Starting a newsletter, most people hit the same fork: beehiiv or Substack? Short answer — if you want to control your revenue and growth, beehiiv; if you just want to write and tap into a ready reader network, Substack. The detail matters, because the difference hits your wallet.
Every number below comes from both platforms' own pages and independent comparisons; all sourced. I'm a beehiiv affiliate, but I name clearly where Substack is the stronger pick too.
Money: the fee difference alone can decide it
The biggest gap is here. Substack takes 10% of your paid subscriptions; beehiiv takes 0%. On $5K/month of subscription revenue, that's a $6K difference a year. On top of that beehiiv gives four revenue streams: ad network, boosts, paid subscriptions and direct sponsorships. The ad network starts matching you with advertisers once you pass roughly 1,000 subscribers.
Growth tools: beehiiv's DNA
beehiiv puts growth at its core: a built-in referral program (milestone rewards, personalized invite links, automated delivery), a recommendations network, and Boosts — a cross-promotion marketplace where other newsletters pay per verified subscriber (typically $1-3). In comparisons beehiiv often scores 10/10 on growth while Substack lands around 4.8. Substack's edge is different: organic discovery through its own reader network.
| beehiiv | Substack | |
|---|---|---|
| Paid subscription cut | 0% | 10% |
| Free plan | 2,500 subscribers | Unlimited (basic) |
| Monetization streams | 4 | Subscriptions |
| Growth tools | Referral, recommendations, boosts | Discovery network |
| Strongest at | Growth + revenue control | Simplicity + discovery |
Let's be fair: Substack's simplicity and built-in discovery are a real advantage. If you just want to write, publish with zero setup, and pick up organic subscribers from the platform's reader ecosystem, Substack does the job — and it's faster to set up. But the price of that comfort is 10% and limited growth tooling.
Which one is for you?
If you're a writer who wants simplicity and a ready audience, Substack. If you think like an operator — measuring growth, opening multiple revenue streams, escaping the cut — beehiiv. If you're building the newsletter as a serious business, my pick is beehiiv: its free plan is strong (2,500 subscribers) and it doesn't abandon you as you scale.
Start on the free plan, up to 2,500 subscribers.
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