beehiiv vs Substack (2026): Which One Should You Use?

This comparison isn’t sponsored by beehiiv or Substack. The links to both platforms are affiliate links: if you sign up through them I may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes my verdict.

beehiiv and Substack both let you send newsletters, but they lead to very different outcomes six months down the line. Most people see big writers on Substack or hear growth stories about beehiiv, and pick one without understanding the real trade-offs.

This comparison breaks down beehiiv vs Substack in a way that actually helps you choose. If you want to try either one, here are my links to beehiiv (20% off your first 3 months, or use the code SCOPE at checkout for the same discount) and Substack.

Quick answer

Substack is built for writers who want simplicity and readers who find them inside its app. beehiiv is built for creators who want growth tools, control and more ways to make money.

Best for writers who want to write and be discovered: Substack
Best for building a newsletter business: beehiiv
Cheaper once you earn from subscriptions: beehiiv (no revenue cut)
Cheapest to start charging readers: Substack (no monthly fee)

Rather watch than read?

I compare both platforms category by category in the video below.

Since I recorded this video, beehiiv has replaced its plans with Free, Lite and Pro, and Substack has launched a sponsorship program. This article reflects the current situation.

The core difference between beehiiv and Substack

Both are newsletter platforms, but they’re designed for very different creators:

Substack is a writing platform with a built-in network. It’s optimized for publishing, discovery and paid subscriptions.
beehiiv is a newsletter business platform. It’s optimized for growth, analytics and multiple ways to make money.

That single difference explains almost every feature decision on both platforms.

beehiiv vs Substack at a glance

Feature	beehiiv	Substack
Built for	A newsletter business	Writers who want simplicity
Design	Customizable fonts, colors, sections and layouts	Minimal and mostly locked
Discovery	Recommendation network, paid recommendations, referral program	Substack app, recommendations, leaderboards
Ways to earn	Paid subscriptions, ad network, paid recommendations, digital products, sponsorship storefront (Pro)	Paid subscriptions, sponsorships for publications with 100+ paid subscribers
Revenue cut	0%	10% of paid subscriptions
Monthly fee	Free up to 2,500 subscribers, paid plans from $49/mo billed yearly	None

Stripe’s payment fees apply on both platforms. Checked on October 2, 2026.

Writing and design

This is where Substack wins for many writers, and it matters for the day-to-day.

Substack removes decisions

Substack is extremely simple: open the editor, write and publish. The design is minimal, opinionated and mostly locked in, and that’s intentional. It keeps the focus on writing, not formatting. If you don’t want to think about layout, fonts or structure, Substack is hard to beat.

beehiiv gives you options

beehiiv gives you much more design flexibility, with some guardrails. You can customize fonts, colors, sections and layouts without designing everything from scratch. The trade-off is slightly more setup, but also more control over your brand, and it doesn’t overwhelm you.

Growth and discovery

This is one of the biggest differences between the two.

Substack has built-in discovery. Readers find you through recommendations, leaderboards and the Substack app, where lots of people spend time just reading. I often read on Substack for about 20 minutes a day myself, and I discover a lot of new writers there. That’s very powerful if you’re a writer, and great if you don’t want to market yourself. The catch is that you don’t fully control that audience: many readers know you as part of Substack.

beehiiv has no reader app or central discovery feed. Instead it gives you growth tools: a recommendation network where newsletters recommend each other when someone subscribes, paid recommendations (called Boosts until October 2026) where you pay other newsletters for new subscribers, and a referral program that rewards your readers for bringing in friends. Beyond that, growth comes from your website and SEO, partnerships and paid acquisition. The upside is more control; the downside is that you drive more of the growth yourself.

So if you want the platform to bring you readers, Substack helps. If you want audience ownership and a growth engine you control, beehiiv fits better.

Monetization

Substack is focused. You mainly make money through paid subscriptions, which works great for writers with strong opinions and loyal readers. Since June 2026 Substack also has a sponsorship program, where it matches brands with writers and handles the logistics. For now it’s limited to publications with at least 100 paid subscribers, and Substack hasn’t published what cut it takes.

beehiiv offers many more paths. You get paid subscriptions, an ad network, paid recommendations (you earn by recommending other newsletters), digital products, and a sponsorship storefront on the Pro plan. beehiiv takes 0% of your subscription revenue. That makes it better suited to creators building a media business, not just a newsletter.

