beehiiv vs Kit vs Substack: Which Newsletter Platform Should You Use?

The short answer

Prices are for lists of up to 1,000 subscribers and were checked on each vendor's own pricing page in October 2026. beehiiv and Kit prices rise as your list grows.

Three different business models

The headline prices hide the most important difference: these companies make money in different ways, and that decides what you pay later.

Substack takes a share of your revenue. Publishing is free, and stays free no matter how many readers you have, as long as your content is free. Once you charge, Substack's own FAQ lists a 10% platform fee, Stripe's 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction, and a 0.5% fee on recurring subscriptions. You pay nothing until you earn, and then you pay on every dollar.

beehiiv charges for the software instead. beehiiv says it takes zero revenue share from paid subscriptions; you pay Stripe's processing fee and, beyond the free tier, a monthly plan. The cost is fixed and predictable, and it does not grow with your income.

Kit is a marketing platform with a commerce layer. Its paid plans are priced by list size. When you sell digital products or paid newsletter subscriptions through Kit, the pricing page lists a 3.5% + 30¢ fee that includes card processing.

Where the costs cross over

Because Substack's cost scales with revenue and beehiiv's does not, there is a crossover point. Here is the maths for a newsletter earning $1,000 a month from paid subscribers, using only the published fees:

• Substack: the 10% platform fee alone is $100 a month, before Stripe's processing and the 0.5% billing fee.
• beehiiv: no revenue share, so the cost is your plan. Lite starts at $49 a month billed yearly for up to 1,000 subscribers, plus Stripe's processing.

At a few hundred dollars a month in paid revenue, Substack is usually the cheaper option because there is no fixed bill. As paid revenue grows, the 10% starts to cost more than a flat plan. Work out your own crossover with your real list size and expected revenue, because beehiiv's price rises as your list grows. Check which beehiiv tier includes the monetization features you need before committing.

beehiiv: built for growth

beehiiv's free plan is generous for a newsletter that is starting out: up to 2,500 subscribers, unlimited sends, a website, custom domains and campaign analytics. The paid tiers are where it gets distinctive.

• Lite ($59/mo, or $49/mo billed yearly, for up to 1,000 subscribers) adds the ad network, recommendations, digital products, email automations, surveys and two team seats.
• Pro ($109/mo, or $95/mo billed yearly) removes beehiiv branding and adds a sponsorship storefront, dynamic content, the Send API and ten seats.

The ad network is the reason media-style newsletters choose beehiiv: it offers a way to earn from a free newsletter without selling ads yourself. The tradeoff is cost. Once you outgrow the free tier you pay a monthly fee whether or not the newsletter earns anything.

Kit: built for selling

Kit (formerly ConvertKit) has the biggest free plan of the three by subscriber count: up to 10,000 subscribers, with unlimited broadcasts, landing pages and forms, and the ability to sell digital products and subscriptions.

• Creator ($33/mo, or $390/yr, for 1,000 subscribers) unlocks unlimited visual automations and email sequences, removes Kit branding and adds integrations.
• Pro ($66/mo standard price for 1,000 subscribers) adds a newsletter referral system, deliverability reporting, engagement scoring and unlimited users.

Automation is the core difference. If you want a subscriber who downloads a free guide to get a five-email sequence, be tagged by interest, and later receive a sales email for a matching product, Kit is designed for that. Read our full Kit review for the details.

Substack: built for writers

Substack removes almost every decision. You get a publication, a website, an app presence and payments without setting up a pricing plan. For a writer who wants to publish this week and focus on the writing, that simplicity is the product.

The other real advantage is discovery: readers already on Substack can find and recommend publications across the network, which neither beehiiv nor Kit can match in the same way.

The costs are the 10% revenue share and less control. Fewer branding, automation and segmentation options make Substack a weaker fit if the newsletter exists to sell something else.

How to choose

• You want to write, not run a business, yet: Substack. Start free and revisit if paid revenue grows large.
• Your newsletter is the business, earning from ads, sponsors and paid tiers: beehiiv.
• Your newsletter sells a course, product or service: Kit.
• You are under 2,500 subscribers and unsure: beehiiv's and Kit's free plans both cover you; choose by whether growth tools or automation matter more.

Moving later is possible but not painless. Exporting a subscriber list is easy; rebuilding automations, templates and paid subscriptions takes real time. Comparing more options? See our top email marketing platforms and Kit vs Mailchimp comparisons.

Pricing at a glance

beehiiv

Source: beehiiv pricing page, checked Oct 21, 2026. Prices change; confirm before buying.

Kit

Source: Kit pricing page, checked Oct 21, 2026. Prices change; confirm before buying.

Substack

Source: Substack pricing page, checked Oct 21, 2026. Prices change; confirm before buying.

Frequently asked questions

Which newsletter platform has the best free plan?

By subscriber count, Kit: its free plan covers up to 10,000 subscribers. beehiiv's free plan covers up to 2,500. Substack is free with no cap as long as your content is free.

How much does Substack take from paid subscriptions?

Substack's FAQ lists a 10% platform fee, plus Stripe's 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction and a 0.5% fee on recurring subscriptions.

Does beehiiv take a cut of paid subscriptions?

No. beehiiv says it takes zero revenue share from paid subscriptions. Stripe's standard 2.9% + $0.30 processing fee still applies, and you pay for a plan beyond the free tier.

Is Kit good for a paid newsletter?

Yes, if the newsletter is part of a wider business. Kit can sell paid newsletter access and digital products (its pricing page lists a 3.5% + 30 cent fee on those sales), and its main strength is automation.

Can I move my newsletter between platforms later?

Yes. All three let you export your subscriber list. What takes time is rebuilding automations, templates and paid subscriptions, so choose with your two-year plan in mind.

Bottom line

There is no single best platform, only the right business model for your newsletter. Substack is the easiest start and costs nothing until you earn. beehiiv is the strongest choice when the newsletter itself is the business. Kit is the right tool when the newsletter's job is to sell something else. Because all three start free, try the one that matches your plan and switch early if it doesn't fit.