beehiiv vs Substack
Quick answer: beehiiv starts at $49/mo; Substack: see plan details below; beehiiv and Substack list free plans. Both can run a free newsletter with paid subscriptions. beehiiv is free up to 2,500 subscribers, and Lite is $49/mo billed yearly ($59 monthly) with 0% take on paid subscriptions. Substack is free to publish and keeps 10% of each paid subscription payment, plus Stripe fees.
Pricing last verified from each vendor's own site.
Verdict: which to choose
- Consider beehiiv if: Your paid newsletter revenue is large enough that 10% would cost more than a beehiiv plan, or you want its ad network and referral tools.
- Consider Substack if: You want to publish for free with no monthly bill and are fine giving up 10% of paid revenue.
Factual summary
- Both are listed under Sales CRMs.
- Directly comparable starting prices are not available for both: beehiiv — Priced by subscribers (shown for 1,000): Free $0 forever (up to 2,500 subscribers); Lite $49/mo billed yearly ($59 monthly, up to 100,000 subscribers); Pro $95/mo billed yearly ($109 monthly, up to 250,000, removes branding); Enterprise custom; unlimited email sends; 0% take on paid subscriptions; free trial on Lite and Pro, no card; Substack — Free to publish, no matter how many subscribers; if you turn on paid subscriptions, Substack keeps 10% of each subscription payment, plus Stripe fees (2.9% + $0.30 per US card payment and 0.7% Stripe Billing on recurring payments); optional custom domain one-time $50; no monthly plans.
This is a factual comparison drawn from vendor sites, not a recommendation. Which fits depends on your channels, volume and budget.
| beehiiv | Substack | |
|---|---|---|
| Summary | Newsletter platform with a website, paid subscriptions, ad network monetization, automations and referral tools. | Newsletter, podcast and community publishing platform that is free to use and takes 10% of revenue when you charge for subscriptions. |
| Starting price | From $49/mo | See vendor |
| Pricing details | Priced by subscribers (shown for 1,000): Free $0 forever (up to 2,500 subscribers); Lite $49/mo billed yearly ($59 monthly, up to 100,000 subscribers); Pro $95/mo billed yearly ($109 monthly, up to 250,000, removes branding); Enterprise custom; unlimited email sends; 0% take on paid subscriptions; free trial on Lite and Pro, no card | Free to publish, no matter how many subscribers; if you turn on paid subscriptions, Substack keeps 10% of each subscription payment, plus Stripe fees (2.9% + $0.30 per US card payment and 0.7% Stripe Billing on recurring payments); optional custom domain one-time $50; no monthly plans |
| Model | freemium | freemium |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Channels | ||
| Last verified | 2026-11-10 | 2026-11-11 |
FAQ
What is the difference between beehiiv and Substack?
Both can run a free newsletter with paid subscriptions. beehiiv is free up to 2,500 subscribers, and Lite is $49/mo billed yearly ($59 monthly) with 0% take on paid subscriptions. Substack is free to publish and keeps 10% of each paid subscription payment, plus Stripe fees.
Which is cheaper, beehiiv or Substack?
We can't compare entry prices directly. beehiiv: Priced by subscribers (shown for 1,000): Free $0 forever (up to 2,500 subscribers); Lite $49/mo billed yearly ($59 monthly, up to 100,000 subscribers); Pro $95/mo billed yearly ($109 monthly, up to 250,000, removes branding); Enterprise custom; unlimited email sends; 0% take on paid subscriptions; free trial on Lite and Pro, no card. Substack: Free to publish, no matter how many subscribers; if you turn on paid subscriptions, Substack keeps 10% of each subscription payment, plus Stripe fees (2.9% + $0.30 per US card payment and 0.7% Stripe Billing on recurring payments); optional custom domain one-time $50; no monthly plans.
When should I choose beehiiv over Substack?
Consider beehiiv if: Your paid newsletter revenue is large enough that 10% would cost more than a beehiiv plan, or you want its ad network and referral tools. Consider Substack if: You want to publish for free with no monthly bill and are fine giving up 10% of paid revenue.
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