Beehiiv vs Substack
Detailed comparison to help you choose the right tool for your needs
S
Substack
Start a newsletter. Build a community.
4.3
Editorial RatingQuick Comparison
Rating
4.6
vs4.3
Starting Price
Free
vsFree
Pricing Model
freemium
vsfree
Feature
Beehiiv
Substack
Newsletter sending
Paid subscriptions
Referral program
Analytics
Ad network
Segmentation
Newsletter publishing
Podcast hosting
Notes social feed
Discovery network
iOS/Android apps
Beehiiv Pros
- Best monetization tools of any newsletter platform
- Built-in ad network for passive revenue
- Referral system drives organic growth
- Strong analytics and subscriber insights
- No revenue cut on paid subscriptions
Beehiiv Cons
- Free plan limited to 2500 subscribers
- Less established than Mailchimp or ConvertKit
- Scale plan expensive for smaller newsletters
Substack Pros
- Zero upfront cost — pay only when you earn
- Large built-in discovery network
- Extremely simple setup
- Notes feed drives cross-promotion
- Podcast hosting included
Substack Cons
- 10% revenue cut becomes expensive at scale
- Limited design and customization options
- Less control over subscriber data
- Can't easily move off platform