Newsletter Media Kit and Rate Card Checklist for Advertisers

Cooperpress doesn't stop at one open rate. For JavaScript Weekly, its media kit lists 163,202 subscribers as of August 2026, a 37% net open rate in July 2026 and 52% of subscribers who opened one of the last five issues¹. That second number tells you how much of the list is still reading. Most kits never show it. If you buy newsletter ads direct, you'll often be judging a newsletter with a one-page rate card that leaves out the numbers you need.

This page shows what a newsletter media kit and rate card should include, using three real public examples. You'll get a 10-field checklist, the math to compare kits on the same basis, red flags, and the exact questions to send a writer when the kit is missing.

Facts and prices checked November 11, 2026. See something wrong? Tell us.

Key takeaways

• A newsletter media kit tells an advertiser who reads the newsletter, how many people open it, which ad placements exist, what each costs and what the rules are.
• Substack Creator Kits, launched in June 2026, show a publication description, stats, formats and an About section, and each format carries a minimum spend set by the writer.
• TLDR's public advertiser page lists subscribers and open rate per newsletter, for example 1.6 million subscribers and a 47% open rate for TLDR Tech.
• Snopes priced its 1,009,433-subscriber newsletter at $10,000 per send in late 2026, an effective $9.91 per 1,000 subscribers.
• Litmus reports that over 50% of email opens happen on devices with Apple Mail Privacy Protection, so open rates in a media kit run high and clicks are the safer number to judge.

What a newsletter media kit is for an advertiser

A media kit is the newsletter's sales sheet. It tells a buyer who reads the newsletter, how many people get it, how many open it, what ad placements are for sale, and what they cost. A rate card is the price part of the kit. Some newsletters send both. Many small ones send neither.

For you, the buyer, a media kit does three jobs.

• It screens the fit. Topic, audience and country tell you if these readers could ever buy from you.
• It sets the price. Placements and rates let you work out a cost per 1,000 readers and compare one newsletter to another.
• It sets the rules. Word limits, link counts, approval steps and deadlines tell you what you're actually buying.

A media kit is a seller's document. Dupple, a newsletter publisher that sells sponsorships, says a kit should state the population, date, sample and method behind each audience figure². Most don't. Treat every number in a kit as a claim to check, not a fact. Our guide to vetting a newsletter open rate shows how.

If you've bought podcast ads, the idea is the same as a podcast kit, with different numbers. See our podcast media kit guide for that version.

The 10 fields that matter in a newsletter media kit

Use this checklist on every kit you get. If a field is missing, the right column is what to ask for.

Real kits show how much these fields vary. TLDR caps each issue at 3 advertisers and lists word limits by placement⁴. OpenLampTech lists each ad's contents, like "a two-sentence description and one link" for a classified⁵. Snopes lists copy length, a single call to action and per-send reporting of opens and clicks⁶. A kit that covers all 10 fields saves you a week of back and forth.

Three real newsletter media kits, side by side

Here are three public kits from very different newsletters. One is a large tech publisher, one is a fact-checking site's newsletter, and one is a 1,150-reader niche newsletter on Substack. All the numbers come from the publishers' own pages.

TLDR shows audience, hides price

TLDR's advertiser page is a good example of a large newsletter's kit. It lists 14 newsletters, each with subscribers and open rate. TLDR Tech shows 1.6 million subscribers and a 47% open rate. TLDR AI shows 1.15 million and 47%⁴. It also says 22% of readers are VP level or above. It lists three placements, a cap of 3 advertisers per issue, and published results like Plaid's $382,000 in pipeline⁴. What it doesn't show is a price. TLDR builds a custom proposal from your budget and the newsletters you pick⁴.

Snopes shows everything, including the math

The Snopes partnership brief is close to a complete rate card. It lists 1,009,433 subscribers as of September 29, 2026, a price of $10,000 per send, and an effective CPM of $9.91⁶. It explains its tiers. The price rose from $5,000 per send in May 2026 to $10,000, and adds $1,000 for each extra 100,000 subscribers. Rates lock at signing⁶. It also shows an estimate of about 567,000 opens and 105,000 click-throughs per send, and terms like month to month with 30 days' written notice to exit⁶.

