Substack Vs Medium Vs Beehiiv

So, you’ve been dabbling the idea of turning your email checklist right into an earnings stream, yet you’re bewildered by all the alternatives around. Noise acquainted? You’re not the only one. If you’ve been making use of a standard email solution and scratching your head about sponsorships, ads, and paid registrations, it might be time to take a look at beehiiv. In this overview, I’ll stroll you through whatever you require to learn about utilizing beehiiv to transform your newsletter into cash money– all from my very own experience. Ready? Let’s dive in Substack Vs Medium Vs Beehiiv

Why You Might Be Stuck with Your Current Email Platform

You have actually probably attempted the typical suspects: Mailchimp, ConvertKit (currently Kit), Substack, or something similar. And if you resemble a lot of small-scale web content creators, below’s what likely occurred:

Limited Monetization Options

You have a handful of devoted subscribers– perhaps 500 to 1,000 individuals– but no easy method to make money. Sponsorships feel like an international language, and you’re not keen on cold-emailing brands each month.

Do It Yourself Automation Headaches

You intend to drip campaign new subscribers, send out a welcome series, and segment folks for targeted e-mails … but establishing those automations feels like you need a computer technology degree.

System Costs Suck

Every time you consider paid memberships, the platform takes a big chunk, and the repayment configuration is more challenging than it deserves.

Development Delays

Development hacks appear to help everybody else– yet except you. You desire there was an easy way to discover brand-new customers without by hand chasing them down.

I remained in your shoes at the start of 2024. I ‘d been using Kit (formerly ConvertKit), but it felt like a dead end for monetization. Don’t get me wrong– Kit is fantastic for constructing funnels and establishing standard automations. However when it came to making a few hundred bucks a month from a little listing, there wasn’t an apparent “on” switch.

Enter beehiiv.

My Switch over to beehiiv: A Reality Examine

In January 2024, I ultimately shot and relocated my e-newsletter from Kit to beehiiv. Here’s the honest truth: I didn’t have time to hunt down enrollers, bargain prices, or develop complex paid funnels. I run a SEO writing company full time, so my e-newsletter was always mosting likely to be a side project. I needed something that virtually ran itself.

The “Sell Me” Minute

What sold me on beehiiv was straightforward:

Built-In Monetization: Right from the beginning, beehiiv shouts, “Hey, you can generate income here!” It wasn’t an afterthought or a third-party add-on.
Low-Effort Sponsorships: Instead of me scouring LinkedIn for enrollers, beehiiv brings offers straight to my dashboard. All I need to do is click “accept,” drop in the ad duplicate, and struck send out.
Passive Income Boosts: By advertising various other newsletters in my once a week email, I earn $1–$ 3 per referred subscriber. No heavy training, no complicated analytics– simply stable, step-by-step income.

Spoiler alert: It settled. In my initial complete year on beehiiv (2024 ), I pulled in $940 from advertisement sponsorships and boosts alone– on a list that never ever topped 1,000 clients. I didn’t develop a paid course. I really did not introduce a product and I simply let beehiiv do its thing.

My Partner Program Windfall

As if that had not been enough, I likewise joined the beehiiv Partner Program– essentially an affiliate program. By blogging about beehiiv on my blog site and sharing my experience with buddies, I swiped $5,108 in referral compensations with the end of 2024. Yep, you review that right: over 5 grand, simply by talking about the platform.

So if you’re questioning whether beehiiv is worth it for small designers or newbies, take my word: It’s a game-changer. Yet, naturally, it isn’t remarkable. Let’s break down the great, the negative, and the amazing stuff you require to recognize.

The Advantage of Using beehiiv

1. Monetization Made Extremely Simple

What I like best regarding beehiiv is just how easy it is to earn money on auto-pilot. You don’t need a big target market. Here’s just how it works:

Advertisement Network Sponsorships: When you strike simply 1,000 energetic customers, brands start lining up. You get 3– 6 ad requests per month generally. You select the ones you like, insert the duplicate, and you’re done. They ppc or see– no challenging invoicing. And since beehiiv matches you with pertinent brands, your subscribers are most likely to click.
Boosts Referral Revenue: Do not have sponsors yet? Not a problem. Promote various other designer e-newsletters for $1–$ 3 per client. It resembles Amazon’s affiliate program, but also for email listings. I gained numerous hundred bucks this way without breaking a sweat.
Paid Subscriptions (When You’re Ready): Down the line, if you make a decision to charge for premium web content, beehiiv takes a marginal charge (2.9% + $0.30 per purchase using Stripe). You can set up numerous pricing rates, run totally free trials, and even let subscribers “name their price.”.
Partner Program Commissions: Not in it for the short haul? Enroll in the affiliate program. Gain 60% commission on beehiiv’s monthly or annual plans when somebody signs up with your code. It’s essentially extra cash money for sharing something you already love.

