Quick picks
beehiiv
0% take on paid subscriptions (Lite and up), ad network, website, podcast and digital products. Free up to 2,500 subscribers.
Kit
Free up to 10,000 subscribers, sell products on Free; automations on Creator.
Substack
Free to publish forever; takes 10% of paid revenue plus Stripe.
Ghost
Branded site + newsletter, 0% Ghost fee on paid subs from $29/mo (yearly).
Side-by-side comparison
| Tool | Pricing | Free plan / trial | Fees on sales | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| beehiiv | Free up to 2,500 subscribers; paid plans from $49/mo (annual) | Yes, up to 2,500 subscribers, unlimited sends | 0% of paid-subscription revenue on paid plans; Stripe's standard 2.9% + $0.30 still applies | Growth-focused newsletters that want ads and paid subs without a revenue cut |
| Kit | Free up to 10,000 subscribers; Creator from $39/mo | Yes, up to 10,000 subscribers, unlimited broadcasts, sell products & subscriptions | Commerce (products & paid newsletters), 3.5% + $0.30 per USD transaction, all-in, on every plan including Free | Creators who sell products and need automations/sequences |
| Substack | Free to publish; 10% of paid-subscription revenue | Yes, publishing is free at any list size | 10% Substack fee on each subscription payment + Stripe processing (2.9% + $0.30 US cards) + 0.7% Stripe Billing | Writers who want zero upfront cost and Substack's built-in network (Notes, recommendations) |
| Ghost (Ghost(Pro)) | From $18/mo billed yearly; 0% transaction fees on paid plans | No hosted free plan (Ghost is also open-source if you self-host) | 0% Ghost transaction fee on paid subscriptions (Publisher and up); payment processor fees still apply | Publishers who want their own branded site, themes and 0% revenue share |
Official sources, checked Nov 2026. beehiiv · Kit · Kit help · Substack · Ghost (Ghost(Pro)). Prices in USD unless shown otherwise. Vendors change pricing, so confirm on their site before buying.
The real decision, percentage fee or flat fee?
Substack charges nothing until you earn, then takes 10% of every subscription payment forever. beehiiv, Kit and Ghost charge a flat monthly price (or nothing, on their free plans) and take 0% of subscription revenue, beehiiv and Ghost on paid plans; Kit charges an all-in 3.5% + $0.30 commerce fee instead.
At small revenue the differences are tens of dollars; at scale Substack’s 10% becomes the biggest line item. Plug in your own numbers in the fee calculator.
beehiiv
Best for growthFree up to 2,500 subscribers; paid plans from $49/mo (annual)
- 0% take on paid subscriptions (Lite and up)
- Generous free plan (2,500 subscribers) incl. website, podcast and digital products
- Ad monetisation and automations from Lite
- Paid subscriptions need a paid plan
- Price steps up with list size
- Removing beehiiv branding needs Pro
Kit
Best for selling productsFree up to 10,000 subscribers; Creator from $39/mo
- Free plan up to 10,000 subscribers
- Selling products and paid newsletters works even on Free
- Free migration service on paid plans
- No sending limits on any plan
- Automations beyond the basics need Creator
- Price rises with subscriber count
- 3.5% + $0.30 per sale, higher than raw Stripe
Substack
Best for starting freeFree to publish; 10% of paid-subscription revenue
- No monthly bill at any list size
- Built-in discovery network and app
- Simple model, no plans or tiers to choose
- 10% of paid revenue grows with you, it never caps
- Stripe fees are on top of the 10%
- Custom domain is a $50 add-on
Ghost (Ghost(Pro))
Best for your own brandFrom $18/mo billed yearly; 0% transaction fees on paid plans
- 0% Ghost fee on paid subscriptions
- White-label branding on every plan
- Open-source, you can self-host
- No free hosted plan
- Paid subscriptions need Publisher or higher
- Member limits mean price rises as you grow
Start where your next 12 months are going
If you plan to monetise with paid subscriptions or ads soon, beehiiv’s 0% take and growth tools win. If you sell products and need automations, Kit’s free plan is the best value in email. If you just want to write and see if anyone pays, Substack costs nothing up front. If owning a branded publication matters most, Ghost.
beehiiv vs SubstackSubstack vs GhostKit pricingSubstack alternatives
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest newsletter platform?
For a free list, Kit (up to 10,000 subscribers) and beehiiv (up to 2,500) both have free plans, and Substack is free to publish. For paid newsletters, the cheapest depends on revenue, use our fee calculator.
Which newsletter platform takes no cut of paid subscriptions?
beehiiv (on paid plans) and Ghost (Publisher and up) take 0% of subscription revenue; Stripe’s processing fees still apply.
Can I move my list later?
Yes. All four let you export subscribers. Paid subscriptions on Stripe can usually be migrated, check each platform’s migration docs.
Keep comparing
beehiiv vs Substack, which newsletter platform should you use?
Both are built for newsletters. The difference is the business model. Substack takes a percentage of what you earn; beehiiv charges a flat plan and…
Read the guideKit pricing, explained in plain numbers
Kit has one of the most generous free plans in email, and a commerce fee most comparison posts forget. Here’s exactly what you pay, plan by plan.
Read the guideSubstack alternatives that don’t take 10% of your revenue
Substack is a great place to start. But once paid subscriptions grow, 10% of revenue plus Stripe is a big bill.
Read the guide