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beehiiv vs Substack: 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: Substack is cheaper at 5,000, 10,000 and 25,000 subscribers; they cost the same at 1,000 subscribers.
- With automations: beehiiv is cheaper at every size we checked.
- Paid newsletter: beehiiv is cheaper at 5,000, 10,000 and 25,000 subscribers; Substack is cheaper at 1,000 subscribers.
Try beehiiv (affiliate) Try Substack
Cost at 1k, 5k, 10k and 25k subscribers
Basic newsletter (no automations)
| Subscribers | beehiiv | Substack | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | $0 (Free) | $0 (Free + 10% of paid revenue) | Same |
| 5,000 | $109 (Lite) | $0 (Free + 10% of paid revenue) | Substack by $109/mo |
| 10,000 | $139 (Lite) | $0 (Free + 10% of paid revenue) | Substack by $139/mo |
| 25,000 | $199 (Lite) | $0 (Free + 10% of paid revenue) | Substack by $199/mo |
With automations (welcome sequences, drips)
| Subscribers | beehiiv | Substack | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | $59 (Lite) | n/a | beehiiv |
| 5,000 | $109 (Lite) | n/a | beehiiv |
| 10,000 | $139 (Lite) | n/a | beehiiv |
| 25,000 | $199 (Lite) | n/a | beehiiv |
Substack has no native automation builder in our data, so that scenario shows n/a.
Paid newsletter (5% of subscribers pay $8/mo)
| Subscribers | beehiiv | Substack | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | $85.60 (Lite) | $66.60 (Free + 10% of paid revenue) | Substack by $19/mo |
| 5,000 | $242 (Lite) | $333 (Free + 10% of paid revenue) | beehiiv by $91/mo |
| 10,000 | $405 (Lite) | $666 (Free + 10% of paid revenue) | beehiiv by $261/mo |
| 25,000 | $864 (Lite) | $1,665 (Free + 10% of paid revenue) | beehiiv by $801/mo |
Switching? beehiiv → Substack cost · Substack → beehiiv cost · Best platform for your needs
Cheapest plan on each platform that covers the list size and required features. Paid-newsletter totals include the plan, any platform cut and estimated card processing (Stripe 2.9% + $0.30 per payment; Kit's all-in fee instead). "limited" = feature is capped on that plan. Run your exact numbers →
Key differences
| beehiiv | Substack | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | free up to 2,500 subscribers | free at any size |
| Fee on paid subscriptions | 0% platform cut + Stripe fees | 10% platform cut + Stripe fees |
| Cheapest plan with automations | Lite (from $59/mo) | not available |
| Cheapest plan with own domain | Lite (from $59/mo) | Free + 10% of paid revenue (free) + $50 one-time |
| Cheapest plan without platform branding | Pro (from $109/mo) | not available |
| Plans | Free, Lite, Pro | Free + 10% of paid revenue |
| 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
Substack is best for
Writers starting from zero who want $0 upfront cost and Substack's built-in network, and are fine giving up 10% of paid revenue.
Try beehiiv (affiliate) Try Substack
FAQ
Is beehiiv cheaper than Substack?
It depends on your list and needs. In our data (monthly billing, 1,000 / 5,000 / 10,000 / 25,000 subscribers): basic newsletter — Substack is cheaper at 5,000, 10,000 and 25,000 subscribers; they cost the same at 1,000 subscribers. With automations — beehiiv is cheaper at every size we checked. Paid newsletter — beehiiv is cheaper at 5,000, 10,000 and 25,000 subscribers; Substack is cheaper at 1,000 subscribers. Prices verified 2026-10-20.
Which has the bigger free plan, beehiiv or Substack?
beehiiv: free up to 2,500 subscribers. Substack: free at any size. Free plans have feature limits — see the comparison table.
Do beehiiv and Substack take a cut of paid subscriptions?
beehiiv: 0% platform cut + Stripe fees. Substack: 10% platform cut + Stripe fees.
What do beehiiv and Substack cost at 10,000 subscribers?
On monthly billing, a basic newsletter costs $139/mo on beehiiv Lite and $0/mo on Substack Free + 10% of paid revenue. With automations: $139/mo (beehiiv Lite) vs n/a on Substack.
Sources
- beehiiv pricing (checked 2026-10-20)
- beehiiv: beehiiv.com/blog/beehiiv-pricing-2026
- Substack pricing (checked 2026-10-20)
- Substack: substack.com
- Stripe pricing (card-fee estimate)
More comparisons: beehiiv vs Kit · Kit vs MailerLite · beehiiv vs MailerLite · Substack vs Ghost · Mailchimp vs MailerLite · Brevo vs MailerLite · Brevo vs Mailchimp · all comparisons · Cheapest for 1k, 5k, 10k subscribers
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