Substack Headline Analyzer
Enter a headline to score it on length, clarity, curiosity, and specificity - with specific ways to improve it, not just a number. Free, no signup, nothing leaves your browser.
Nothing you type here is sent anywhere - this runs entirely in your browser.
Enter a headline above (or try an example) to see your score.
Why this tool gives techniques, not rewrites
Scoring length, clarity, curiosity, and specificity is something fixed rules can do reliably. Actually rewriting your specific headline well requires understanding what you're writing about, which a rule-based tool genuinely can't do - an auto-generated "improved" headline without real language understanding would often come out generic or nonsensical.
Instead, this tool tells you exactly which of the 4 categories is weak and gives a concrete technique to fix it - add a number, cut filler words, end as a question - so you do the actual rewriting with full context, rather than trusting a templated substitution.
Questions
What makes a good Substack headline?
This tool checks 4 things: length (6-12 words tends to read best), clarity (no filler words or shouting), curiosity (a gap the reader wants closed), and specificity (a concrete number or detail instead of a vague claim).
Why doesn't this tool just rewrite my headline for me?
Genuinely good headline rewriting needs to understand what you're actually writing about, which a rule-based tool can't do reliably. It gives specific techniques instead, so you rewrite it with full context rather than trusting a generic auto-substitution.
Does adding a number always help?
Specific numbers tend to read as more credible and concrete than rounded or vague claims, which is why this tool scores it - but it only helps if the number is real and relevant, not inserted just to game the score.
How many words should a Substack headline be?
This tool treats 6-12 words as the sweet spot - long enough to be specific, short enough to display in full in feed and inbox previews, which often truncate after 6-8 words.