OpenLampTech shows that small kits can be one paragraph

OpenLampTech is a Substack newsletter with 1,150+ readers. Its rate card lists three ads, each with what's included and two prices. A classified is $7, or $20 for four weeks. A top-of-email ad with a logo, three paragraphs and a call to action is $55, or $175 for four weeks⁵. All ads run in the Friday issue, all content needs final approval, and paid content is marked as sponsored⁵. That's a complete, honest kit for a small list. Most small newsletters don't even have this much.

How newsletter rate cards and packages are priced

Newsletter rate cards price ads in one of three ways. Most small and mid-size newsletters charge a flat fee per send. Some quote a CPM, a price per 1,000 subscribers or opens. Ad networks and some large publishers also sell per click. Our guide to CPM, flat fee and CPC deals covers which to sign.

What flat fees look like by size

beehiiv, a newsletter platform, published typical per-placement ranges in 2025. Under 5,000 subscribers, $50 to $250. From 5,000 to 50,000, $500 to $3,000, with most at $1,000 to $1,500. From 50,000 to 100,000, $3,000 to $7,000. Above 100,000, $10,000 or more⁷. Use those as a sanity check, not a price list. For the full benchmark data, see newsletter advertising rates.

How package discounts work

Most rate cards discount a run of issues. Do the math per issue so you know what the package really saves.

• OpenLampTech classified. $7 once or $20 for four weeks⁵. That's $5 per issue, about 29% off.
• OpenLampTech top-of-email ad. $55 once or $175 for four weeks⁵. That's $43.75 per issue, about 20% off.
• OpenLampTech mid-email shout-out. $20 once or $65 for four weeks⁵. That's $16.25 per issue, about 19% off.

Snopes uses a different lever. Instead of a package discount, multi-month deals lock the signed rate against future tier increases⁶. For a fast-growing list, a rate lock can be worth more than a discount.

What a rate card usually leaves out

Prices change. OpenLampTech says so on its card⁵. Morning Brew's insertion order terms say quoted rates are valid for 5 days after you get the order⁸. Always ask for a dated quote before you plan a budget around a rate card.

What Substack Creator Kits show brands

Substack announced its sponsorship program on June 15, 2026, with seven launch partners, including Uber, T-Mobile and Balenciaga⁹. Creator Kits are the media kit inside that program.

What's in a Creator Kit

• Required sections. A publication description, stats, formats and an About section¹⁰.
• Stats the writer picks. Subscriber count, open rate or active readers¹⁰.
• Stats Substack adds. Top countries, top US states and reader interest categories¹⁰.
• Formats and minimum spends. Ten sponsorship formats to choose from, each with a minimum spend the writer sets¹⁰.
• Testimonials. Up to four subscriber notes, picked from a list Substack provides¹⁰.
• A private "Not interested" list. Brand types the writer will turn down, visible only to Substack¹⁰.

Who can see them

Kits aren't public. Subscribers can't see them, and only brands in Substack's program that Substack has matched with a writer can view one¹⁰. Substack's team does that matching by hand, and in October 2026 it described the program as a small test that is "still early"¹⁰. It also offers Kantar brand lift studies for large campaigns¹⁰.

What that means for a direct buyer

If you're not in the program, you won't see a Creator Kit. Writers who are bestsellers still run their own newsletters and can still answer email. Substack's own CEO says "Creators choose who they work with"⁹. So the practical move is the same as for any newsletter. Ask the writer for the numbers a Creator Kit would show. Subscriber count, open rate, top countries and a minimum spend per format make a short, clear list.

When there's no media kit, ask these questions

Many small newsletters have no kit. That's not a red flag on its own. A writer with 3,000 loyal readers may never have been asked. It just means you have to ask, and ask well.

Send these questions in one short email.

