Beehiiv uses a flat monthly fee based on subscriber count rather than taking a cut of your revenue. For growing newsletters that’s a major advantage over Substack — but the price scales with list size, so understanding the tiers matters. Here’s the full breakdown.
Beehiiv Plans and Pricing in 2026
| Plan | Price (annual) | Subscriber cap | Right for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch | $0 | Up to 2,500 | Starting out |
| Scale | ~$39/mo | Up to 10,000 | Monetizing newsletters |
| Max | ~$99/mo | Up to 100,000 | Established publishers |
| Enterprise | Custom | 100,000+ | Large media operations |
Prices increase as your subscriber count grows within each tier. Monthly billing adds roughly 20% over annual. Crucially, Beehiiv takes 0% of your subscription or ad revenue — unlike Substack’s 10% cut.
Launch Plan (Free): Genuinely Usable
Beehiiv’s free tier is one of the most generous in the newsletter space:
- Up to 2,500 subscribers
- Unlimited sends
- Basic email + web publishing
- Subscriber tagging and segmentation
- Newsletter recommendations network
Not in Launch: paid subscriptions, custom domain, the ad network, advanced analytics, and most automations. For a newsletter that isn’t monetizing yet, Launch is a real free product, not a trial.
Scale Plan (~$39/month)
Scale unlocks the monetization stack that makes Beehiiv worth paying for:
- Paid subscriptions — keep 100% (minus Stripe fees)
- Ad Network — Beehiiv places ads in your newsletter and pays you
- Custom domain and full branding removal
- 3 team seats
- Advanced segmentation and automations (Magic links, polls, surveys)
- API access
The Ad Network is the sleeper feature. Beehiiv automatically matches sponsors to your newsletter, generating revenue without you selling ads. For many newsletters this offsets the entire subscription cost.
Max Plan (~$99/month)
Max targets publishers running newsletters as a business:
- Up to 100,000 subscribers
- 10 team seats
- Priority support
- Advanced analytics and benchmarking
- NewsletterXP course and white-glove tools
- Multiple publications
If you’re below 10,000 subscribers, Scale is almost always the right choice. Max makes sense once list size or team needs push you past Scale’s limits.
Beehiiv vs Substack: The Core Decision
| Beehiiv | Substack | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost model | Flat monthly fee | 10% of revenue |
| Revenue cut | 0% | 10% |
| Ad network | Yes | No |
| Best at | $1,000+/mo revenue | Discovery, starting out |
The math is decisive at scale. A newsletter earning $5,000/month pays Substack ~$500/month but Beehiiv just ~$99/month flat. Below $1,000/month, Substack’s percentage is cheaper and simpler. Above it, Beehiiv wins clearly.
→ Substack Pricing & The 10% Fee Explained
Beehiiv vs Kit (ConvertKit)
Kit is the other major flat-fee competitor. Kit excels at automation and selling digital products to an existing audience; Beehiiv excels at newsletter growth, web publishing, and the built-in ad network. Creators focused on email automation lean Kit; creators focused on media-style growth lean Beehiiv.
The Hidden Cost: Subscriber-Based Pricing
Beehiiv’s price scales with subscriber count, including unengaged subscribers. A list with 9,000 subscribers where only 3,000 open emails still pays the 10,000-tier price. Regularly pruning inactive subscribers keeps you in a lower tier — a small cost-control habit that flat-fee tools reward and percentage tools don’t.
Is Beehiiv Worth the Price?
Free → Scale is worth it the moment you monetize. Paid subscriptions plus the ad network typically cover the $39/month several times over.
Scale → Max is worth it only when you cross 10,000 subscribers or need more team seats. Don’t upgrade for features you won’t use.
Beehiiv vs Substack: if you’re past $1,000/month in revenue and own your audience, Beehiiv’s flat fee saves real money. If you’re still growing and rely on discovery, start on Substack and migrate later.
Related: Substack Pricing 2026 | Kit Pricing | Best Free AI Tools 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Beehiiv free?
Yes. The Launch plan is free for up to 2,500 subscribers with unlimited sends, though it excludes paid subscriptions, custom domains, and the ad network.
Does Beehiiv take a cut of my revenue?
No. Unlike Substack’s 10% fee, Beehiiv charges a flat monthly subscription and takes 0% of your subscription or ad revenue (standard Stripe processing fees still apply).
Is Beehiiv cheaper than Substack?
It depends on revenue. Above roughly $1,000/month in subscription income, Beehiiv’s flat fee is far cheaper than Substack’s 10% cut. Below that, Substack is usually cheaper.