creator
beehiiv
Free · $49+Newsletters · Monetization
Newsletter platform built by ex-Morning Brew staff, offering a website builder, ad network, and 0% cut on paid subscriptions.
Updated September 2026
beehiiv vs Substack (2026)
beehiiv is best for newsletter creators wanting built-in monetization tools without a revenue cut; Substack is best for writers and podcasters building a paid subscription newsletter with built-in reader discovery. beehiiv starts at Free (Scale $49/mo) and Substack at Free + 10% fee on paid subscriptions.
Substack
FreeNewsletters · Monetization
Newsletter publishing platform letting writers monetize via paid subscriptions with a built-in discovery network.
| beehiiv | Substack | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | newsletter creators wanting built-in monetization tools without a revenue cut | writers and podcasters building a paid subscription newsletter with built-in reader discovery |
| Starting price | Free (Scale $49/mo) | Free + 10% fee on paid subscriptions |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Platforms | — | — |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Users | — | 5M+ paid subscriptions (vendor claim) |
| Key features | Newsletter & website builder, Ad Network for sponsorships, Email automations, Digital products & paid subscriptions, Advanced analytics, Referral/recommendation growth tools | Newsletter publishing & website, Paid subscriptions, Podcast/video hosting, Notes (social feed), Recommendations network, Substack Chat |
| Integrations | Stripe, Zapier, Google Analytics, beehiiv MCP/API | Stripe (payments), Apple/Spotify podcast distribution |
| Founded | 2021 | 2017 |
Questions people ask
+Is beehiiv or Substack cheaper?
beehiiv starts at Free (Scale $49/mo); Substack starts at Free + 10% fee on paid subscriptions.
+What does beehiiv have that Substack doesn't?
Newsletter & website builder, Ad Network for sponsorships, Email automations, Digital products & paid subscriptions, Advanced analytics, Referral/recommendation growth tools.
+What does Substack have that beehiiv doesn't?
Newsletter publishing & website, Paid subscriptions, Podcast/video hosting, Notes (social feed), Recommendations network, Substack Chat.