The short answer: Yes. On Substack, open Settings, then Payments, and click Pause next to "Pause subscription billing". Substack says billing cycles freeze, existing paid subscribers aren't charged and new readers can't buy a paid plan. Pick a date to unpause and billing restarts on its own. Substack doesn't notify your paid subscribers, so send them a short note yourself.
Based on Substack Help and On Substack, checked 3 Nov 2026.
December is when paid writers ask whether to keep charging readers while they're away, or give them those weeks back.
This page covers your three choices, the steps, what readers see, and how to avoid going quiet. It summarizes Substack's own Help, checked 3 Nov 2026.
Your three options for a break
| Leave billing on | Pause subscription billing | Disconnect Stripe | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where | Nothing to change | Settings > Payments | Settings > Danger Zone |
| Existing paid subscribers | Charged as usual | Not charged; billing frozen | Refunded and canceled |
| New paid subscribers | Can join | Can't buy a paid plan | Can't buy a paid plan |
| Readers told by Substack | n/a | No | Yes, by email |
| Apple in-app subscribers | Charged as usual | Still charged (pause doesn't apply) | Substack doesn't say |
| Comes back on its own | n/a | Yes, if you set an unpause date | No |
| Best for | Short breaks, or if you'll still post | A planned break you're returning from | Closing paid for good |
Source: Substack Help, checked 3 Nov 2026.
Pause for a planned break you're coming back from. Leave billing on if you'll still post or readers expect time off. Use Disconnect Stripe only to end paid for good.
How to pause subscription billing on Substack
- Open your publication's Settings.
- Click Payments in the left navigation bar.
- Click "Pause" next to "Pause subscription billing".
Older guides mention a Pause Publication button. On Substack today, the control sits under Payments.
Set an automatic unpause date
After you pause, click "Choose date to unpause", pick a date from the calendar, then select "Pause until [date]". On that date, Substack says payments resume automatically and existing paid subscriptions continue from where they left off.
Unpausing by hand
If you didn't set a date, unpause from the same Payments screen. Substack's Help only covers the pause. Plan to tell readers about both dates yourself.
What happens while billing is paused
Substack Help says that during a pause:
- Billing cycles for your subscribers are frozen.
- Existing paid subscribers aren't charged.
- New readers can't buy a paid subscription.
- There's no time limit.
- When billing restarts, existing paid subscriptions continue from where they left off.
Current Help doesn't cover paid access. When Substack launched the feature in 2020, it said your existing paying subscribers "still have access to your previous paid content", and new readers can still sign up for your free email list.
Apple in-app subscribers keep paying
Substack's iOS Help says "Apple subscriptions cannot be paused. If you pause payments on your publication, this will not apply to subscriptions managed by Apple." Our payouts guide explains how App Store subscriptions pay out. For your break, mention Apple subscribers in your note so nobody is surprised by a charge.
Founding members, gifts, comps and trials
Substack's pause article doesn't single out founding member plans, gift subscriptions, comps or free trials. Help doesn't say how a pause treats them, so ask Substack support if many of your readers are on one.
What your paid subscribers see (and why you should tell them)
Substack Help says: "Your current paid subscribers will not be notified when you pause payments on your publication."
Substack's reader Help notes that publishers sometimes go on vacation, and hopes they told readers beforehand. Here's a note you can copy:
Hi everyone, I'm taking a break from [date] to [date]. I've paused paid billing for that time, so you won't be charged while I'm away, and your subscription picks up where it left off when I'm back on [date]. If you subscribed through the iOS app, Apple handles your billing and the pause doesn't apply to it. Thank you for reading. See you in [month].
If you're leaving billing on, use this shorter version:
Hi everyone, I'm taking a break from [date] to [date] and leaving paid subscriptions on while I rest. Thank you for supporting the time off. I'll be back on [date] with [what's next].
Send it as a scheduled email to paid subscribers only: in Subscribers, filter for paid readers and click "Send email". Substack says these emails don't create an archive post.
Tip: put your return date in the subject line.
Pause vs cancel: what each one does
For you as the writer
Pausing freezes billing. Nobody is refunded or canceled.
Disconnect Stripe, under Settings, then Danger Zone, turns paid off completely. Substack says it will "Refund and notify all your paid subscribers by email", cancel all paid subscriptions and revoke its access to your Stripe account. That's the wrong tool for a holiday.
To end one reader's subscription, use the three dots next to their name in Subscribers and choose "Edit Subscription". Substack says to refund from its dashboard. Refunds made in Stripe still count its 10% fee against your balance.
For your readers
Readers have their own pause. Substack's reader Help says it "stops both charges and paid access for 1, 3, or 6 months", saves their remaining paid time and resumes by itself. A reader can only pause once every 6 months, and in-app iOS subscriptions don't include the option.
When a reader cancels, they keep paid access until the end of the period they paid for. Substack says cancelling doesn't give a refund. Our churn guide covers why readers cancel.