Put simply, beehiiv transforms monetization into a built-in feature, rather than a job you dread.

2. Analytics That Don’t Make Your Head Explode

If you’ve ever stared at a control panel thinking, “What does any one of this really indicate?”, you’ll value beehiiv’s strategy:.

Clear Customer Development Charts: See specifically the number of new individuals joined, how many dropped off, and why your checklist diminished (more on that particular in a sec).
Open Up and Click Rates: Beehiiv breaks down performance over the last thirty days, so you can find trends right away. As an example, I kept an eye on my open price (hovering around 64%– tolerable) and my click-through (around 3.5%). If either metric dips, I modify my subject lines or calls-to-action.
Money making Dashboards: Sponsorship earnings, boosts earnings, partner referral profits– you get the picture. Revenue streams are nicely divided so absolutely nothing obtains lost in the shuffle.

It’s like having a sidekick who informs you, “Hey, your January email eliminated it– right here’s why,” or “Uh oh, your February open prices are tanking– let’s repair this.”.

3. Expanding Your Checklist Without Marketing Your Spirit

Many newsletter systems will certainly charge you for every extra subscriber after a limit. Not so with beehiiv– for as much as 2,500 subscribers, it’s cost-free. You obtain:.

Unrestricted email sends out.
Accessibility to the boosts network (expand your target market by advertising your newsletter on various other beehiiv e-newsletters).
Basic analytics and kinds.

If you’re a newbie or have a small target market, this is massive. You can explore subject lines, send regularity, and various lead magnets without worrying about hitting a paywall.

4. Built-In Website & Custom-made Pages

Picture dropping WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace completely because your newsletter platform functions as a website builder. That’s beehiiv in short:.

Newsletter Archive Pages: All your past emails survive on a blog-like page that’s automatically SEO-optimized.
Personalized Landing Pages: Required a lead magnet page? A thank-you web page? A page to market a product? You can build it right in beehiiv’s website builder.
Mobile-Friendly Templates: Whatever looks wonderful on phones– critical because a ton of folks read emails on mobile.

Certain, you won’t get every elegant drag-and-drop that a dedicated website builder supplies, but for the majority of designers, it’s ample.

5. Referral Program to Turbo Charge Development

Beehiiv’s referral program is awesome if you wish to use a community of like-minded designers. When your subscriber clicks “Recommend This E-newsletter” and signs up with, both you and the referring developer get credit history. It’s a smart means to expand your listing without spamming.

The Downsides: What to Keep an eye out for

No item is perfect– and beehiiv has its hiccups. Before you dive in, here’s what may trip you up:.

Feature Overload at First

When you visit, there are so many options– Kinds, Boosts, Ads, Partner Program, Analytics, Website Builder– that it can feel overwhelming. If you’ve only used an easy service that sends out one-off emails, you might require a number of days to obtain comfortable.

Irrelevant Advertisement Requests

Often the enrollers beehiiv matches you with have nothing to do with your particular niche. A gaming newsletter might obtain provided a code-review tool for developers. Ensure to decrease anything that doesn’t jive with your target market, or you’ll tank your click-throughs.

No Time Area– Based Sends

If your list is global, you can not instantly set up e-mails based on each subscriber’s time zone. All sends head out simultaneously, so you may wake up to reduced open prices if half your checklist is asleep.

Personalized Web Page Builder Isn’t Incredibly Instinctive

Developing a landing page is feasible, yet the UI could be smoother. I spent a few hours (and a handy chat with support) obtaining a freebie opt-in web page perfect. If you’re impatient or design-averse, you could find it cumbersome.

