- Beehiiv is a newsletter platform launched in 2021 by Morning Brew alums. Now serves ~250K creators with ~50M+ subscribers.
- Best feature: 0% revenue cut on paid newsletters (vs Substack's 10%) + built-in ad network for monetization.
- Free tier: 2,500 subs. Paid: $42-$99/month for higher tiers + advanced features.
What Is Beehiiv?
- Founded 2021 by Tyler Denk + Morning Brew team.
- ~250K creators by 2026.
- Email newsletter + monetization platform.
- Direct competitor to Substack, ConvertKit, Ghost.
- 0% platform fee on paid subscriptions.
Beehiiv vs Substack — Quick Comparison
| Feature | Beehiiv | Substack |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier limit | 2,500 subs | Unlimited |
| Platform fee (paid subs) | 0% | 10% |
| Stripe fee | ~3% | ~3% |
| Monthly cost (paid plans) | $0-$99 | $0 |
| Custom domain | Free | $50/year |
| Built-in ad network | Yes (Beehiiv Ad Network) | No |
| Referral program | Built-in | Limited |
| Network effects | "Boosts" (paid promotion) | Recommendations (free) |
| Analytics | Advanced | Basic |
| Best for | Growth-focused, monetization | Beginner, network effects |
Beehiiv Pricing (2026)
| Plan | Price | Subscribers | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch (Free) | $0 | 2,500 | Starting out |
| Scale | $42/month | 10,000 | Growing newsletters |
| Max | $99/month | 100,000 | Established creators |
| Enterprise | Custom | Unlimited | Large publishers |
Top Beehiiv Features
1. 0% Platform Fee on Paid Subscriptions
Compared to Substack's 10% — at $50K/year, Beehiiv saves $5,000/year.
2. Beehiiv Ad Network
- Built-in advertising marketplace.
- Brand sponsorships placed in your emails.
- Earn revenue without finding sponsors yourself.
- Average earnings: $5-$50 CPM (per 1,000 emails).
3. Referral Program
- Built-in subscriber referrals.
- Reward subscribers for sharing (free month, exclusive content).
- Drives organic growth.
4. Boosts
Pay-to-be-recommended in other Beehiiv newsletters:
- Set bid per new subscriber gained.
- $1-$10 typical cost per sub.
- Faster growth than organic Substack Recommendations.
5. Advanced Analytics
- Open rates, click rates, growth attribution.
- Subscriber segments.
- A/B testing.
- UTM tracking.
6. Custom Domain (Free)
Substack charges $50/year for custom domain. Beehiiv: free.
Top Beehiiv Newsletters
- Morning Brew — founder's flagship.
- Milk Road — crypto news.
- Just Go Grind — startup founder.
- Founder's Journal — business / leadership.
- Many migrating from Substack as they scale.
How to Sign Up for Beehiiv
- Go to beehiiv.com.
- Sign up free (Launch plan).
- Set up:
- Newsletter name + URL.
- Branding (colors, logo).
- Custom domain (free).
- Import existing subscribers (if migrating).
- Send first newsletter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Beehiiv free?
Yes — free for newsletters under 2,500 subs. Paid plans ($42-$99/month) for higher tiers + features.
How much money can you make on Beehiiv?
Top creators: $1M+/year. Most active newsletters: $1K-$50K/month combined (paid subs + ads + sponsorships).
Can I migrate from Substack to Beehiiv?
Yes — Beehiiv has Substack import tool. Subscribers + posts migrate easily.
Should I switch from Substack to Beehiiv?
If you have 1K+ paid subscribers: yes (saves 10% revenue cut). Otherwise: stay on Substack for network effects.
Is Beehiiv good for beginners?
Yes — free tier works fine to start. Network effects smaller than Substack but UI is more polished.
Key Takeaways
- Beehiiv: 0% platform fee, ad network, referrals, $42-$99/month plans.
- Free tier up to 2,500 subscribers.
- Better at scale than Substack (saves 10% revenue cut).
- Substack better for network effects + new creators.
- Migration from Substack: easy with Beehiiv import tool.
Drive subscribers from anywhere with one link
Add a UniLink URL to your bio — features your Beehiiv signup, sample posts. Free.