beehiiv
beehiiv Inc.
8.4
Overall Score / 10
Kit (ConvertKit)
Kit
7.5
Overall Score / 10
Our Verdict
Choose beehiiv if:
- —Newsletter creators serious about growth and monetization
- —Media operators building a newsletter business
- —Anyone who wants built-in referral and ad tools
Choose Kit (ConvertKit) if:
- —Solo creators and bloggers
- —Podcasters and YouTubers selling digital products
- —Anyone who wants simple, clean email marketing
The biggest difference: beehiiv is better for newsletter-first businesses. Kit is better for creators selling courses and digital products alongside email.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Criteria | beehiiv | Kit (ConvertKit) |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest Paid Plan | $49/mo (Scale)Source: beehiiv Inc. pricing page → | $39/mo (Creator)Source: Kit pricing page → |
| Free Tier | Yes 2,500 subscribers, unlimited sends, custom domain, website builder, beehiiv branding | Yes 10,000 subscribers, unlimited emails, no advanced automations, no integrations |
| Value for Money | 9 | 7 |
| Ease of Use | 8 | 9 |
| Feature Power | 8 | 6 |
| Setup Ease | 9 | 9 |
| Migration Ease | 8 | 7 |
| Transparency | 8 | 8 |
| Deployment | cloud | cloud |
| API Available | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, iOS | Web, iOS |
| Compliance | GDPR tools available | GDPR tools available |
Feature Comparison
Feature Comparison Matrix
19 features compared · 18 differences
| Feature | beehiiv | Kit (ConvertKit) |
|---|---|---|
| Core | ||
| Built-in ad network | Full | None |
| Commerce (digital products) | None | Full |
| Creator profile page | None | Full |
| Landing pages | None | Full |
| Magic links | Full | None |
| Newsletter editor | Full | None |
| Newsletter referral program | None | Full |
| Polls and surveys | Full | None |
| Referral program | Full | None |
| Sponsor network | None | Full |
| Subscriber tagging | None | Full |
| Website builder | Full | None |
| Advanced | ||
| 3D analytics | Full | None |
| Audience segmentation | Full | None |
| Custom domains | Full | None |
| Email sequences | None | Full |
| Paid subscriptions | Full | None |
| Visual automation builder | None | Full |
| Integrations | ||
| API access | Full | Full |
Pricing Comparison
beehiiv Pricing
2,500 subscribers, unlimited sends, website, custom domain
Unlimited subscribers, ad network, referral program, polls, premium themes
Everything in Scale + priority support, API access, advanced analytics, newsroom
Dedicated support, custom migrations, SLA
Kit (ConvertKit) Pricing
10,000 subscribers, unlimited sends, limited automations
1,000 subscribers, automations, integrations, live chat support
1,000 subscribers, advanced reporting, subscriber scoring, newsletter referrals
Who Should Choose Which?
Who should choose beehiiv
Best for
- Newsletter creators serious about growth and monetization
- Media operators building a newsletter business
- Anyone who wants built-in referral and ad tools
Avoid if
- You need full marketing automation (sequences, lead scoring)
- You need CRM functionality
- You need deep e-commerce integrations
Who should choose Kit (ConvertKit)
Best for
- Solo creators and bloggers
- Podcasters and YouTubers selling digital products
- Anyone who wants simple, clean email marketing
Avoid if
- You need advanced e-commerce features
- You want sophisticated A/B testing
- You need enterprise-grade reporting
Switching Guidance
Switching from beehiiv
Common triggers to leave:
- •Need full marketing automation
- •Need CRM
- •Need e-commerce integrations beyond Stripe
Potential blockers:
- •Ad network revenue
- •Referral program subscribers
- •Custom website/domain setup
Switching from Kit (ConvertKit)
Common triggers to leave:
- •Need more advanced reporting
- •Need better e-commerce integration
- •Outgrowing creator-focused feature set
Potential blockers:
- •Visual automation workflows built over time
- •Integrated commerce/products
- •Subscriber tags and segments
Try beehiiv
Start free — no credit card required
Try Kit (ConvertKit)
Start free — no credit card required