Beehiiv

Beehiiv is a modern newsletter platform built for creators, publishers, and businesses who want to grow and monetize their audience. Unlike legacy email tools, Beehiiv was designed from the ground up with monetization and growth in mind.

The platform powers newsletters for Morning Brew, Milk Road, and thousands of other creators. With over 15,000 active publications and $50M+ in funding, Beehiiv has quickly become a serious Substack alternative.

What sets Beehiiv apart is its focus on monetization—you can earn revenue from day one through the Beehiiv Ad Network, paid subscriptions, and referral programs. Plus, the platform is free to start with up to 2,500 subscribers.

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Details

Category: Email Marketing

Pricing: Freemium

Type of Pricing: Monthly

Best For: Newsletter creators and publishers

Last Edited: January 30, 2025

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Key Features

Built-in Monetization Options

Beehiiv offers multiple revenue streams built directly into the platform, making it easy to monetize your newsletter without third-party integrations.

• Beehiiv Ad Network: Automatically match with advertisers based on your niche and audience size. Creators typically earn $10-$50 CPM.
• Paid Subscriptions: Offer premium content with Stripe integration. Keep 100% of subscription revenue (minus Stripe fees).
• Premium Recommendations: Get paid when you recommend other newsletters to your audience.
• Boosts: Grow your list by appearing in other newsletters’ recommendations.

Referral Program for Organic Growth

Beehiiv’s built-in referral system helps you grow organically by incentivizing your readers to share your newsletter.

• Customizable rewards: Set milestones (e.g., refer 5 friends, get a free eBook)
• Automated tracking: Built-in analytics show which readers are driving the most referrals
• Email templates: Pre-built referral emails make it easy for readers to share
• Viral growth: Some newsletters have grown 10,000+ subscribers purely through referrals

Advanced Analytics and Segmentation

Understand your audience with detailed analytics that go far beyond basic open rates.

• Subscriber analytics: See growth trends, churn rate, and subscriber lifetime value
• Engagement metrics: Track opens, clicks, and time spent reading
• Geographic data: Know where your readers are located
• Device breakdown: Optimize for mobile vs. desktop readers
• Segmentation: Create targeted campaigns based on engagement, location, or custom tags

3D Secure Email Deliverability

Beehiiv prioritizes deliverability with advanced infrastructure that ensures your emails reach the inbox, not spam.

• Dedicated IP: Available on higher plans for better sender reputation
• DMARC, SPF, DKIM: Automatic email authentication setup
• Spam testing: Built-in tool to check spam score before sending
• Deliverability monitoring: Real-time alerts if deliverability drops

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Use Cases

Content Creators Monetizing Newsletters

Perfect for creators who want to turn their newsletter into a revenue stream. The Beehiiv Ad Network allows you to start earning from day one without building direct advertiser relationships.

Example workflow:

1. Write and publish your weekly newsletter
2. Enable the Ad Network once you hit 1,000+ subscribers
3. Earn $10-$50 CPM automatically from matched advertisers
4. Add paid subscriptions for premium content
5. Use referral program to grow organically

Publishers Migrating from Substack

Many publishers are moving from Substack to Beehiiv for better monetization options and no revenue sharing on subscriptions.

Why switch:

• Keep 100% of subscription revenue (Substack takes 10%)
• Access to Ad Network (not available on Substack)
• Better analytics and segmentation tools
• More customization options for branding

Agencies and B2B Companies

B2B companies use Beehiiv for lead nurturing campaigns, product updates, and thought leadership content.

Features for B2B:

• Advanced segmentation for personalized campaigns
• API access for custom integrations
• Team collaboration features
• White-label options on Enterprise plan

Side Hustlers Building Passive Income

Ideal for side hustlers who want to build a newsletter-based passive income stream without heavy upfront investment.

Passive income strategy:

1. Start with free plan (up to 2,500 subscribers)
2. Grow organically using referral program
3. Enable Ad Network at 1,000 subscribers
4. Add paid tier for exclusive content
5. Automate with scheduled sends and evergreen sequences

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Pros

• Generous free tier: Up to 2,500 subscribers completely free—no credit card required
• Built-in monetization: Ad Network, subscriptions, and referrals all in one platform
• Best-in-class deliverability: Emails consistently land in the inbox, not spam
• Modern editor: Clean, intuitive interface with drag-and-drop functionality
• No revenue sharing: Keep 100% of subscription revenue (only pay Stripe fees)
• Growth tools: Referral program and Boosts accelerate organic growth
• Responsive support: Fast customer support with detailed documentation

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Cons

• Limited design customization: Templates are clean but not as flexible as ConvertKit or MailerLite
• No SMS marketing: Email-only platform (no SMS campaigns like Klaviyo)
• Learning curve for advanced features: Segmentation and automation can be complex for beginners
• Ad Network minimum: Need 1,000+ subscribers to access the Ad Network
• Young platform: Launched in 2021, so less proven than Mailchimp or ConvertKit (though growing fast)

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Pricing and Plans

Plan	Price	Key Features	Best For
Launch	Free	Up to 2,500 subscribers, 3 newsletters, Website builder, Unlimited sends, Custom domain	Beginners and new newsletters
Scale	$49/mo	Up to 10,000 subscribers, Ad Network, Referral program, Paid subscriptions, AI features, A/B testing	Creators monetizing newsletters
Max	$109/mo	Up to 100,000 subscribers, Remove Beehiiv branding, Priority support, NewsletterXP course access	Growing publishers and agencies
Enterprise	Custom	100,000+ subscribers, Dedicated IP, White-label, Custom integrations, SLA	Large enterprises and publishers

Free trial: 30 days on Grow or Scale plans (credit card required)

Money-back guarantee: None, but free plan available to test features

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Conclusion

Bottom line: Beehiiv is the best newsletter platform for creators who prioritize monetization and growth. The built-in Ad Network and referral program make it easy to earn revenue and grow organically without external tools.

Beehiiv is worth it if:

• You want to monetize your newsletter from day one
• You’re serious about growing your subscriber base organically
• Email deliverability is a priority
• You want to keep 100% of subscription revenue (vs. Substack’s 10% cut)
• You’re willing to invest time learning the platform’s advanced features

Skip it if:

• You need SMS marketing capabilities
• You want extensive design customization (check ConvertKit instead)
• You have fewer than 500 subscribers and don’t plan to monetize soon
• You prefer a simpler, no-frills tool (try Buttondown)

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Can I migrate my existing newsletter to Beehiiv?

A: Yes, Beehiiv offers free migration support for all plans. They’ll help you import subscribers from Substack, Mailchimp, ConvertKit, or any other platform. The migration typically takes 1-3 business days.

Q: How much can I earn from the Beehiiv Ad Network?

A: CPM rates typically range from $10-$50 depending on your niche, audience quality, and engagement rates. Tech, finance, and business newsletters tend to earn higher CPMs. You need at least 1,000 subscribers to join the Ad Network.

Q: Does Beehiiv integrate with other tools?

A: Yes, Beehiiv integrates with Zapier (3,000+ apps), Stripe (payments), WordPress (embed forms), and has an API for custom integrations. However, native integrations are more limited compared to Mailchimp.

Q: Can I use my own domain for the newsletter?

A: Yes, on the Grow plan and above, you can use a custom domain (e.g., newsletter.yourdomain.com) instead of the default Beehiiv subdomain. This improves branding and deliverability.

Q: Is Beehiiv GDPR compliant?

A: Yes, Beehiiv is fully GDPR compliant with features like double opt-in, easy unsubscribe options, and data export tools. You can also add custom GDPR consent checkboxes to signup forms.