Substack is a popular online platform that gives anyone the freedom to create, publish, and make money from writing newsletters. For the most part, it is used by independent writers, journalists, bloggers, podcasters, and other content creators. On the one hand, you can publish Substacks as a creative or subscribe to either free or paid newsletters as a reader.
There are plenty of must-read Substacks that cover various topics from sports and travel to food and drink and parenting. However, what are the best tech-related Substacks worth reading? Here, we take a look.
1. ByteByteGo Newsletter
ByteByteGo Newsletter is at the top of the leaderboard for tech Substacks and is considered one of the best newsletters worth reading. But why is it so well received?
One of the primary reasons is that it puts complex systems into simple terms so that the average Joe can easily understand. To help you improve your skills, the weekly newsletter deep dives into one particular system design, like ChatGPT and Kubernetes.
Join the over 279,000 subscribers to upgrade your system design skills. If you decide to become a premium member, you can also enjoy an extra weekly newsletter. Additionally, there is a ByteByteGo YouTube channel with quick videos that outline the weekly newsletters.
2. Computer, Enhance!
Also an extremely popular tech Substack, Computer, Enhance! offers a series of impressive programming courses as well as interviews and discussions.
At the moment there is only part one of the course available, Performance-Aware Programming Series. It is divided into various sections with homework tasks and a weekly Q&A session to go over what you've learned.
There is a part two of the course from Computer, Enhance! that you can look forward to if you have a little experience and want to learn more. You can either subscribe yourself, or you can even get a group subscription as a company.
3. Technically
Technology in this day and age is a huge part of everything you do, largely when it comes to working. Chances are that tech is a part of your job or your daily life. However, that doesn't mean you understand it very well.
Technically's newsletter takes common, everyday technology and helps you better understand it. APIs, frontends and backends, and encryption are several of the top topics that Technically has covered.
Technically offers a handful of free posts, but it's best to sign up to receive various company breakdowns, deep dives, and lots more. Overall, Technically is the perfect beginner-friendly tech newsletter. Plus, the content is fascinating, uncomplicated, and won't overwhelm you.
4. The Pragmatic Engineer
The number one top-paid technology Substack with 300,000 subscribers is The Pragmatic Engineer. It's no surprise that this tech newsletter is one of the best, as it is written by Gergely Orosz. Gergely is someone impressive because he once worked at big companies–Skype, Uber, and Microsoft.
To really get everything this awesome newsletter has to offer, it's best to sign up. Otherwise, you'll miss out on the weekly resources and templates, and educational articles.
This Substack's purpose is to target those who are working in tech, including engineering managers, software engineers, and general tech workers. If you're interested in taking an in-depth look into successful tech companies, then you'll also appreciate The Pragmatic Engineer.
5. Platformer
Platformer is a unique Substack because it centers on the joining of technology and democracy and how they relate to each other. The Platformer Substack was created by Casey Newton, a tech journalist who formerly worked as the senior editor at The Verge.
That's why choosing the paid subscription is a no-brainer. If you choose the free plan, you'll only receive one free article per week instead of three weekly articles and access to the exclusive Discord server.
Platformer's posts usually revolve around important daily events and news, along with developments that happen on popular social networks. Some of Platformer's top-rated newsletters cover popular subjects like how ChatGPT works, and all the latest tech news.
6. TheSequence
TheSequence Substack aims to help you and 155,000 other subscribers stay on top of all the current AI, machine learning, and data science news in just a few minutes. Subscribing is affordable and well worth it, specifically if you have a fascination with things like Google Muse and the Claude chatbot.
Keep in mind that if these tech topics don't interest you, it's best to choose another Substack. The free plan isn't an awful option as it still offers free access to TheSequence Scope, Chat, and Guest Post.
These three features include a quick end-of-week newsletter, a machine learning-related interview, and a weekly article about the challenges of machine learning which can help you become a machine learning engineer.
7. Garbage Day
The Substacks on this list are the best way to stay up to date on the latest tech developments and learn more about tech in general. But they don't only have to all address professional, complex tech-related subjects–tech can be fun and lighthearted too!
Garbage Day is a Substack that centers on what makes the internet an enjoyable place instead of a negative place. There are three weekly posts, each written by American journalist, Ryan Broderick.
The posts are normally upbeat and casual with funny videos, memes, TikToks, Reddit posts, Tweets, and lots more. You can subscribe to Garbage Day for free or choose a plan, which will give you access to some awesome bonuses like the Garbage Day Discord.
8. First 1000
Do you want to find out how the biggest tech giants in the world successfully got their first 1000 customers? If so then it's time to sign up for the First 1000 Substack–and it's free! First 1000 looks into some of the most popular tech companies around, such as BeReal, OnlyFans, Reddit, TikTok, and Substack itself.
The best bit about First 1000 is that readers can request deep dives into specific companies. So feel free to ask for a post about a tech company you're curious about if there isn't one already written.
Even though the posts are not particularly consistent, they are incredibly interesting for tech nerds, regular people, and those who merely enjoy good business success stories.
Substacks to Keep You Updated on All the Latest Tech Innovations
Tech is everywhere and keeping up with it can be tricky. Substack makes it a great deal easier by giving tech writers, journalists, and creatives the freedom to publish their work.
Whether you want to know more about artificial intelligence and system design or what makes the internet a fun place, these are the best tech Substacks to subscribe to. And its worth looking into Substack more, as it's a great option for publishing newsletters online.