Deliverability and infrastructure

This matters more than most people think. Substack handles everything for you, so you don’t think about deliverability, setup or email infrastructure at all. beehiiv also manages deliverability, but gives you more data and control as you grow.

On neither platform do you manage servers or IP addresses yourself. If email becomes a serious channel for your business, beehiiv’s extra visibility is worth having.

Ownership and control

This is where opinions get strong. Both platforms let you export your subscriber list, so you’re never fully locked in. The difference is the experience around it.

On Substack you’re building inside its ecosystem: your publication looks like every other Substack, readers often follow you through the Substack app, and the brand between you and your readers is Substack’s. On beehiiv the newsletter, website and design are your own brand, which is closer to running your own newsletter business than renting space. Neither is bad; they’re just different styles.

Pricing compared

The two charge in completely different ways. Substack is free to use but takes 10% of your paid subscription revenue, plus Stripe’s fees. beehiiv has a free plan up to 2,500 subscribers and flat monthly plans after that, with no revenue cut. Paid subscriptions start on beehiiv’s Lite plan: $59 per month at 1,000 subscribers and $139 at 10,000, billed monthly, or $49 at 1,000 billed yearly.

Here’s what that looks like in practice, per month:

Monthly subscription revenue	Substack’s 10%	beehiiv Lite, 1,000 subscribers	beehiiv Lite, 10,000 subscribers
$500	$50	$59	$139
$1,000	$100	$59	$139
$5,000	$500	$59	$139
$10,000	$1,000	$59	$139

beehiiv prices billed monthly, checked on October 2, 2026. Stripe’s payment fees apply on both platforms and aren’t included. Substack charges a one-time $50 if you want a custom domain.

The break-even point is simple: on beehiiv Lite at 1,000 subscribers, you save money as soon as your subscriptions bring in more than $590 a month. At 10,000 subscribers it’s $1,390 a month. If you plan to make serious subscription revenue, beehiiv becomes much cheaper over time. If you write for free, or only earn a little from subscriptions, Substack costs you less.

Choose beehiiv if…

You want to grow aggressively
You care about analytics and monetization options
You’re building a long-term media business
You want full control over your brand and audience

Get 20% off beehiiv

20% off your first 3 months through my link, or use the code SCOPE at checkout.

Choose Substack if…

You’re primarily a writer
You want simplicity above everything
You value discovery over control
You don’t want to think about growth mechanics

Try Substack

Final verdict

The best one for writers who want to write and be discovered is Substack. The best one for creators building a newsletter business is beehiiv.

If you’re unsure, think about where you want to be in a year. If the answer involves earning real money from your newsletter, the 10% cut and the limited monetization on Substack will start to hurt, and beehiiv is the better place to build.

Still comparing? See my guide to the best newsletter platforms, or my comparisons of beehiiv vs Ghost and beehiiv vs MailerLite.

FAQ

Is beehiiv better than Substack?

For building a newsletter business, yes: beehiiv has growth tools, more ways to make money, more design control and no revenue cut. For writers who just want to write and be discovered by readers inside the Substack app, Substack is the better choice.

How much does Substack take?

Substack takes 10% of your paid subscription revenue, and Stripe charges its payment fees on top. There’s no monthly fee, and a custom domain costs a one-time $50.

When is beehiiv cheaper than Substack?

As soon as your subscription revenue is higher than 10 times beehiiv’s monthly price. On the Lite plan at 1,000 subscribers ($59 per month, billed monthly), that’s anything above $590 a month in subscriptions.

Can you move from Substack to beehiiv?

Yes. Substack lets you export your subscriber list, so you can bring your audience to another platform like beehiiv.

Does Substack have sponsorships?

Since June 2026, yes, but only for publications with at least 100 paid subscribers, and Substack does the matchmaking. beehiiv has an ad network on its Lite plan and a sponsorship storefront on Pro.

Is there a beehiiv discount?

Yes. Signing up through my link gets you 20% off your first 3 months. You can also use the code SCOPE at checkout for the same discount.