beehiiv
Ulysses
| Feature | beehiiv | Ulysses |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $39/mo | From $5.99/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.6 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 |
| Best For | newsletter-writers, media-companies, solopreneurs, content-creators | bloggers, journalists, apple-users, writers |
| Founded | 2021 | 2013 |
| Newsletter Editor | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ad Network | ✓ | ✗ |
| Referral Program | ✓ | ✗ |
| Web Hosting | ✓ | ✗ |
| Analytics | ✓ | ✗ |
| Segmentation | ✓ | ✗ |
| Recommendations | ✓ | ✗ |
| Markdown Editor | ✗ | ✓ |
| Library Management | ✗ | ✓ |
| Publishing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Goals | ✗ | ✓ |
| Icloud Sync | ✗ | ✓ |
| Themes | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ 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
✓ Ulysses Pros
- Beautiful interface
- Markdown support
- iCloud sync
- Direct publishing
✗ Ulysses Cons
- Apple only
- Subscription model
- Limited formatting
The Verdict
beehiiv is built for newsletter writers and media companies, with a focus on newsletter-editor and ad-network. Ulysses targets bloggers and journalists and leads with markdown-editor and library-management.
On pricing, Ulysses is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $5.99/mo compared to $39/mo for beehiiv. That $33.01/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
beehiiv has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. Ulysses requires a paid subscription from day one.
Feature-wise, beehiiv offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Ulysses takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.