You can move your Substack archive to WordPress by exporting Substack’s publication ZIP and importing it with the workflow for your destination. Subscribers are a separate migration: WordPress.com documents a subscriber-import process, but the WordPress.org Substack Importer currently lists content—not mailing-list import—as a feature. Keep Substack active while you check the imported posts and media.
Choose your WordPress destination first
There are two different routes. WordPress.com’s Substack content guide accepts a Substack export ZIP, and WordPress.com also documents a separate subscriber import. For a self-hosted WordPress site, the WordPress.org Substack Importer uses the Substack export for content; its published feature list does not include mailing-list import.
| Destination | Content migration | Subscriber migration | What to plan for |
|---|---|---|---|
| WordPress.com | Its Substack guide covers posts, images, and podcasts. | WordPress.com documents a separate Substack subscriber CSV import. | Paid-subscriber setup prompts you to configure Stripe. The guide does not establish that billing credentials, renewals, or entitlements transfer unchanged. |
| Self-hosted WordPress | The WordPress.org Substack Importer lists posts and images, podcasts, publicly accessible comments, and author information. | Mailing-list import is listed as a planned future improvement, not a current feature. | Handle subscribers separately; you will also manage the WordPress installation and its hosting. |
WordPress.com is a hosted WordPress option; self-hosting is not required for every WordPress migration. Pick the destination before exporting so you know which import steps and subscriber tools apply.
Export your Substack publication and subscriber list
Download the publication ZIP
- In your Substack publication dashboard, open Settings, then Exports.
- Create a new export and download the ZIP when it is ready. Substack says the archive contains publication data, including posts, subscriber list, and related statistics. The export page states, “Anything you publish on Substack is yours to own.”
See Substack’s export instructions.
Export a subscriber CSV when your destination needs it
- Open the Subscribers page in Substack.
- Use the All subscribers export control. Choose to export all columns or only the columns currently visible, then download the CSV.
Substack’s subscriber-export help says names cannot currently be exported as names in that file. If you need subscriber records in WordPress.com, use its separate subscriber import guide rather than assuming the content importer will handle them. Substack’s steps are documented in its email-list export help.
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Import to WordPress.com
Follow the WordPress.com content-import guide and provide the Substack ZIP when prompted. Its documented workflow covers posts, images, and podcasts. Import subscribers separately using the CSV and WordPress.com’s subscriber instructions. If you have paid subscribers, the documented flow prompts you to set up Stripe; do not assume that a billing relationship or paid access will carry over unchanged.
Import to self-hosted WordPress
Install and run the Substack Importer from the WordPress.org plugin directory, following its current instructions and providing the Substack export. The plugin lists posts and images, podcasts, publicly accessible comments, and author information among the content it imports. It does not currently list mailing-list migration, so treat the subscriber CSV as a separate task and arrange a suitable subscriber-management path for your site.
The plugin FAQ notes that a large import can encounter timeouts and suggests running the import more than once until all content has imported. That is a possible operational issue, not a guarantee that an import will fail.
Don’t confuse a Substack ZIP with a WordPress export
WordPress’s built-in Tools > Export creates a WordPress eXtended RSS (WXR) XML file for WordPress data. Its documented fields include posts, pages, comments, custom fields, categories, tags, custom taxonomies, and users. Under Tools > Import, WordPress lists importers for RSS and WordPress export files.
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Those native tools are relevant when transferring WordPress-format data. They are not a substitute for the Substack-specific ZIP workflow: do not try to treat the Substack archive as a WXR file. See the WordPress documentation for Tools Export and Tools Import.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Check the migration before you retire Substack
WordPress.com advises keeping the source Substack active until images have transferred. Use a representative check of your archive before making Substack unavailable:
- Compare the imported post list with your Substack archive, including older posts and drafts you intended to move.
- Open representative posts and check images, podcast or other media embeds, formatting, publication dates, and links.
- Check comments and author attribution where those matter to your publication; on self-hosted WordPress, the plugin lists only publicly accessible comments.
- Confirm separately that subscriber records reached the destination and that any paid access or payment setup works as intended.
- Keep the source available until the content and the subscriber arrangements you rely on have been checked.
For a self-hosted import that appears incomplete, the plugin’s suggested retry is to run the import again until all content has imported. This is particularly relevant if the import encounters a timeout.
What the documented migration does—and does not—establish
Substack’s export and the WordPress import options provide a path for moving publication content; WordPress.com also documents subscriber import. The available guidance does not establish a universal migration time or success rate, nor does it promise unchanged paid billing, renewals, or subscriber entitlements. Treat content, mailing-list records, and paid-member access as distinct items to verify.
The help interfaces and plugin features can change. Substack’s post-export help was updated December 12, 2023; its email-list export help was updated June 4, 2026. WordPress.com’s migration guides were last reviewed August 12, 2026. Check the linked instructions and current plugin listing as you migrate.
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