Restricted Integrations

If you utilize Gumroad to sell products, you run out luck– no direct integration yet. You’ll need to utilize embed codes or a Zapier workaround.

All that claimed, beehiiv’s group is regularly presenting updates– and those disadvantages are gradually yet definitely being resolved.

Who Should Take into consideration beehiiv?

Not everyone requires a completely featured e-newsletter system. However if any of the following defines you, beehiiv could be a suit made in paradise:.

Outright Beginners: You’ve never ever sent an e-mail blast, you do not wish to spend cash upfront, and you need a complimentary, simple way to experiment. Beehiiv lets you start free of cost, send unlimited emails to as much as 2,500 clients, and expand naturally with the boosts network.
Small-List Creators: If you already have a couple of hundred or a couple thousand customers however no clue exactly how to transform that right into earnings, beehiiv’s ad and boost programs are custom-made for you. In my initial ten months, I was making about $92/month with a ~ 1k checklist. Tolerable for coffee money, right?
Makers Who Hate “Salesy” Stuff: You do not intend to pitch items continuously or sling digital courses. You ‘d rather share value, construct trust, and let the money come in on autopilot. Beehiiv’s advertisement network and boosts let you earn without crafting a four-part sales funnel.
Switchers Who Do Not Want to Restore Whatever: Possibly you’re on Substack, Ghost, or Mailchimp, and your e-mail automations are a tangled mess. Beehiiv assures a smooth movement from those platforms. Plus, if you have a huge list (say 10k+), you can obtain help from beehiiv’s assistance team to relocate every little thing over without losing your automations.

Starting: A Detailed Walkthrough

Join and Discover the Control panel

When you produce an account, beehiiv drops you right into a dashboard where you see your client matter, open prices, click-through prices, and any kind of pending ad deals. Think about it as your mission control– everything you require is simply a click away.

Build Your Very First Subscribe Type

Navigate to Audience �’ Subscribe Types �’ Develop Brand-new Form. You’ll need:

A heading that hooks site visitors
A short blurb describing what your newsletter has to do with
A call-to-action button (e.g., “Join My E-newsletter”)
Your logo design or an appropriate picture
A post-subscribe message or redirect (e.g., “Many thanks for joining! Check your inbox in a sec.”)

You can choose from different form designs: full-width, fixed-width, slim embed (just the email area), or progressed (with monitoring codes). The customization options are basic– shades for buttons and history images– but it’s remarkably efficient for recording e-mails.

Set Up Your Site and Customized Pages

If you desire greater than just a form, hop right into Layout �’ Website Builder �’ Customized Pages �’ Internal Page. Utilize this to:

Host your e-newsletter archive (all previous issues, searchable and SEO-friendly).

Create a landing page for a freebie (e.g., “Download my search engine optimization cheat sheet”).

Develop a thank-you web page that goes real-time after a person subscribes.

I invested a couple of hours tweaking my very first landing page, once I mastered it, I recognized just how powerful it is to have every little thing under one roofing. Instead of managing Leadpages, WordPress, and Mailchimp, beehiiv does it all.

Draft Your First Newsletter

Click the big “Beginning Composing” switch in the top-right edge. You’ll see a tidy, distraction-free editor where you can:

Compose your e-mail copy Substack Vs Medium Vs Beehiiv
Insert photos, headers, and customized HTML blocks
Preview how it’ll search in inboxes and on your internet site
Arrange or send out right away

One catch: Customization is limited. Every client sees “Hello there” as opposed to “Hello there [First Name]” If you need hyper-personalization, you might miss that. But also for a lot of individuals, a friendly, conversational introductory is enough.

Switch on Money making

As soon as you strike 1,000 energetic subscribers, beehiiv will welcome you to:.

Join the Ad Network: Automatically get sponsorship requests that match your particular niche. Select which ones to approve, place the ad duplicate right into your e-newsletter, and earn money per click/view.
Establish Boosts: Put on advertise various other e-newsletters. If somebody signs up with via your link, you gain $1–$ 3 per customer.

For paid newsletters, navigate to Monetization �’ Paid Subscriptions. You’ll connect your Stripe account (beehiiv does not charge extra fees past Stripe’s handling), establish your pricing plans (monthly, yearly, or “Name Your Cost”), and decide what content goes behind the paywall.

