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Beehiiv vs Fireside

Beehiiv logo

Beehiiv

News

The all-in-one platform for newsletter creators

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Fireside logo

Fireside

Podcasting

Podcast hosting with community features

From
$20/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Beehiiv has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Beehiiv platform lacks native SMS support; requires third-party integrations via API or webhooks; Fireside starter plan at $9 per month allows one podcast and 5 episodes per month
  • They diverge on capability: Beehiiv covers Newsletter creation, Fireside covers Unlimited hosting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Beehiiv and Fireside actually diverge.

Attributes where Beehiiv and Fireside differ
AttributeBeehiivFireside
Starting priceFree$20/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
CategoryNewsPodcasting
Founded20212018

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Beehiiv

  • Newsletter creation
  • Email automation
  • Subscriber management
  • Monetization tools
  • Analytics dashboard
  • Referral program
  • A/B testing
  • Spam checking

Only in Fireside

  • Unlimited hosting
  • Community features
  • Distribution
  • Analytics
  • Listener engagement
  • Monetization
  • All podcast platforms
  • Email services

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Beehiiv

  • Email newsletter publishingnot Fireside
  • Content monetizationnot Fireside
  • Audience buildingnot Fireside

Fireside

  • Hosting a podcast together with a customisable podcast websitenot Beehiiv
  • Running several shows as a podcast network from one accountnot Beehiiv
  • Tracking episode download metrics and link clicksnot Beehiiv

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Beehiiv

  • Platform lacks native SMS support; requires third-party integrations via API or webhooks
  • Free Launch plan offers only read-only AI capabilities

Fireside

  • Starter plan at $9 per month allows one podcast and 5 episodes per month
  • Custom domain with SSL requires the $19 per month Standard plan; Starter sites sit on a Fireside subdomain
  • Additional podcasts beyond the one included on Standard cost $8 per month each
  • Bandwidth is capped at 1TB per month on Standard and 5TB per month on Professional
  • Advanced download metrics and click tracking require the $49 per month Professional plan

Pricing, plan by plan

Beehiiv

Free
  • LaunchFree
    • Up to 2,500 subscribers
    • Newsletters, website, podcast
    • Unlimited email sends
  • Scale$43/month
    • Up to 100,000 subscribers
    • Ad Network
    • 0% take rate on paid subscriptions
  • Max$96/month
    • Up to 100,000 subscribers
    • Remove branding, sponsorship storefront
    • Audio newsletters, RSS-to-send
  • Enterprise$null/mo
    • 100K+ subscribers
    • Dedicated account manager
    • Custom publication limits

Fireside

$20/month
  • Creator$20/month
    • Unlimited hosting
    • Community features
    • Distribution
  • Network$50/month
    • Multiple shows
    • Team management
    • Advanced analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose Beehiiv if

  • You need newsletter creation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want email automation.
Beehiiv review

Choose Fireside if

  • You need unlimited hosting.
  • You also want community features.
Fireside review

Questions people ask

Is Beehiiv or Fireside better?
Neither clearly leads. Beehiiv starts at Free and Fireside at $20/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Beehiiv or Fireside?
Beehiiv has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Beehiiv and $20/month for Fireside.
Does Beehiiv or Fireside run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Beehiiv for free?
Yes. Beehiiv has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Fireside starts at $20/month.
What is Beehiiv best used for?
Beehiiv is most often used for email newsletter publishing, content monetization, audience building. Of those, email newsletter publishing and content monetization are not what Fireside is typically brought in for.
What can Beehiiv do that Fireside cannot?
Beehiiv covers Newsletter creation, Email automation, Subscriber management, Monetization tools. Fireside covers Unlimited hosting, Community features, Distribution, Analytics. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Beehiiv: How much does beehiiv cost?

Launch is free for up to 2,500 subscribers. Scale plan is $43/month for up to 100,000 subscribers. Max plan is $96/month. Enterprise has custom pricing for 100,000+ subscribers.

Source
Beehiiv: What does beehiiv's free Launch plan include?

Free Launch plan supports up to 2,500 subscribers and includes newsletters, website builder, podcast hosting, campaign analytics, unlimited email sends, custom domains, and API access.

Source
Beehiiv: What commission does beehiiv take from subscription revenue?

beehiiv takes 0% of paid subscription revenue you collect. Only Stripe's processing fees (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction) apply.

Source
Beehiiv: What's the difference between beehiiv's Scale and Max plans?

Both support up to 100,000 subscribers. Scale ($43/month) includes Ad Network and 3 team seats. Max ($96/month) adds branding removal, sponsorship storefront, audio newsletters, up to 10 publications, and unlimited team seats.

Source
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