1. How many subscribers get each issue today?
2. What's your average unique open rate and click rate over your last 10 issues?
3. How many unique clicks did your last few sponsor links get?
4. Where are most of your readers, by country, and what do they do for work?
5. What ad placements do you offer, and how many words and links can each have?
6. What's the price for one issue and for a run of four?
7. How many sponsors run in the same issue?
8. Which dates are open in the next two months, and when is copy due?

Keep it short and make it easy to answer in a reply. Our newsletter sponsorship email template has a copy-ready version with subject lines and a follow-up.

The hard part isn't the questions. It's finding 20 or 30 newsletters that fit and getting each writer's email. Writers rarely list it on the issue itself, and the ones with no kit have no advertise page either. That's the job a newsletter contact database does.

How to compare newsletter media kits on the same basis

Kits use different numbers, so convert each one to the same units before you compare. Three numbers do most of the work.

Price per 1,000 subscribers

Divide the price by subscribers, then multiply by 1,000. Snopes at $10,000 for 1,009,000 subscribers is $9.91⁶. OpenLampTech's $55 top ad to 1,150 readers is about $47.83 per 1,000⁵. Its $7 classified is about $6.09. Small, niche lists often cost more per reader, and they can still be worth it if the readers are your buyers.

Price per 1,000 opens

Divide the price by expected opens. Snopes estimates about 567,000 opens per send⁶, so $10,000 works out to about $17.64 per 1,000 opens. Treat this as a rough number. Litmus reports that over 50% of email opens happen on devices with Apple Mail Privacy Protection on, which inflates opens³.

Price per click

Clicks are the most honest number in a kit. Snopes estimates about 105,000 click-throughs per send⁶, which would be under 10 cents a click. That estimate covers all clicks in the issue, not just yours, so ask for clicks on past sponsor links. beehiiv's ad network counts only unique clicks and filters out bots, duplicates and instant bounces¹¹. Ask any writer how their click numbers are counted.

A worked example

Say Newsletter A has 20,000 subscribers, a 45% open rate and charges $600. Newsletter B has 8,000 subscribers, a 50% open rate and charges $300. A costs $30 per 1,000 subscribers and about $66.67 per 1,000 opens. B costs $37.50 per 1,000 subscribers and $75 per 1,000 opens. A looks cheaper. But if B's last three sponsors got 200 clicks each and A's got 150, B is $1.50 a click and A is $4. Ask for click history before you decide.

Red flags in a newsletter media kit

A kit is marketing. Most are honest, but watch for these signs.

• Numbers with no date. A subscriber count from two years ago tells you little. Dupple flags figures with no stated source, date or sample as a warning sign².
• Open rate with no time window. Ask which issues the average covers.
• Opens treated as proof the ad was seen. Apple privacy settings can inflate opens³.
• Network totals passed off as one list. A publisher with 10 newsletters may quote its total reach. Ask for the list you're buying. TLDR, for example, shows each of its 14 newsletters separately⁴.
• Total issue clicks passed off as sponsor clicks. Ask for clicks on sponsor links only.
• No limit on sponsors per issue. If six brands share one issue, yours gets less attention. TLDR caps it at 3⁴.
• No sponsored label. The FTC says ads should be clearly labeled, with terms like "Ad" or "Sponsored Advertising Content"¹². A writer who won't label your ad puts your brand at risk too.
• Testimonials with no numbers. "Great results" from a past sponsor is not data. Ask for the result and the date.
• Prices that change on every call. Ask for a dated quote in writing.

None of these means you should walk away. Each one means ask a question before you pay.

Put the media kit's promises in writing

A media kit is not a contract. Estimates in a kit are estimates. Morning Brew's insertion order terms say plainly that "No estimates are guarantees," and they count newsletter impressions as total sends unless the order says otherwise⁸. If a number in the kit matters to your deal, write it into the order.

Carry these items from the kit into your insertion order.

• The newsletter name, send date and placement.
• The word limit, link count and image rules for that placement.
• The price and what it covers, one issue or a run.
• The number of other sponsors in the same issue.
• When copy is due and who approves it.
• The sponsored label the writer will use.
• The report you'll get after the send, and when.
• What happens if the issue doesn't go out on the date.

Our newsletter sponsorship agreement template turns that list into a short insertion order you can send.

