Article · 12 min read

Beehiiv vs Substack: Which is Best for Monetizing Your Newsletter?

EmailTooltester · emailtooltester.com Free Beginner

A head-to-head of the two most common choices for a new newsletter, on fees, discovery, design and ads, updated October 2026.

  • Substack's network helps discovery; beehiiv's tools help you grow it yourself.
  • Compares what each costs once you charge readers.
  • Clear on which suits a free newsletter versus a paid one.
Open on emailtooltester.com ↗

The question it answers

  1. Which newsletter platform should I use?

Read with it

  1. Kit (formerly ConvertKit) is email marketing for creators and small businesses. The free plan holds up to 10,000 subscribers... kit.com Tool · Pricing page Kit pricing Kit
  2. Beehiiv's plan page: free up to 2,500 subscribers with unlimited sends, paid plans from $49 a month, a 0% take on paid... beehiiv.com Tool beehiiv pricing beehiiv
  3. Substack's own explanation of its model: free to publish, and when you charge readers, writers keep 90% of revenue minus card... substack.com Tool Going paid on Substack Substack
  4. Ghost's managed hosting plans: a website plus newsletter with members and paid subscriptions, Starter at $15 a month billed... ghost.org Tool Ghost(Pro) pricing Ghost Foundation
  5. A tested comparison of newsletter platforms (beehiiv, Kit, Substack, Ghost and others) on growth tools and monetisation,... emailtooltester.com Article · 15 min read The Best Newsletter Platforms for Creators (EmailTooltester) EmailTooltester
  6. Zapier's tested roundup of newsletter tools, updated February 2026, with a pick per use case. zapier.com Article · 15 min read The best email newsletter software (Zapier) Zapier
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