sell tickets to a reader event, while your writing stays free. Many writers do both.
Yes. Your PayIt2 page is a regular web link, so it works in any newsletter tool that can include a link, which is all of them. There is no integration to set up and nothing to embed unless you want to.
No. There is no list-size minimum and no application. A newsletter with 300 devoted readers can run a funding drive today, and small engaged lists often out-raise big cold ones.
Yes. Create an event page with a set ticket price and share it with your list. PayIt2 charges a flat $1.49 per ticket plus Stripe processing, and you can see who has registered in real time.
No. Readers pay from any phone or computer with just a card. There is nothing for them to sign up for, which removes the most common reason people mean to give and never do.
Yes. Every payment is processed by Stripe, a PCI Level 1 certified payment processor, and card details are handled by Stripe rather than stored by PayIt2.
Yes. You can absorb the fees yourself, or add them at checkout so readers cover them and you keep the full amount. You choose when you set up the page.

Wondering what you'll actually keep?

Let Your Readers Fund the Next Year

Set up a reader fundraiser or a subscriber event in minutes. No monthly fees, no paywall, no platform cut of every pledge. Funds in your bank in 2-3 business days.

Start a Reader Fundraiser