10 Niches That Could Make You $100K a Year on Substack (And How to Do It)
You don’t need millions of readers to make six figures. Here are 10 profitable niches and the exact steps to get there.
You don’t need millions of readers to make six figures. You don’t even need to “go viral.”
When I was 12, I won an essay contest at Beaver Creek School in Rimrock, Arizona. It was through the Kiwanis Club, called the Citizenship Award. I was competing against older kids (7th and 8th graders) and I beat them, too. The prize was a brand-new bike, which for a sixth grader in the 1990s was basically the Pulitzer. I wrote that essay in WordPerfect on a Macintosh Quadra, no AI in sight.
That experience taught me something early: good writing doesn’t have to reach everyone, it just has to connect with the right people. That’s true in contests, in journalism, and now on Substack.
Here’s the real math today:
$10/month subscription × 833 subscribers = $100K a year
$5/month subscription × 1,667 subscribers = $100K a year
That’s not “millions of views.” That’s not “fame.” That’s a few hundred die-hard readers willing to pay for real value.
The secret? Pick a niche and serve the hell out of it.
Here are 10 niches where that’s possible plus the steps to actually make it happen.
Here are 10 niches where that’s possible plus the steps to actually make it happen.
1. 💸 Personal Finance for [Specific Group]
Here’s the thing: nobody is paying for generic money advice. “Cut back on iced coffee with soft top and invest in index funds”? Please. That’s one Google search away. But if you niche it down “Money tips for LGBTQ+ freelancers” or “Investing for single moms,” now you’ve got something that feels tailored, specific, and worth pulling out the credit card for.
People pay when they believe your advice applies directly to their life. And finance converts higher than almost anything else because the ROI is obvious. If you help someone save $5K in taxes, they’ll happily pay you $10/month forever.
Steps to start:
Select an underserved group (freelancers, LGBTQ+ folks, teachers, single parents).
Write tactical posts with numbers (“How I Saved $3,482 On Taxes Last Year As A Freelancer”).
Share case studies and walk readers through real money wins.
Create a digital product (budget spreadsheet, tax prep checklist).
Host seasonal workshops (“Year-End Tax Moves You Need To Make”).
2. 🏋️ Health & Fitness Simplified
Most people are overwhelmed by the endless noise in fitness. One influencer says eat carnivore, another swears by veganism. YouTube has a two-hour breakdown on proper squat mechanics, and TikTok is pushing “hacks” every other day. People don’t want more confusion. They want clear, simple routines they can actually stick to: “The 15-Minute Strength Workout For Desk Workers.”
Fitness is one of those niches where less is more. If you can package workouts into simple, doable frameworks that fit into busy lives, people will pay to cut through the bullshit. The real win? Retention. Fitness is a long-term game. Subscribers stay because they want accountability and results.
Steps to start:
Choose a segment (women 40+, busy dads, desk workers).
Write frameworks like: “The 3-Part Meal-Prep Plan That Saves 10 Hours A Week.”
Share posts that show quick wins, not theory.
Create a premium tier with video libraries, 30-day challenges, or coaching.
Build accountability groups where people check in weekly.
3. 🤖 AI & Tech for Non-Techies
AI is the buzzword of the decade, but let’s be real: most people are still staring at ChatGPT going, “Cool… now what?” They don’t want another think piece about how AI is “changing the future.” They want someone to hold their hand and show them exactly how it saves time and money today.
That’s where you come in. By breaking down AI into plain English, you become the trusted filter. Teachers, small business owners, and lawyers don’t care about model parameters. They care about how to get their lesson plans done in half the time or how to draft contracts faster. If you can make AI practical, your growth will be explosive.
Steps to start:
Select a group (teachers, small business owners, freelancers, lawyers).
Write posts like: “How I Saved 10 Hours Last Week With ChatGPT.”
Package prompts into downloadable toolkits or PDFs.
Run live workshops like “AI For People Who Hate Tech.”
Bundle templates into a premium upsell.
4. 💼 Career Growth & Workplace Power Moves
Nobody wants another vague “work hard and network” pep talk. People pay for career advice when it gets them raises, promotions, and better jobs. ROI doesn’t get more obvious than that.
The edge in this niche is specificity. Tell readers what to say, what to write, and how to play the game. Scripts are gold. Insider strategies are priceless. If you can show someone how to land a $10K raise or negotiate their way into a new role, your newsletter isn’t just worth $10/month, it’s a steal.
Steps to start:
Commit to a goal: breaking into tech, climbing the ladder, negotiating raises.
Share exact scripts: “Say This In Your Next Performance Review.”
Create templates (resumes, cover letters, negotiation emails).
Offer premium tiers with resume reviews or interview prep.
Run monthly Q&As for paid subscribers.
