The Top 137 ‘Covid Contrarian/Freedom’ Substack Newsletters

This document ranks and lists the top 137 Substack newsletters written by “Covid Contrarian” and/or “Freedom” authors. It identifies influential writers who challenge mainstream Covid narratives and other established views.

• The authors classified as Covid Contrarians or Freedom Writers make up a significant part of Substack, which has around 18,000 authors and over 35 million readers.

• An estimated 20 to 25 percent of these authors are categorized as Covid Contrarians or Freedom writers, suggesting there could be about 4,500 such authors overall.

• The list highlights the top 1 to 2 percent within this group, with around 53 authors reportedly earning at least $50,000 annually. The average American income is approximately $62,000.

• It is presumed that if around 4 percent of authors have paid subscriptions, then writers with at least 25,000 subscribers likely have about 1,000 paying subscribers, enough to earn approximately $50,000/year.

• More than 99 percent of Covid Contrarian authors on Substack do not rely on the platform as their primary income source. Less than 1 percent earn incomes that approach or exceed the national average or a typical journalist's salary in mainstream media.

• Many authors may be motivated by the desire to contribute meaningfully to important discussions rather than financial gain. It is unlikely that prominent authors on this list would be hired by mainstream news organizations.

• The growth of these authors’ subscriber numbers over time is not analyzed in detail, though there are concerns about potential declines in growth.

• Author rankings are based on total subscribers, with a note that omissions in the list are unintentional. Readers can notify the author via email if they believe other authors should be included.

• Various Substack leaderboards categorize top content creators, and the most relevant for this project is the “health-politics” category.

• Notable writers, like Matt Taibbi, have expanded their focus beyond Covid, addressing broader issues of authoritarianism.

• The popularity of liberal authors on Substack is attributed to fewer alternative platforms, leading to larger subscriber counts compared to Covid Contrarian writers, who have more choices available.

• The document concludes with the author's personal ranking at No. 92, placing them in the 98th percentile of the Covid Contrarian author cohort, expressing appreciation for being among talented writers who provide essential content not covered by mainstream media.

This summary presents an analysis of influential authors on Substack who challenge mainstream narratives, emphasizing the diversity of content and motivations behind their writing, alongside the economic realities they face. 

https://brownstone.org/articles/the-top-137-covid-contrarian-freedom-substack-newsletters/