Substack
Free to start (10% fee on paid subscriptions)
Beehiiv
Free (to 2,500 subs) / Scale ~$49 per mo
Substack is the simplest way to publish a newsletter, with a built-in reader network but a 10% cut of paid subscriptions. Beehiiv is a growth- and monetization-focused platform with deep analytics and flat pricing. Substack wins on simplicity and discovery; Beehiiv wins on growth tools and keeping more of your revenue.
Pick Substack if you want the simplest way to publish and benefit from a built-in reader network, and you do not mind the 10% cut.
Pick Beehiiv if you want growth tools, deep analytics, flexible monetization, and to keep all of your subscription revenue under flat pricing.
Substack and Beehiiv are the two leading newsletter platforms, but they court different creators. Substack is the simplest path to publishing: write, hit send, and tap into a built-in network that can recommend your newsletter to readers, all for free to start, but it takes a 10% cut of paid subscription revenue. Beehiiv was built by newsletter operators for growth: it offers referral programs, an ad network, recommendations, deep analytics, and flat monthly pricing instead of a revenue cut.
On price, Substack is free to start and charges 10% of paid subscriptions (plus payment fees), while Beehiiv has a free tier (up to 2,500 subscribers) and paid plans from around $49 a month that do not take a cut of your revenue. The choice is mostly simplicity and built-in discovery (Substack) versus growth tools and keeping more revenue (Beehiiv).
We compare fees, growth tools, monetization, analytics, and audience.
| Quick facts | Substack | Beehiiv |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | 10% of paid subscriptions | Flat monthly (no revenue cut) |
| Free tier | Yes (10% fee on paid) | Yes (to 2,500 subs) |
| Built-in reader network | Best-in-class | Good |
| Growth & monetization tools | Limited | Best-in-class |
| Best for | Simplicity + discovery | Growth + revenue |
Each row reflects the feature on each product's current public release.
| Feature | S Substack | B Beehiiv |
|---|---|---|
| Simple publishing | Best-in-class | Strong |
| Built-in discovery network | Best-in-class | Good |
| Referral / growth tools | Limited | Best-in-class |
| Ad network / monetization | Limited | Strong |
| Deep analytics | Basic | Best-in-class |
| Takes a cut of revenue | 10% | No (flat fee) |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Custom design / flexibility | Limited | Strong |
Pricing and features change often. Always verify the current details on each product's official site. Last reviewed 2026-06-23.
Things neither product's marketing page leads with.
Substack is simplest and has the best built-in discovery, but its 10% cut adds up as your paid revenue grows.
Beehiiv keeps your revenue and offers stronger growth and monetization tools, but it is more complex and has a monthly cost.
For a large paid list, Beehiiv's flat fee usually beats Substack's 10%; for a simple start, Substack is easier.
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