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Beehiiv vs Megaphone

Beehiiv logo

Beehiiv

News

The all-in-one platform for newsletter creators

From
Free
Rated
-
Megaphone logo

Megaphone

Podcasting

Enterprise podcast hosting and monetization

From
$99/month
Rated
-

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; Megaphone there is no free tier; the entry Professional plan starts at $99 per month
  • They diverge on capability: Beehiiv covers Newsletter creation, Megaphone covers Enterprise hosting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Beehiiv and Megaphone actually diverge.

Attributes where Beehiiv and Megaphone differ
AttributeBeehiivMegaphone
Starting priceFree$99/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
CategoryNewsPodcasting
Founded20212015

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 Megaphone

  • Enterprise hosting
  • Dynamic ad insertion
  • Targeted advertising
  • Advanced analytics
  • Network management
  • API access
  • Spotify
  • Advertising networks

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Beehiiv

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

Megaphone

  • podcast hosting and distributionnot Beehiiv
  • podcast analytics and monetizationnot Beehiiv
  • creator monetization networksnot 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

Megaphone

  • There is no free tier; the entry Professional plan starts at $99 per month
  • The Enterprise plan is custom priced and requires requesting a quote
  • Access to the Megaphone API and the Metrics Export Service is Enterprise only
  • Live chat support on the Professional plan is limited to 4am to 9pm Monday to Friday Eastern Time
  • Monetisation runs through the Spotify Audience Network rather than an open marketplace

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

Megaphone

$99/month
  • Professional$99/month
    • Hosting and distribution
    • Campaign management
    • Reporting and analytics
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • All Professional features
    • Comprehensive monetization tools
    • API access

Which should you pick?

Choose Beehiiv if

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

Choose Megaphone if

  • You need enterprise hosting.
  • You also want dynamic ad insertion.

Questions people ask

Is Beehiiv or Megaphone better?
Neither clearly leads. Beehiiv starts at Free and Megaphone at $99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Beehiiv or Megaphone?
Beehiiv has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Beehiiv and $99/month for Megaphone.
Does Beehiiv or Megaphone 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. Megaphone starts at $99/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 Megaphone is typically brought in for.
What can Beehiiv do that Megaphone cannot?
Beehiiv covers Newsletter creation, Email automation, Subscriber management, Monetization tools. Megaphone covers Enterprise hosting, Dynamic ad insertion, Targeted advertising, Advanced 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
Megaphone: How much does Megaphone (Spotify) cost?

Megaphone Professional plan costs USD 99/month and includes hosting, distribution, campaign management, analytics, and Spotify Audience Network monetization.

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
Megaphone: Is there a free tier on Megaphone?

No, Megaphone does not offer a free plan; the Professional tier is the entry-level paid option at USD 99/month.

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
Megaphone: What does Megaphone Enterprise include?

Megaphone Enterprise includes all Professional features plus comprehensive monetization tools and API access; pricing is custom and requires contacting sales.

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
Megaphone: Who should use Megaphone Professional versus Enterprise?

Megaphone Professional suits individual podcasters; Enterprise is designed for large publishers, networks, and multi-show operations requiring advanced tools and custom integrations.

Source
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