Free calculator
Substack vs beehiiv take home calculator
Substack takes a percentage, beehiiv charges a flat plan. Enter your list and paying readers to see which one leaves more money with you, and where the lines cross.
Fees checked Nov 2026Rates linked to sourcesSee all benchmark rates
Your estimate
An estimate from the inputs you set, not a promise of income. Inputs marked Example input are not from a published source.
How the calculator works
Substack fee page and beehiiv pricing, both checked Nov 2026, and Stripe pricing. Substack lists Stripe Billing at 0.7%. We leave it off the beehiiv side because beehiiv does not list it, so check your own Stripe statement.
Percentage against flat fee
Substack is free until you earn and then keeps 10% of every payment. beehiiv charges a monthly plan and keeps 0% of paid subscriptions. Stripe takes a card fee on both. So the question is simple. Is 10% of your subscription revenue more or less than the beehiiv plan for your list size?
On a list of up to 2,500, beehiiv Lite costs $79 a month on monthly billing. Substack's 10% passes $79 once you collect $790 a month, which is 79 readers paying $10. Below that Substack is cheaper. Above it beehiiv is, and the gap grows with every new paying reader.
What the numbers leave out
Plan prices rise with list size, so a big free list with few paying readers favours Substack for longer. Substack also brings its own app and recommendation network, while beehiiv adds the Ad Network, Boosts and more design control. Those features are worth money too, and only you can weigh them.
If you already have sponsors or plan to sell digital products, compare the whole picture in our newsletter income calculator before you switch.
How to use the result
Run it with today's numbers and with your target in a year. If you cross the break even point within a few months, starting on beehiiv saves a migration later. If you are far below it, Substack's zero upfront cost is hard to beat while you find readers.
Benchmarks used on this page
| Channel | What it measures | Value | Audience size | Audience type | Source and date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newsletter | Paid newsletter price | $10 a month or $100 a year (median) | All sizes | general | beehiiv, State of Paid Newsletters 2026 22 Jun 2026 |
| Newsletter | Free to paid conversion | 0.62% median, about 6 paying per 1,000 | All sizes | general | beehiiv, State of Paid Newsletters 2026 22 Jun 2026 |
Every figure above comes from our Creator Benchmark Rates table, with filters by audience size and type.
Tools that help
beehiiv
Free up to 2,500 subscribers; paid plans from $49/mo (annual)
Substack
Free to publish; 10% of paid-subscription revenue
Some links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no cost to you, and it never changes the numbers.
More calculators
Substack earningsbeehiiv earningsPaid newsletter revenueAll calculators
Guides to read next
beehiiv vs Substack, which newsletter platform should you use?Substack fees, what you actually paySubstack alternatives that don’t take 10% of your revenue
Frequently asked questions
Is beehiiv cheaper than Substack?
It depends on your revenue. beehiiv becomes cheaper once 10% of your subscription revenue is more than the beehiiv plan price for your list size.
How many paid subscribers before beehiiv is cheaper?
At $10 a month and a list of up to 2,500, about 79 paying readers on monthly billing, or 69 on yearly billing. Larger lists need more because the plan costs more.
Do both platforms charge Stripe fees?
Yes. Both use Stripe, which charges 2.9% plus 30 cents per US card payment.
Can I move from Substack to beehiiv?
Yes. beehiiv offers an importer for posts and subscribers. Paid subscribers also need their Stripe connection moved.
Build the audience first
One Idea, Six Channels
A plain English course for building a personal brand across your newsletter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and your own website, without posting everywhere every day.
- 34 short lessons in 8 modules
- 6 worksheets and templates
- A 30 day posting plan
