beehiiv
Growth-focused newsletters that want ads and paid subs without a revenue cut
Newsletters
Writers who want zero upfront cost and Substack's built-in network (Notes, recommendations).
Heads up. Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes our verdicts, and prices come from official vendor pages. How we make money
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free to publish | $0 | Any number of subscribers |
| Paid subscriptions | 10% of revenue | Plus Stripe, 2.9% + $0.30 per US card payment and 0.7% Stripe Billing on recurring payments |
| Custom domain | $50 one-time | Optional |
Official sources, checked Nov 2026. Substack. Prices in USD unless shown otherwise. Vendors change pricing, so confirm on their site before buying.
Free to publish; 10% of paid-subscription revenue
Four platforms dominate creator newsletters. They differ less on features than on one thing, how they make money from you.
Read the guideBoth 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 guideSubstack and Ghost both power paid newsletters, but with opposite philosophies. Substack is a network you join for free; Ghost is software you pay…
Read the guideGrowth-focused newsletters that want ads and paid subs without a revenue cut
Creators who sell products and need automations/sequences
Publishers who want their own branded site, themes and 0% revenue share
Free, monthly
One short email a month with the price changes we spot and one idea for growing your brand. Unsubscribe any time.