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Newsletter Tiers

Understand how we tier newsletters based on subscriber count, engagement, and category. Each tier unlocks different monetization potential.

Letter Ranks

Like video game ranks, your newsletter earns a letter grade based on how it stacks up. S-Rank is legendary. Where do you land?

Legendary

Top 1%

Top 1% — Elite newsletter with exceptional value

$15.6M

/month

Outstanding

Top 5%

Top 5% — Highly valuable and well-established

$7M

/month

Great

Top 15%

Top 15% — Strong performer with solid monetization

$2.6M

/month

Good

Top 35%

Top 35% — Above average with room to grow

$1.1M

/month

Average

Top 60%

Top 60% — Typical newsletter performance

$405K

/month

Starting Out

Top 100%

Building audience — Focus on growth

Below

$405K

/month

Subscriber Tiers

Your tier reflects your newsletter's subscriber count. Each tier unlocks different valuation potential and sponsorship opportunities.

1

Rising Star

0 - 10K subscribers

Every Morning Brew started here

2

Growth Engine

10K - 25K subscribers

Building real momentum

3

Breakout Creator

25K - 50K subscribers

Outpacing 80% of newsletters

4

Established Voice

50K - 100K subscribers

A real media business

5

Top Performer

100K - 250K subscribers

Competing with publications

6

Elite Publisher

250K - 500K subscribers

Top 30% of all newsletters

7

Industry Leader

500K - 1M subscribers

Media company territory

8

Media Empire

1M+ subscribers

The top of the game

Value Milestones

What your monthly newsletter value translates to in real-world terms. Hit these milestones to unlock serious monetization potential.

A senior dev salary
$10K+/mo
A full-time income
$5K+/mo
A part-time salary
$2.5K+/mo
Rent in many cities
$1K+/mo
A car payment
$500+/mo

Category Premiums

Different newsletter categories command different rates per subscriber. Finance and tech newsletters typically attract higher-paying sponsors due to audience purchasing power.

Finance
$4.00/sub

Investment, personal finance, markets

Business
$3.25/sub

Strategy, leadership, entrepreneurship

Tech
$3.00/sub

Software, startups, AI/ML

Crypto
$2.75/sub

Web3, DeFi, blockchain

Marketing
$2.75/sub

Growth, advertising, branding

Other
$1.75/sub

Niche topics, general interest

Lifestyle
$1.00/sub

Health, travel, food, culture

Engagement Multipliers

Your open rate directly impacts your newsletter's value. Higher engagement means better ad performance and higher sponsor rates.

Excellent≥50%

Elite engagement—top-tier sponsors actively seek you out

1.5×
Good≥40%

Above average—qualifies for premium sponsorship rates

1.2×
Average≥30%

Industry standard—baseline sponsorship rates

1×
Below Average<30% or unknown

Below industry average or unknown—reduced rates apply

0.8×

How it works

Your base value (subscribers × category rate) is multiplied by your engagement tier. A 50%+ open rate can boost your value by 50%, while low engagement reduces it by 20%.

The average newsletter open rate is 21.5%, but top creators hit 50%+.

Random newsletter fact • Refresh for another

Find Your Tier

Use our free calculator to discover your newsletter's tier and estimated value.