Substack vs beehiiv
Verdict. beehiiv is the better pick for most newsletters that already make money. It takes 0% of subscriptions and charges a plan fee instead, so at $5,000 a month in $25 payments you pay about $264 against Substack's $740. Its ad network and paid recommendations add income Substack doesn't offer. Substack wins at the very start. At $300 a month it costs about $59 against beehiiv's $86, and you can publish free with no plan at all. Keep in mind that beehiiv's Lite price, $59 at 1,000 subscribers, climbs as your list grows.
Pick Substack if
you're testing a paid idea and want to pay nothing until a reader pays you, while the app and recommendations help people find you.
Pick beehiiv if
your paid revenue has passed about $550 a month, where Substack's 10% plus Stripe's renewal fee outgrows Lite's $59 plan, and you want ad and recommendation income on top.
Side by side
| Compared | Substack | beehiiv |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 6.1 / 10 | 7.5 / 10 |
| Best for | Writers starting a paid newsletter with no upfront cost | Growth-focused newsletters that want ad and referral income |
| What it costs | Publishing is free, and on paid subscriptions Substack keeps 10% while Stripe adds 2.9% + $0.30 per US card payment and 0.7% on recurring charges. | beehiiv takes 0% of paid subscriptions and digital products, so you pay the plan price, $59 a month billed monthly for Lite at 1,000 subscribers, plus Stripe's 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction. |
| Keep from $1,000 | $834 (Paid subscriptions) | $882 (Lite) |
| Plans from | Free | $59/month |
| Payouts | Web payments land in your own Stripe account and pay out to your bank on Stripe's schedule. Apple pays Substack for iOS subscriptions once a month, up to 45 days after the month ends, and Substack then moves the money to your Stripe account or bank. Bank-direct app earnings are held until they reach $100. | Subscription and product sales pay out from your own Stripe account on Stripe's schedule. Ad network earnings reach your beehiiv Wallet on the 20th of each month for the previous month's ads, and paid recommendation earnings arrive as subscribers pass verification. Wallet withdrawals to your bank take 3 to 5 business days. |
| Who can join | Open to anyone 16 or older. Paid subscriptions need a Stripe account in a country Stripe supports. | Open to anyone 18 or older. Paid subscriptions need the Lite plan or higher and a Stripe account. The ad network isn't available in every region or during trials. |
| Founded | 2017 | 2021 |
Scorecards
| Criterion | Possible | Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Fees$166 on $1,000 a month | 3.0 | 1.11 |
| FeaturesDepth for its category | 2.0 | 1.40 |
| EaseSignup to first sale | 1.5 | 1.35 |
| OwnershipExport, domain, own payments | 2.0 | 1.20 |
| PayoutsSpeed, methods, countries | 1.5 | 1.05 |
| Total | 10.0 | 6.1 |
| Criterion | Possible | Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Fees$118 on $1,000 a month | 3.0 | 1.83 |
| FeaturesDepth for its category | 2.0 | 1.80 |
| EaseSignup to first sale | 1.5 | 1.20 |
| OwnershipExport, domain, own payments | 2.0 | 1.60 |
| PayoutsSpeed, methods, countries | 1.5 | 1.05 |
| Total | 10.0 | 7.5 |
Where Substack falls short
- The 10% never shrinks. At $10,000 a month you hand Substack $1,000 before Stripe.
- iOS in-app payments are on by default and can't be turned off while payments are connected.
- Apple-billed subscribers can't follow you if you leave. You keep only their emails.
- Less design control than Ghost or a website builder.
Where beehiiv falls short
- Free can't sell subscriptions. Paid tiers start at $59 a month billed monthly.
- The October 2026 repricing took Lite at 10,000 subscribers from $109 to $139 a month, per The Verge.
- Paid recommendations carry a 20% fee, built into the price you see.
- You can't opt out of appearing in the recommendations network.
Still deciding? See every option in newsletter platforms.