5. 👨👩👧 Parenting With A Twist
Parenting advice is everywhere, but so much of it feels outdated, judgmental, or completely disconnected from reality. Parents don’t want theory. Parents want sanity-saving solutions they can use tonight.
If you can be the voice that’s relatable, modern, and practical, you’ll build a die-hard community of parents. Think about a Substack called Parenting Without Losing Yourself or Bedtime Routines That Don’t Suck. That’s the vibe. Parents want advice that feels human and actually helps.
Steps to start:
Identify a topic: toddler tantrums, parenting teens, co-parenting after divorce.
Share real solutions, not lofty theory.
Create digital guides like “The 7-Day Bedtime Reset.”
Host subscriber-only workshops and Q&As.
Build a community where parents swap tips and vent.
6. 🧠 Mental Health & Personal Growth
The self-help market is massive, but people are sick of sterile advice. What they want is honesty, vulnerability, and practical tools they can apply without overhauling their lives. Burnout, anxiety, and overwhelm are everywhere but if you can help people feel seen and offer relief, they’ll pay for it.
This niche thrives on your humanity. If you can say, “Here’s where I fucked up, here’s what I learned, and here’s a tool that helped me,” you’ll build an audience that sticks around for the long haul.
Steps to start:
Find your angle: burnout recovery, mindfulness for skeptics, habit-building.
Share raw stories: “What I Learned After Burning Out Twice.”
Record short meditations or grounding practices.
Create accountability groups or live coaching calls.
Send weekly “tiny practices” people can try immediately.
7. ❤️🔥 Sex, Dating & Relationships
People are messy as hell when it comes to love and sex. They’ll pay for advice that gives them clarity, confidence, or just makes them feel less alone. And unlike social media, Substack doesn’t censor you for being bold.
The trick here is to be raw and unfiltered. Share what people are too embarrassed to Google. Write the stories you’d never put on Instagram. The edgier and more honest you are, the faster you’ll build trust and paying subs.
Steps to start:
Pick a lane: queer dating, sex ed, polyamory, divorce recovery.
Share unfiltered advice and stories.
Offer subscriber-only Q&As, coaching, or small groups.
Create guides like “The Post-Divorce Dating Playbook.”
Build a private community where people can ask anything.
8. 🎯 Hobbies That People Love
Hobbies are gold because hobbyists don’t dabble. They obsess. Golfers, photographers, birdwatchers, chess nerds … they’ll spend stupid money to get better at what they love. If you can teach them something, review gear, or share strategies, they’ll pay for it.
And the beauty is retention. New gear, new techniques, new strategies, there’s always more to cover. These people stick around.
Steps to start:
Select a hobby with obsessive spenders (golf, chess, photography).
Share posts like: “The $100 Lens Every Photographer Swears By.”
Do brutally honest gear reviews.
Create paid workshops or events.
Offer premium coaching or insider strategy sessions.
9. 🗳️ Politics & Culture (Through a Unique Lens)
Nobody needs more political noise. What people want is clarity from a voice they trust and the hook is always your lens. Local politics simplified. Gen Z culture explained. LGBTQ+ issues broken down without the bullshit.
Subscribers don’t just pay for analysis. They pay to align with a worldview and a voice they believe in. If you can provide sharp, clear takes and community, you’ll build an audience that sticks.
Steps to start:
Pick your lens (local politics, culture, identity-driven POV).
Write explainers like “WTF Just Happened In Congress (Explained In 5 Minutes).”
Build subscriber-only forums or AMAs.
Run private town halls for paid members.
Organize online or in-person meetups.
10. 🔑 Industry Insider Secrets
Everybody loves the behind-the-scenes scoop. Whether it’s Hollywood, real estate, medicine, or startups, people will pay to know “what it’s really like.” That curiosity, paired with access, makes this one of the most profitable niches out there.
If you’ve got insider knowledge or experience, you can package it into stories, reports, and advice people can’t find anywhere else. That sense of exclusivity is what makes readers stick (and pay premium prices).
Steps to start:
Choose an industry you know well.
Share stories like “What Nobody Tells You About Selling A Startup.”
Publish anonymous case studies or insider breakdowns.
Offer premium reports or subscriber-only scoops.
Add consulting or mastermind groups for high-tier subs.
The Real Secret to Substack Success
Making $100K on Substack isn’t about chasing millions of readers. It’s about picking a profitable niche, obsessively serving that audience, and layering smart monetization on top.
You don’t need everyone. You need the right 1,000 people.
And if you want to fast-track the process? That’s exactly why I built Substack Bestseller Academy. Inside, you’ll get the systems, templates, and strategies to:
Grow your list faster
Convert free readers into paying subscribers
Stack revenue streams until $100K (and beyond) becomes inevitable
This article gives you the ideas. The Substack Bestseller Academy gives you the blueprint to make it happen.