Find newsletters and ask for the media kit today

Most of the newsletters worth testing are small, and most small newsletters have no public kit. You get the numbers by asking the writer. Media List gets you to the writer.

• Find newsletters that fit. Search 28,000+ newsletters you can email by category, country and language.
• See who to contact. Each newsletter lists the writer's contact email. Emails unlock from your plan's allowance, no bot checks.
• Save a shortlist. Keep 20 to 30 newsletters for a test in a saved list.
• Send the kit request from built-in campaigns on Professional. Paste the questions above into a campaign and send them to your saved list from your own mailbox.

Media List doesn't list newsletter rates, open rates or subscriber counts, and it has no subscriber filter for newsletters. Writers reply with their own numbers, which is what you want to compare anyway.

Basic at $99 a month covers search, saved lists and a monthly unlock allowance. Built-in email campaigns come with Professional at $399 a month. Start a 3-day trial, $0 today, and cancel anytime. Compare plans on the pricing page.

Questions, answered

What should a newsletter media kit include?

A good kit lists the topic and send schedule, subscriber count, open and click rates with a date range, audience profile, ad placements and specs, prices, sponsors per issue, and terms like copy deadlines and reporting. If any of these is missing, ask the writer before you buy.

What is a newsletter rate card?

A rate card is the price list for a newsletter's ad placements. It shows what each placement costs for one issue and often for a run of issues. OpenLampTech's card, for example, lists a classified at $7 or $20 for four weeks.

What is a Substack Creator Kit?

It's a private media kit Substack bestsellers can build for brands in Substack's sponsorship program, launched in June 2026. It shows a description, chosen stats, Substack-added audience data and ten sponsorship formats with a minimum spend for each. Only brands Substack has matched with the writer can view it.

What do I ask for if a newsletter has no media kit?

Ask for current subscribers, average open and click rates over the last 10 issues, clicks on past sponsor links, reader countries and jobs, placements with word limits, prices for one issue and four, sponsors per issue, and open dates. Put it all in one short email.

How do I compare two newsletter media kits?

Convert each to price per 1,000 subscribers, price per 1,000 opens and, best of all, price per past sponsor click. Clicks are the most reliable number because Apple Mail Privacy Protection inflates opens.

Are open rates in a media kit accurate?

They're often high. Litmus reports that over 50% of email opens happen on devices with Apple Mail Privacy Protection, which counts some opens that never happened. Use clicks on sponsor links as your main check.

Is a media kit a guarantee of results?

No. Kit numbers are estimates. Morning Brew's insertion order terms state that no estimates are guarantees. If a number matters, write it into your insertion order.

Related guides

• Newsletter Advertising Guide for Brands Buying Direct in 2026
• Newsletter Advertising Rates and CPM Benchmarks for 2026
• How Much Does It Cost to Advertise in a Newsletter
• How to Find Newsletters to Sponsor in Your Niche
• Newsletter Directory and Contact List for Advertisers

Sources

1. Cooperpress, Media kit Q4 2026 (October to December 2026), checked 2026-11-11
2. Dupple, What is a newsletter media kit (Nov 5, 2026), checked 2026-11-11
3. Litmus, Apple Mail Privacy Protection resources, checked 2026-11-11
4. TLDR, Advertise with TLDR, checked 2026-11-11
5. OpenLampTech, Newsletter sponsorship rate card, checked 2026-11-11
6. Snopes, Partnership rate card brief, Q3 2026, checked 2026-11-11
7. beehiiv, How much does a newsletter sponsorship cost (Nov 2025), checked 2026-11-11
8. Morning Brew, Additional terms and conditions for insertion orders, checked 2026-11-11
9. Nieman Lab, Substack is launching a sponsorship program (June 16, 2026), checked 2026-11-11
10. PPC Land, Substack adds three formats that let brands pay to open paywalled posts (Oct 2026), checked 2026-11-11
11. beehiiv, Ad Network overview and FAQ, checked 2026-11-11
12. FTC, Native advertising, a guide for businesses (Dec 2015), checked 2026-11-11