beehiiv
Mailchimp
| Feature | beehiiv | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $39/mo | Free / from $13/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.6 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
| Best For | newsletter-writers, media-companies, solopreneurs, content-creators | small-businesses, startups, solopreneurs, e-commerce |
| Founded | 2021 | 2001 |
| Newsletter Editor | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ad Network | ✓ | ✗ |
| Referral Program | ✓ | ✗ |
| Web Hosting | ✓ | ✗ |
| Analytics | ✓ | ✓ |
| Segmentation | ✓ | ✗ |
| Recommendations | ✓ | ✗ |
| Email Campaigns | ✗ | ✓ |
| Automation | ✗ | ✓ |
| Landing Pages | ✗ | ✓ |
| Audience Segments | ✗ | ✓ |
| Templates | ✗ | ✓ |
| A B Testing | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ beehiiv Pros
- Built specifically for newsletters
- Ad network for monetization
- Referral program built-in
- Beautiful web hosting for newsletter archives
✗ beehiiv Cons
- Less suitable for e-commerce email
- Automations less mature than Mailchimp
- Free tier limited to 2,500 subscribers
✓ Mailchimp Pros
- Free tier for up to 500 contacts
- Easy drag-and-drop email builder
- Built-in automation workflows
- Good reporting and analytics
✗ Mailchimp Cons
- Gets expensive as list grows
- Automation less powerful than competitors
- Limited A/B testing on lower plans
The Verdict
beehiiv is built for newsletter writers and media companies, with a focus on newsletter-editor and ad-network. Mailchimp targets small businesses and startups and leads with email-campaigns and automation.
On pricing, Mailchimp is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $13/mo compared to $39/mo for beehiiv. That $26/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Both tools are a solid fit for solopreneurs — in those cases, the decision often comes down to workflow style and how your team prefers to organize work.
Bottom line: beehiiv has a slight overall edge — but if free tier for up to 500 contacts matters most to you, Mailchimp may still be the right call.