Struggling to stay consistent on Substack?
Batch and queue your Substack Notes in minutes, track which Notes convert subscribers, and grow without burning out.
If you decide to leave billing on
In its 2024 "Out of office" post, Substack described Emma Gannon leaving paid subscriptions on during a two-week break, and reported that not a single subscriber canceled.
One rule to know: Substack's refund policy says it refunds subscribers of a dormant publication. For monthly subscribers, dormant means no posts for at least 1 month from the date of payment. A two-week break doesn't meet that. A month or more with no posts can.
To say thanks, Substack's comp tool can add free time to paid readers. Our monetization guide covers keeping the paid subscribers you convert.
Keep readers warm while you're away
- Scheduled posts. Substack lets you schedule posts up to three months ahead, on the web only. See our guide to Substack's native post scheduler.
- A Live or AMA. Substack's "Out of office" post says a posted Live recording can serve as an out of office message.
- Archive or guest posts. For longer breaks, some writers rerun an archive post or line up guest writers.
- Notes. You can schedule Substack Notes natively in the composer.
- Annual renewals. Substack emails annual subscribers one week before their subscription expires. If renewals land during your break, edit the "Subscription renewal email" in Settings, then Emails.
For the why and when of a break, see our guide to planning a break before burnout.
Tip: schedule your "I'm back" post before you leave.
A holiday break checklist
- Decide whether to pause billing or leave it on.
- Check how many paid subscribers came through the iOS app.
- Schedule your note to paid subscribers.
- Pause billing and set an unpause date.
- Schedule any posts or Notes for the break.
- Edit the annual renewal email if renewals fall in the break.
- Schedule your return post.
- When you're back, check Subscribers for cancellations.
FAQ
Can I pause my Substack paid subscriptions?
Yes. Go to Settings, then Payments, and click Pause next to "Pause subscription billing". Substack says billing freezes and new readers can't buy a paid plan. There's no time limit, and you can set a date for billing to resume automatically.
Do paid subscribers get notified when I pause?
No. Substack Help says your current paid subscribers "will not be notified when you pause payments". Tell them yourself before the break, with your dates and when billing resumes. A scheduled email to paid subscribers only works well.
What happens to annual subscribers when I pause?
Substack says billing cycles freeze and existing paid subscriptions "continue from where they left off" when you unpause. So an annual subscriber's year is on hold during the pause. Help gives no worked example, so ask Substack support.
Can I still publish while payments are paused?
Substack's Help doesn't say. When the feature launched in 2020, Substack said paying subscribers keep access to previous paid content and new readers can still join your free list. Ask Substack support before publishing paid posts while paused.
Should I pause or cancel my paid subscriptions?
Pause for a break you're coming back from. Nothing is refunded or canceled. Disconnecting Stripe in Settings, Danger Zone is for closing paid for good. Substack says it refunds, notifies and cancels every paid subscriber.
Does pausing stop Apple in-app subscriptions?
No. Substack's iOS Help says "Apple subscriptions cannot be paused" and a publication pause "will not apply to subscriptions managed by Apple". Mention it in your note so iOS subscribers aren't surprised.
Do I have to pause for a two-week holiday?
No. Some writers leave billing on and tell readers. Substack's refund policy treats a monthly subscription as dormant only after a month with no posts. A short break with a clear note is fine either way.
How does a reader cancel a paused Substack subscription?
That's the reader's own pause, separate from yours. Readers pause for 1, 3 or 6 months from the Cancel or Pause Subscription page. To cancel, they use the "To cancel your paid subscription" link on the publication's Manage subscription page.
The short version
Pause billing in Settings, then Payments, set an unpause date, and tell paid subscribers yourself. Mention that Apple in-app subscribers keep paying, and save Disconnect Stripe for closing paid for good.
If you plan your Substack Notes ahead, WriteStack lets you queue them and publishes through Sync plus the Chrome extension. More than 100 Substack bestsellers use WriteStack.
Sources
All checked on 3 Nov 2026.
- Substack Help, Can I pause payments on my publication on Substack?
- Substack Help, Can my subscribers pay on the Substack iOS app?
- Substack Help, How do I turn off paid subscriptions on Substack?
- Substack Help, How do I cancel my paid subscription on Substack?
- Substack Help, What is Substack's refund policy?
- Substack Help, How do I cancel a subscription and issue a refund for a paid subscriber?
- Substack Help, How do I make changes to a reader's subscription?
- Substack Help, How do I offer a complimentary subscription?
- Substack Help, How do I schedule an article to publish for a future date?
- Substack Help, How do I send an email to one or a select group of subscribers?
- Substack Help, How can I customize renewal reminder emails?
- Substack Help, I subscribed to a publication, but they haven't published anything in awhile
- Substack, New on Substack: More flexibility for paid subscriptions, 9 April 2020
- Substack, Out of office, 22 May 2024