beehiiv
by beehiiv Inc.
The newsletter platform built for growth
8.4
/ 10
Overall Score
beehiiv scores 8.4/10 overall. The newsletter platform built for growth. Best for: Newsletter creators serious about growth and monetization. Starting at $49/month. Last verified Mar 20, 2026.
Score Breakdown
How we score →Scores are editorial assessments on a 1–10 scale. Overall score uses a weighted formula: Value (25%), Power (20%), Transparency (20%), Ease (15%), Setup (10%), Migration (10%). Full methodology
Switching Intelligence
Sasanova ExclusiveMigration Difficulty
Implementation Complexity
LowWhat triggers people to switch AWAY
- Need full marketing automation
- Need CRM
- Need e-commerce integrations beyond Stripe
What blocks people from leaving
- Ad network revenue
- Referral program subscribers
- Custom website/domain setup
Data Export & Portability
Full subscriber CSV export, API access
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
Features
Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | Billing | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Launch | Free | Free | flat | 2,500 subscribers, unlimited sends, website, custom domain |
| ScalePopular | $49/mo | $516/yr | flat | Unlimited subscribers, ad network, referral program, polls, premium themes |
| Max | $109/mo | $1152/yr | flat | Everything in Scale + priority support, API access, advanced analytics, newsroom |
| Enterprise | Contact | Contact | custom | Dedicated support, custom migrations, SLA |
Free tier: 2,500 subscribers, unlimited sends, custom domain, website builder, beehiiv branding
Pricing Calculator
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Integrations
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beehiiv vs Substack
beehiiv wins for growth features, monetization control, and no revenue cut. Substack wins for simplicity and built-in network.
beehiiv vs Kit (ConvertKit)
beehiiv is better for newsletter-first businesses. Kit is better for creators selling courses and digital products alongside email.
beehiiv vs Buttondown
beehiiv offers more growth tools (ad network, referral program, website builder) for newsletter businesses. Buttondown is a minimalist, developer-friendly tool ideal for Markdown-first writers.
beehiiv vs Ghost
Ghost is an open-source publishing platform with full ownership and custom themes. beehiiv is a hosted newsletter platform with built-in growth and monetization tools.
beehiiv vs Mailchimp
beehiiv wins for newsletter-first businesses with free tier up to 2,500 subscribers, built-in ad network, and referral program. Mailchimp is better for e-commerce email marketing with Shopify integrations and a mature template library.
beehiiv vs Brevo
beehiiv is purpose-built for newsletter businesses with referral programs, ad network, and website builder. Brevo is a multi-channel marketing platform for transactional and marketing email with SMS and WhatsApp at scale.
beehiiv vs ActiveCampaign
beehiiv excels at newsletter growth and monetization with a free tier for 2,500 subscribers and built-in ad revenue. ActiveCampaign is better for complex lifecycle marketing with the deepest automation builder and CRM integration.
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