How points and levels work
Last updated November 9, 2026
Every newsletter you subscribe to keeps its own points for you. The more you read and take part, the higher your level on that newsletter, and higher levels can unlock perks the writer has set up.
How you earn points
| What you do | Points |
|---|---|
| Read an email (open it, click a link in it, or read it on the web) | 1 |
| Like an email | 1 |
| Comment on an email | 1 |
| Share an email | 1 |
| A friend subscribes through your invite link | 5 |
Each of read, like, comment and share counts once per email. Opening the same email ten times still earns 1 point, so the most you can earn from one email is 4 points.
You can lose points too, but only when something is taken back:
- If you remove a like, or delete every comment you left on an email, that point goes.
- If a friend you invited leaves, the 5 points from their joining go.
Points never fade with time. They only go down if something is taken back.
Levels
Your all-time points on a newsletter set your level on it. There are nine:
| Level | Points | Name, until the writer sets their own |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | Newcomer |
| 2 | 5 | Reader |
| 3 | 20 | Regular |
| 4 | 50 | Fan |
| 5 | 100 | Supporter |
| 6 | 200 | Champion |
| 7 | 400 | Insider |
| 8 | 800 | Ambassador |
| 9 | 1,600 | Legend |
The first steps come quickly; from Level 4 each level needs twice the points of the one before. Levels are updated once a day.
What a level unlocks
A writer can save emails, perks and even whole newsletters for readers at a certain level. Anything gated this way opens for you as soon as you reach that level, and stays open while you hold it.
You'll find your level, your points and what's next on the Perks tab of your profile. Each email also shows a short line with how far you are from the next level.
Leaderboards
Each newsletter has a subscriber leaderboard. Open it from "Subscribed by … and others" on the newsletter's page. It ranks subscribers by points earned in the last 30 days, the last 90 days or all time, with the top three marked gold, silver and bronze.
You're on it if your profile is public and "Show me on this newsletter's page" is on. Turn that off, or hide your level badge, to leave it. Your profile shows one number, your total points across every newsletter.
Tracking and your points
Email reads are recorded for everyone. Reads on the web count once you press Accept on the privacy banner. If you choose Reject, web reads aren't recorded, so they don't earn points.