Substack, a newsletter and content publishing platform, is stepping deeper into video and audio production territory with the launch of its built-in recording studio. The move signals a broader push by the platform to become a full creator ecosystem, keeping creators and their audiences entirely within its walls, which takes direct aim at audio and video recording platforms like Riverside and Spotify (SPOT).
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Substack Folds Creator’s Workflow Into One Tool
Substack’s new recording studio automatically generates clips, thumbnails, and branded watermarks after each session, tasks that previously required live streams or external tools stitched together outside the platform. It is a desktop-only feature that supports solo recordings or conversations with up to two guests, including screen sharing.
The studio integrates with Substack’s existing video ecosystem, including livestreaming and its TV app’s recommendation rows launched in Jan. 2026, connecting recording directly to distribution. That pipeline challenges Riverside, which creators previously paired with Substack for remote recording and AI clip generation. For Spotify’s podcasting arm, creators still rely on a separate paid Riverside subscription for professional recording, a cost that Substack’s natively integrated studio removes.
Substack’s Studio Reinforces Full Media Platform Play
The new recording studio is the latest addition to Substack’s expanding infrastructure. Predominantly known as a newsletter platform, Substack introduced video uploads in 2022, then launched a $20 million Creator Accelerator Fund in Jan. 2025 to help creators migrate from rival platforms. The following month, it added livestreaming and native video monetization.
In its recording studio launch post, Substack noted that creators active on its audio or video features over the past 90 days grew their revenue 50% faster than those who haven’t been. That data point reinforces the platform’s trajectory, from newsletter tool to an integrated media platform where creators can record, distribute, and monetize without touching a third-party tool.
Is Spotify Stock a Strong Buy?
Unlike Riverside and Substack, which are both private companies, Spotify is publicly traded. According to TipRanks forecast data, SPOT currently holds a ‘Strong Buy’ consensus rating based on 26 Wall Street analyst ratings, with an average price target of $659.32, representing a 21% upside from its recent price levels.
