How do I switch from Substack to a self-hosted blog while keeping my email list?
Export your Substack subscribers as a CSV, plug the list into a dedicated email service, and point your domain at VeloCMS — no audience lost.
To switch from Substack to a self-hosted VeloCMS blog without losing your subscribers, you just need to export your audience as a CSV file from the Substack dashboard and import it directly into your new email marketing provider. Then, connect your custom domain to your fresh VeloCMS setup so your readers never miss a beat.
Why leave Substack for a self-hosted setup anyway?
You might be wondering why you should even bother moving away from a platform that basically runs itself. Substack is incredibly easy, sure, but that convenience comes with an agonizingly high price tag once you start monetizing. Moving to a self-hosted setup puts you entirely in the driver's seat. Because VeloCMS is built on Next.js and PocketBase, it leaves sluggish, archaic platforms like WordPress completely in the dust. You get something wildly fast, locked down securely, and lightyears cheaper to maintain over the long haul. Ultimately, you own your content, your custom code, and your entire audience without surrendering a hefty cut of your own subscription revenue.
How do I actually get my subscribers out of Substack?
Grabbing your hard-earned email list is actually the easiest part of this whole ordeal. Substack doesn't hold your audience hostage (thankfully!), so you can pack up your list and walk away whenever you want. Just head into your Substack dashboard, navigate over to the Subscribers tab, and scroll all the way down until you spot the export link. Hit that, and you'll get a neat little CSV file containing every single email address. My absolute biggest piece of advice here is to do this right before you send your first self-hosted newsletter. Wait until the very last second. Doing it that way ensures you capture any late-night signups who trickled in while you were busy building the new site.
What do I do with my email list once I move?
Since VeloCMS is a modern, AI-first content management system focused heavily on lightning-fast blogging, it leaves the actual email delivery up to the dedicated pros. You'll need to choose an external email service provider — think platforms like MailerLite, ConvertKit, or SendGrid — and simply upload that CSV file you just downloaded. Once your list is safely housed in its new home, you can easily embed their subscription forms right into your VeloCMS pages. The beauty of relying on a modern Next.js tech stack is how flawlessly these different pieces talk to each other without bogging down your page load times. Your readers just type in their email, hit subscribe, and the new provider handles the heavy lifting behind the scenes.
How do I migrate my old posts without breaking my SEO?
Nobody wants to abandon years of hard work, and you definitely shouldn't have to start your archive from scratch. Substack lets you export your posts just like your email list, wrapping them up in a simple archive file. From there, you can pull that written content right into your fresh VeloCMS database. Because VeloCMS leans on PocketBase as its backend, managing that newly imported data feels incredibly snappy compared to older legacy software. If you were already using a custom domain on Substack, you just need to update your DNS records to point to your new self-hosted server so Google doesn't lose track of your links. If you were stuck on a standard Substack subdomain, you'll unfortunately have to bite the bullet and share your shiny new URL directly with your subscribers so they know exactly where you set up camp.
Making the leap to self-hosting feels a bit daunting at first glance, but the creative freedom you get in return is entirely worth a weekend project. You get to shake off those exorbitant platform fees, speed up your site drastically, and finally experience an AI-powered workspace that actually works the way you think. Grab that CSV file, fire up your new server, and just start writing. Your audience is going to love the new digs.