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beehiiv vs ActiveCampaign: cost and features compared (2026)
Last verified against official pricing pages · USD, monthly billing, excluding tax
Prices change often. Every price here was checked against the platform's official pricing page on the date shown, but plans, promos and taxes vary. Always confirm on the official site before you buy or switch. Not financial advice.
Quick answer
- Basic newsletter: beehiiv is cheaper at 1,000, 10,000 and 25,000 subscribers; ActiveCampaign is cheaper at 5,000 subscribers.
- With automations: beehiiv is cheaper at 10,000 and 25,000 subscribers; ActiveCampaign is cheaper at 1,000 and 5,000 subscribers.
- Paid newsletter: only beehiiv has a verified option at every size we checked.
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Try beehiiv (paid link) Try ActiveCampaign
Cost at 1k, 5k, 10k and 25k subscribers
Basic newsletter (no automations)
| Subscribers | beehiiv | ActiveCampaign | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | $0 (Free) | $19 (Starter) | beehiiv by $19/mo |
| 5,000 | $109 (Lite) | $99 (Starter) | ActiveCampaign by $10/mo |
| 10,000 | $139 (Lite) | $189 (Starter) | beehiiv by $50/mo |
| 25,000 | $199 (Lite) | $489 (Starter) | beehiiv by $290/mo |
With automations (welcome sequences, drips)
| Subscribers | beehiiv | ActiveCampaign | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | $59 (Lite) | $19 (Starter) | ActiveCampaign by $40/mo |
| 5,000 | $109 (Lite) | $99 (Starter) | ActiveCampaign by $10/mo |
| 10,000 | $139 (Lite) | $189 (Starter) | beehiiv by $50/mo |
| 25,000 | $199 (Lite) | $489 (Starter) | beehiiv by $290/mo |
Paid newsletter (5% of subscribers pay $8/mo)
| Subscribers | beehiiv | ActiveCampaign | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | $88.40 (Lite) | n/a | beehiiv (only option in our verified data) |
| 5,000 | $256 (Lite) | n/a | beehiiv (only option in our verified data) |
| 10,000 | $433 (Lite) | n/a | beehiiv (only option in our verified data) |
| 25,000 | $934 (Lite) | n/a | beehiiv (only option in our verified data) |
Switching? beehiiv → ActiveCampaign cost · ActiveCampaign → beehiiv cost · Best platform for your needs
Cheapest plan on each platform that covers the list size and required features. Paid totals = plan + platform cut + Stripe card fees (2.9% + $0.30 per payment, estimate) + Stripe's 0.7% Billing fee on recurring payments where confirmed (beehiiv, MailerLite, Ghost, Buttondown, Substack, AWeber and Flodesk); not added for GetResponse (not confirmed); Kit's 3.5% + $0.30 is all-in. How we model fees. "limited" = feature is capped on that plan. Run your exact numbers →
Key differences
| beehiiv | ActiveCampaign | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | free up to 2,500 subscribers | no free plan |
| Fee on paid subscriptions | 0% platform cut + Stripe fees | not verified (not listed on the official pricing pages) |
| Cheapest plan with automations | Lite (from $59/mo) | Starter (from $19/mo) |
| Cheapest plan with own domain | Lite (from $59/mo) | Plus (from $59/mo) |
| Cheapest plan without platform branding | Pro (from $109/mo) | Plus (from $59/mo) |
| Plans | Free, Lite, Pro | Starter, Plus, Pro, Enterprise |
| Prices verified | 2026-10-20 | 2026-10-20 |
Who each is best for
beehiiv is best for
Newsletter-first publishers who want built-in growth and monetization tools (ad network, referrals, website) in one place.
- Bundles growth tools beyond email: website builder, ad network and referral program (ad network not on Free). source
- Takes 0% of paid-subscription revenue on paid plans; Stripe fees apply. source
- Raised prices on October 1, 2026 (Scale→Lite, Max→Pro); existing customers move at their first renewal on or after November 1, 2026. source
ActiveCampaign is best for
Businesses that live on automation (multi-step journeys, scoring, CRM-style follow-up) and are happy to pay more per contact than newsletter-first tools.
- Priced by contact count in bands (1,000, 2,500, 5,000, 7,500, 10,000, 15,000 ... 50,000); above 50,000 you request a quote. No free plan, only a 14-day trial. source
- The pricing page shows yearly billing; monthly billing costs more (e.g. Starter at 1,000 contacts: $19/mo monthly vs $180/yr), as shown on the official checkout page. source
- Monthly sends = 10× contacts on Starter and Plus, 12× on Pro, 15× on Enterprise; extra sends cost $0.005 each. source
- Multi-step automation on every plan. Landing pages on your own domain and turning off ActiveCampaign branding start at Plus. source
Try beehiiv (paid link) Try ActiveCampaign
FAQ
Is beehiiv cheaper than ActiveCampaign?
It depends on your list and needs. In our data (monthly billing, 1,000 / 5,000 / 10,000 / 25,000 subscribers): basic newsletter — beehiiv is cheaper at 1,000, 10,000 and 25,000 subscribers; ActiveCampaign is cheaper at 5,000 subscribers. With automations — beehiiv is cheaper at 10,000 and 25,000 subscribers; ActiveCampaign is cheaper at 1,000 and 5,000 subscribers. Paid newsletter — only beehiiv has a verified option at every size we checked. Prices verified 2026-10-20.
Which has the bigger free plan, beehiiv or ActiveCampaign?
beehiiv: free up to 2,500 subscribers. ActiveCampaign: no free plan. Free plans have feature limits — see the comparison table.
Do beehiiv and ActiveCampaign take a cut of paid subscriptions?
beehiiv: 0% platform cut + Stripe fees. ActiveCampaign: not verified (not listed on the official pricing pages).
What do beehiiv and ActiveCampaign cost at 10,000 subscribers?
On monthly billing, a basic newsletter costs $139/mo on beehiiv Lite and $189/mo on ActiveCampaign Starter. With automations: $139/mo (beehiiv Lite) vs $189/mo (ActiveCampaign Starter).
Sources
- beehiiv pricing (checked 2026-10-20)
- beehiiv: beehiiv.com/blog/beehiiv-pricing-2026
- ActiveCampaign pricing (checked 2026-10-20)
- ActiveCampaign: activecampaign.com/signup/?code=ac&tier=starter&contacts=1000¤cy=USD
- ActiveCampaign: help.activecampaign.com/hc/en-us/articles/10918125380764-About-email-send-limits-and-overage-fees
- ActiveCampaign: help.activecampaign.com/hc/en-us/articles/206775170-How-to-turn-off-ActiveCampaign-branding-in-your-account
- Stripe pricing (card-fee estimate)
- Stripe Billing pricing (0.7% on recurring payments)
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Guides: Is beehiiv worth it in 2026 · Substack to beehiiv migration · beehiiv Free plan (2026) · AWeber Free plan (2026) · Substack fees (2026) · Mailchimp to beehiiv migration
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Recently flagged: Kit: 25% off the first year of Pro on annual billing (limited-time offer) (20 Oct 2026) · beehiiv renames plans and raises prices (Scale → Lite, Max → Pro) (1 Oct 2026)