Screen and Enhance

Check your analytics weekly. If open rates drop below 40%, reassess your subject lines. If a sponsorship obtains absolutely no clicks, it may be unimportant to your target market– decline similar future ads. When a boost converts well, send even more boost demands or modify your deal.

It might feel like a lot in the beginning, yet I guarantee you’ll master it within a couple of days. And the benefits– both financial and in regards to your target market’s development– deserve the first curve.

Deep Dive: beehiiv’s Monetization Options

If you’re serious about transforming your newsletter right into a profitable equipment, let’s break down each profits stream thoroughly.

1. beehiiv Partner Program (Affiliate Incomes)

Think of this as beehiiv’s affiliate program. Below’s the lowdown:.

How It Functions: You sign up for the Partner Program, get your special referral link, and share it on your blog site, Twitter, LinkedIn, any place. When someone clicks, signs up for a paid plan (Scale or Max), you gain a payment.
Compensation Fees: As Much As 60% of their first-year payment. If they pay $100, you could see $60. Cha-ching.
Payout: Beehiiv pays regular monthly via PayPal. No minimum threshold, no hoops to jump with.

In my situation, I released a Medium blog post strolling people via my beehiiv experience (spoiler: this guide right here is part of that initiative). Via a combination of blog website traffic and word-of-mouth, I made over $5,000 in affiliate commissions by December 2024. All I did was share my real experience.

2. Boosts: Earn by Helping Others Expand

Boosts are basically funded promotions– beehiiv’s spin on a “send for pay” model. Right here’s the scoop:.

Become a Boost Sponsor: If you assume your e-newsletter can aid others expand, apply in the Boosts control panel. You’ll explain why your target market is a great fit and set a rate you ‘d spend for a new customer.
Relate to Boost Others: If you desire fast customers, you can pay to boost your e-newsletter on other designers’ listings. But what many small developers like is the opposite: you relate to be a boost companion for other newsletters. When somebody register through your boost, you get $1–$ 3
Restrictions:
- You can send up to 25 boost offers monthly, but beehiiv just surfaces 3 deals at once to potential partners.
- If a boost is performing well, various other developers will certainly select it up rapidly.

Below’s a fast example: In October 2024, I advertised a fellow SEO designer’s e-newsletter for $1.75 per client. Over two weeks, I produced 200 new clients for them– and gained concerning $350 at the same time. Win-win.

3. beehiiv Ad Network (Sponsored Ads)

This is where the big bucks can come in, even if your list is “small.” Right here’s exactly how it goes:

Eligibility: You need a minimum of 1,000 energetic subscribers and a constant send schedule (at least one e-mail each month, though regular is perfect).
Automation: When accepted, you’ll start getting 3– 5 sponsorship demands per month. Beehiiv matches you with brands based on your target market’s interests– so a marketing SaaS company could come close to an SEO-focused e-newsletter, for example.
Settlement Model:
- Price Per Click (CPC): You generate income every single time somebody clicks the ad in your email.
- Expense Per Mille (CPM): You earn based upon a thousand impacts.
Alleviate of Use: You can accept or decline each offer right from your dashboard. Beehiiv deals with all the invoicing. All you do is copy-paste the advertisement right into your newsletter.

In 2024, I ran 37 sponsored advertisements, consisting of a few high-profile brand names like HubSpot. I made $632 from advertisements alone, with my top campaign producing $112 from 35 clicks (4.5% click-through). Remember: importance is king. Irrelevant advertisements tank click-through prices, so be discerning.

4. Paid Subscriptions (” Premium Material”)

If you create genuinely special content– deep dive records, exclusive tutorials, or expert analyses– you might consider a paid tier. Right here’s the 101:

Arrangement: Most Likely To Money Making �’ Paid Registrations, attach Stripe, and pick your pricing:
- Month-to-month
- Annual (typically marked down)
- One-time settlement (for a solitary guide or course)
- Name Your Rate (your customers pick what they can pay for)
Revenue Split: Beehiiv doesn’t charge you a system fee; they just pass Stripe’s processing fee (2.9% + $0.30) on you.
Instances: If you have 100 subscribers paying $7/month, that’s $700/month = $8,400/ year (minus Stripe charges). Not bad, right? Obviously, reaching 100 paid subscribers indicates you need a devoted, involved base.

