The Surging Popularity of Substack in the UK
Substack’s Growth Metrics
In just the past year, the time spent engaging with Substack writers and publications in the UK has soared by nearly 300%. According to recent data from Ipsos Iris, July 2025 saw 45.8 million minutes dedicated to Substack content, an impressive 286% increase compared to July 2024. However, this figure reflects a slight drop of 5% compared to June of the same year.
Audience Engagement and Ranking
Substack occupied the 24th position among the 50 largest news websites in the UK, based on total minutes spent. Each visitor averaged about 15 minutes engaging with Substack content, placing it 12th in a ranking by this engagement metric, just behind The Sun, whose readers spent an average of 16 minutes.
Audience Growth Snapshot
In terms of total audience, Substack secured 48th place, marking its return to the top 50 list in July. With a user base of 3.1 million, this represents a 3% rise from the previous month and a staggering 43% increase year-on-year. This growth positioned Substack nearly on par with new entrants like Kent Online (3.1 million, up 8% month-on-month) and the Irish Mirror (3 million, up 26% year-on-year).
Comparative Growth Across News Websites
The Ipsos Iris data highlighted that 30 out of the top 50 news websites experienced growth in minutes spent engaging with their content during July. Among these, 22 sites saw a year-on-year increase, showcasing a vibrant digital landscape.
Key Competitors and Their Performance
Within the top ten sites ranked by audience, Daily Express exhibited the most significant growth of 16% year-on-year—however, it did experience a 3% drop compared to June. Sky News claimed the largest monthly increase within the top ten, climbing 9% to 21.4 million users, although it saw a 6% decline compared to the previous year.
Despite its audience boost, Sky News witnessed a notable decline in total minutes spent with its content—down 13% month-on-month and 28% year-on-year to 546.3 million. This shift allowed Channel 4 to overtake it, moving into seventh place with 620.6 million minutes, benefiting from a solid growth rate.
Monthly Audience Dynamics and Milestones
Among the entire top 50 news websites, the Irish Mirror experienced the most substantial month-on-month audience growth, followed closely by the Daily Star, up 24% to 7.9 million, and Cosmopolitan, up 22% to 3.9 million. This competitive environment emphasizes the ongoing shift in audience preferences and the dynamism of online news consumption.
Year-on-Year Metrics
On a year-to-year basis, regional sites owned by Reach continued to dominate audience growth, with notable performances from Devon Live (up 152% to 5.2 million) and Examiner Live (up 105% to 6.6 million). Substack’s growth places it impressively within this competitive framework, landing in seventh place for year-on-year growth metrics among the top sites.
What the Future Holds
The Ipsos Iris data, which tracks unduplicated counts of individuals accessing brand websites and apps, indicates that the online news landscape will continue evolving. Brands like the BBC, ITV, and Channel 4, which feature strong entertainment offerings alongside news, naturally attract higher reach metrics.
Methodology behind the Metrics
To generate these insights, Ipsos Iris employs a representative panel of 10,000 individuals over the age of 15, designed to mirror the national population. This data is then complemented by metrics from participating websites that have tagged their content for tracking, ensuring a comprehensive snapshot of online engagement.
Trends in June and Earlier Months
In June 2025, The Guardian regained the title of the largest commercial news brand in the UK by audience size, despite experiencing a minimal decline of 0.2%. Conversely, other brands like The Daily Express showed exceptional growth compared to both the previous month and last year.
In previous months leading up to July, Substack had begun to stake its claim within the UK’s digital news ecosystem, showcasing significant year-on-year growth and appealing to diverse readership needs.
Conclusion
The evolving landscape of online news and its consumption is fascinating, with platforms like Substack playing a pivotal role. As audience dynamics shift, the continued competition among various news outlets, traditional and digital, presents an intriguing picture of the future of journalism. With figures highlighting remarkable growth across multiple platforms, the next phase lies in engaging and retaining these audiences as preferences continue to evolve.