What's The Best Time To Post On Substack?
Spoiler: It's not when you think…
My Research Rabbit Hole
Every weekday, I publish at 7 am on Substack and again at 7:10 pm on Medium — the same article, written and scheduled the night before.
Mondays go live on Friday evenings, too.
But is that really optimal? I wondered: what does the data say about timing Substack posts?
What the Numbers Say
On Substack’s own blog, regular commenters note that early morning or late evening tend to be the sweet spots for engagement — when readers are most receptive either at the start or end of their day.
A deep dive by ObergXData (April 2025) analysed Substack posts and found 02:00–05:00 UTC get the highest like rate — followed by 07:00, 09:00, 11:00 and 22:00 UTC.
That maps to early evening in the US, European early morning, and US late afternoon/evening.
Best days? Saturday, Sunday and Monday — with evening and early morning combos doing especially well.
But experts caution: if you’re publishing evergreen content, consistency matters more than timing.
Where My Schedule Lands
My current routine:
PlatformTime (Local UK, BST)UTC equivalentFormatSubstack7 am06:00 UTCEarly morning weekdayMedium7:10 pm18:10 UTCEvening repeat
7 am BST (06 UTC) hits that 07–11 UTC window — so we’re in the ballpark.
7:10 pm BST (18:10 UTC) is outside the sweet spot, but still caters to evening readers.
Why Consistency Still Wins
Those engagement windows matter — but your readers value rhythm.
I serve two timeframes: morning for UK/EU readers, evening for US check-ins.
And because I schedule everything the night before, I can stick to this cadence without stress.
When You Should Hit Publish
Based on the data, shoot for 06–11 UTC (early morning UK/EU) or 22 UTC (evening North America).
Use your local time + UTC converter to match that window.
Above all? Make it a habit. Readers notice when you show up the same time, every time.
Three Things to Try This Week
Align your publish time with one of the high-performing UTC windows.
Schedule your post ahead — even 12–24 hours in advance makes a difference.
Watch your metrics. Test, adjust, and lock in your rhythm.
In Summary
A great Substack post at a good time beats a mediocre one at “perfect” time.
That said, aim for those UTC windows: early morning Europe, evening North America. And whatever you choose, make it consistent.
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