Estimate what your newsletter can earn. Enter your list size, paid conversion rate and prices, platform and card fees, plus sponsor CPM and open rate, to see monthly and annual income and a 12-month projection with list growth.
Last updated:
Audience
%
Net of unsubscribes; used for the 12-month projection
Paid subscriptions
%
Share of all subscribers who pay
$
$
%
%
Revenue share your newsletter platform keeps (0 if you pay a flat plan)
%
$
Sponsorships
%
$
%
Enter your values to see the result.
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How to use the Newsletter Revenue Calculator
Enter your subscriber count and expected net list growth per month.
Set up paid subscriptions: conversion rate, monthly and annual prices, annual share and fees.
Add sponsorships: issues per month, open rate, CPM, slots per issue and how many sell.
Press Calculate revenue to see net monthly and annual income.
Check the 12-month table to see how growth changes your income, and download it as CSV.
Newsletter revenue formulas
Paid subscribers = total subscribers × paid conversion rate
Example: 10,000 subscribers at a 45% open rate give 4,500 opens. At a $30 CPM one sponsor slot is worth $135 per issue, or $405 a month across four issues if three out of four slots sell.
Monthly gross subscription revenue by list size
At $8 per month, before fees.
Subscribers
2% paid
5% paid
10% paid
1,000
$160
$400
$800
5,000
$800
$2,000
$4,000
10,000
$1,600
$4,000
$8,000
50,000
$8,000
$20,000
$40,000
Tips to grow newsletter income
Offer an annual plan at a modest discount; it improves cash flow and cuts per-charge fees.
Keep the list clean. Removing inactive readers lowers send costs and raises open rate, which sponsors pay for.
Build a media kit with audience profile, open and click rates, and past sponsor results.
Mix revenue streams: sponsorships, paid tiers, affiliate links and digital products balance each other out.
Frequently asked questions
How much money can a newsletter make?
It depends on list size, how many readers pay and what sponsors pay. As an example, 10,000 subscribers with 5% paying $8 a month earns about $4,000 gross per month from subscriptions, before platform and card fees. Sponsorships add opens ÷ 1,000 × CPM for every slot you sell.
What is a typical paid conversion rate for newsletters?
Free-to-paid conversion for newsletters is often quoted in the low single digits, roughly 1% to 10% of the list, with niche professional newsletters at the higher end. Use your own numbers once you launch; a tight niche and clearly valuable paid content tend to convert better.
How are newsletter sponsorships priced?
Most are priced on a CPM, the cost per 1,000 opens or per 1,000 subscribers, or as a flat fee per placement. Price per slot = opens ÷ 1,000 × CPM. Primary placements at the top usually cost more than classified or secondary slots.
What fees do newsletter platforms charge?
Some platforms take a revenue share of paid subscriptions (often around 10%), others charge a flat monthly plan, and the payment processor adds a card fee such as 2.9% + 30¢ per charge. Enter 0% platform fee if you pay a flat plan and subtract that plan cost yourself.
Why does the annual plan share matter?
Annual plans are usually discounted, so they bring in less per month, but they are charged once a year, which reduces per-charge processing fees and usually lowers churn. The calculator spreads annual payments evenly across 12 months.
Does the projection include churn?
Use the list growth rate as net growth after unsubscribes. Paid churn is not modeled separately; the paid conversion rate is applied to the projected list each month, which assumes the paid share stays constant as you grow.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.