beehiiv vs Substack
Every new newsletter writer weighs up these two names. The growth platform built by newsletter operators faces the network that made paid newsletters mainstream.
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beehiiv
Built by newsletter people, with growth tools nobody else has.
Substack
Start publishing in five minutes. Pay 10% if you charge.
Prices last checked on
| Feature | beehiiv | Substack |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 4.6 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Price | From $43.08/mo | Free |
| Free plan | ||
| Best for | Newsletter-first creators | Paid newsletters, zero setup |
| Category | For creators | For creators |
| Provider | beehiiv Inc. | Substack Inc. |
| Visit beehiiv | Visit Substack |
Our verdict
beehiiv wins for anyone treating their newsletter as a business. You keep 100% of paid subscription revenue on paid plans, you own your audience data, and the referral program and ad network give you growth levers Substack simply does not offer. Substack remains the better choice for pure simplicity.
Publishing takes five minutes and the discovery network can kick-start an audience from nothing. Start on Substack if you want zero setup. Choose beehiiv the moment real money is involved, because the 10% Substack fee grows with you.
“The platform that treats your newsletter as a business from day one. Free up to 2,500 subscribers, a referral program and ad network built in, and no cut taken from paid subscriptions. The strongest growth story in this lineup.”Editorial team, on beehiiv
“The fastest way from zero to a paid newsletter, with a real discovery network behind it. But the 10% cut of paid revenue stings once you grow, and the platform owns the relationship with your readers.”Editorial team, on Substack
Frequently asked questions
Is beehiiv better than Substack?
beehiiv, if your newsletter is meant to make money. On beehiiv's paid plans you keep 100% of your paid subscription revenue, you own your audience data, and the referral program, boosts and ad network give you growth levers Substack does not offer. Substack still wins on simplicity. Publishing takes five minutes and its discovery network can start an audience from nothing.
What does beehiiv cost compared to Substack?
Substack costs nothing until you charge readers, and then takes 10% of your subscription revenue on top of payment fees. beehiiv is free up to 2,500 subscribers, and the Scale plan runs $39 a month, or $468 for a year (US dollars, last checked August 2026). The Substack cut grows with your revenue. The beehiiv fee stays flat.
I have no audience yet. Which one should I start on?
Substack. There is nothing to set up, and the recommendations between publications are real growth you do not pay for. Since Substack only charges once you charge your readers, its 10% costs you nothing while you are still building. Move to beehiiv when paid subscriptions start arriving, because that is the moment the 10% turns into serious money.
What do I give up by choosing beehiiv?
Breadth outside newsletters. beehiiv is newsletter-first by design, so heavy e-commerce automation is not what it is for. You also start on a platform without Substack's ready-made reader network, which means the referral program, boosts and ad network have to do the growth work instead.