Softwr

News · head to head

Beehiiv vs Substack

Beehiiv logo

Beehiiv

News

The all-in-one platform for newsletter creators

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Substack logo

Substack

News

The newsletter platform for writers and publishers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Beehiiv platform lacks native SMS support; requires third-party integrations via API or webhooks; Substack substack does not publish pricing on its public pricing page
  • They diverge on capability: Beehiiv covers Newsletter creation, Substack covers Newsletter publishing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Beehiiv and Substack actually diverge.

Attributes where Beehiiv and Substack differ
AttributeBeehiivSubstack
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile
Founded20212017

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (News).

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
  • Monetization tools
  • Analytics dashboard
  • Referral program
  • A/B testing
  • Spam checking
  • Zapier

Only in Substack

  • Newsletter publishing
  • Paid subscriptions
  • Email analytics
  • Post scheduling
  • Archive creation
  • Free/paid tier split
  • Comments & discussion
  • Apple News

Both cover

  • Subscriber management
  • Stripe
  • Twitter
  • Web support
  • Mobile support

What people use each for

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

Beehiiv

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

Substack

  • Newsletter distributionnot Beehiiv
  • Reader monetizationnot Beehiiv
  • Community buildingnot Beehiiv
  • Subscriber managementnot 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

Substack

  • Substack does not publish pricing on its public pricing page

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

Substack

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited newsletters
    • Basic design
    • Archive access
  • Pro$12/month
    • Custom domain
    • Advanced analytics
    • Member chat

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 Substack if

  • You need newsletter publishing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want paid subscriptions.
Substack review

Questions people ask

Is Beehiiv or Substack better?
Neither clearly leads. Beehiiv starts at Free and Substack at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Beehiiv or Substack?
Beehiiv starts at Free and Substack at Free.
Does Beehiiv or Substack run on more platforms?
Beehiiv runs on Web. Substack runs on Web, Mobile.
Can I use Beehiiv for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Substack is typically brought in for.
What can Beehiiv do that Substack cannot?
Beehiiv covers Newsletter creation, Email automation, Monetization tools, Analytics dashboard. Substack covers Newsletter publishing, Paid subscriptions, Email analytics, Post scheduling. Both handle Subscriber management, Stripe, Twitter, 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
Substack: How much does Substack cost?

Substack does not publish rates on its pricing page. The site emphasizes earning potential for writers with the tagline Make money doing the work you believe in.

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
Share

Related pages

More on Beehiiv

More on Substack

Keep looking

Other head to heads