beehiiv
Growth-focused newsletters that want ads and paid subs without a revenue cut
Free up to 2,500 subscribers; paid plans from $49/mo (annual)
Category
Newsletters
Where to write, grow and get paid for your newsletter, compared on what each platform really costs.
Guides and comparisons
Newsletters
Kit 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.
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The best newsletter platform for creators (2026)
Four platforms dominate creator newsletters. They differ less on features than on one thing, how they make money from you.
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Substack 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.
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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…
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Substack vs Ghost, rent an audience or own a publication?
Substack and Ghost both power paid newsletters, but with opposite philosophies. Substack is a network you join for free; Ghost is software you pay…
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Substack fees, what you actually pay
Substack is free to use, until someone pays you. Here’s every fee in the chain, worked through with real numbers from Substack’s own help centre.
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beehiiv pricing
What beehiiv costs, read from its official pricing page and dated, plus who each plan is for.
Read the guideIn the directory
See them in the full directoryKit
Creators who sell products and need automations/sequences
Free up to 10,000 subscribers; Creator from $39/mo
Substack
Writers who want zero upfront cost and Substack's built-in network (Notes, recommendations)
Free to publish; 10% of paid-subscription revenue
Ghost (Ghost(Pro))
Publishers who want their own branded site, themes and 0% revenue share
From $18/mo billed yearly; 0% transaction fees on paid plans
Pricing at a glance
| Tool | Pricing | Free plan / trial | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| beehiiv | Free up to 2,500 subscribers; paid plans from $49/mo (annual) | Yes, up to 2,500 subscribers, unlimited sends | 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 | 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 | 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) | 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 platforms
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#1
beehiiv
Free up to 2,500 subscribers; paid plans from $49/mo (annual)
Pros
- 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
Cons
- Paid subscriptions need a paid plan
- Price steps up with list size
- Removing beehiiv branding needs Pro
Pricing checked Nov 2026 · official pricingTry beehiiv
#2
Kit
Free up to 10,000 subscribers; Creator from $39/mo
Pros
- 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
Cons
- Automations beyond the basics need Creator
- Price rises with subscriber count
- 3.5% + $0.30 per sale, higher than raw Stripe
Pricing checked Nov 2026 · official pricingTry Kit
#3
Substack
Free to publish; 10% of paid-subscription revenue
Pros
- No monthly bill at any list size
- Built-in discovery network and app
- Simple model, no plans or tiers to choose
Cons
- 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
Pricing checked Nov 2026 · official pricingTry Substack
#4
Ghost (Ghost(Pro))
From $18/mo billed yearly; 0% transaction fees on paid plans
Pros
- 0% Ghost fee on paid subscriptions
- White-label branding on every plan
- Open-source, you can self-host
Cons
- No free hosted plan
- Paid subscriptions need Publisher or higher
- Member limits mean price rises as you grow
Pricing checked Nov 2026 · official pricingTry Ghost (Ghost(Pro))