Currently, be practical: Paid memberships are a work. You require regular, high-value web content that makes individuals comfortable pulling out their budgets. If you’re just beginning, the ad network and boosts could be quicker success.

Pricing Plans: What You’ll Pay (and Obtain)

I recognize pricing is a huge question mark when you’re thinking about switching systems. Right here’s the malfunction since mid-2025:.

Free Plan (approximately 2,500 clients): Great for pet projects or if you’re evaluating the waters. You still obtain boosts for listing development, fundamental analytics, and limitless sends– just no advertisement network or paid subscriptions yet.
Scale ($ 39.20/ month): Ideal if you’re serious about monetizing. You obtain ad network accessibility, boosts, paid registrations, and the AI Creating Assistant to accelerate your e-newsletter production.
Max ($ 87.29/ month): If AI tools (image generation, grammar taking care of, translation) issue to you, and you desire top priority assistance, this is the sweet spot. And also, you can launch a mobile app for your customers.
Enterprise (100k+ customers): For brand names and mega-creators who require custom movements, service-level agreements, and progressed safety and security. Few tiny developers need this.

My referral? Start on the Free plan. Obtain a feel for the dashboard, expand your list to 1,000, after that upgrade to Scale as soon as you recognize you classified ad earnings and boosts.

Distinct Features Substack Vs Medium Vs Beehiiv

You may be believing, “Okay, advertisements and boosts are amazing. However what else can beehiiv do that others can not?” Let me highlight a couple of standout features:.

1. Sound Newsletters

Ever before thought about transforming your email right into a podcast-like experience? Beehiiv’s integrated sound newsletter feature immediately transforms your e-mails into spoken-word sound. No additional editing software program, no outsourcing to Fiverr– just toggle it on, and your clients can pay attention on the go. For busy target markets who drive or exercise, this is a helpful means to remain connected.

2. Custom Mobile Apps for Readers

Many systems offer you a “mobile-optimized web site.” Beehiiv goes one action even more: you can launch a custom-made mobile application for your customers. Once they include it to their home screen, your newsletter comes to be a one-tap experience– no inbox clutter. Picture waking up and seeing app alerts when you go down a brand-new problem. Talk about involvement.

3. “Call Your Cost” Subscriptions

As opposed to compeling every person into $5 or $7 tiers, let your most loyal followers decide what to pay. It’s a trust-building relocation and can result in higher life time worth. I have not examined this feature personally yet, but for designers who really feel a little bit anxious regarding price points, it’s a wonderful alternative to explore.

4. beehiiv AI Suite

For those on Scale and Max plans, beehiiv’s AI tools are a blessing:

AI Composing Assistant: Produce newsletter drafts based on bullet points or topics. For days when you’re looking at a blank page, this starts your creativity.
AI Text Device: Grammar, punctuation, tone checks– no need for Grammarly. You obtain a clean, polished draft that feels human Substack Vs Medium Vs Beehiiv.
AI Image Tool: Develop custom-made header photos or illustrations without buying stock images. Simply type a punctual, and voila.
AI Translator: Intend to send your e-newsletter in several languages? Convert your material right into Spanish, French, German, Italian, or Portuguese instantaneously.

These features can shave hours off content development and assist you explore new styles.

Pro Tips For Succeeding on beehiiv

Now that you understand what beehiiv can do, below are some expert hacks to maximize it:

Tidy Your Checklist for Better Performance

In August 2024, I cut my client matter in half (from regarding 2,400 to 1,200) by getting rid of non-active e-mails– individuals who had not opened up anything in 6 months. My open rates leapt from ~ 45% to over 60%, which meant marketers paid even more per click. It harmed to lose clients, but a lean, involved list is worth more than a bloated, easy one.

Explore Subject Lines Like a Pro

Subject lines make or break open prices. Do A/B examinations on small segments before sending to your whole list. Brief, punchy, question-based subjects (” Ready to increase your traffic?”) frequently outperform generic ones (” April Newsletter”).

Be Pickier with Advertisement Offers

If an ad doesn’t resonate with your specific niche, say no. Irrelevant ads irritate viewers and storage tank click metrics. In time, beehiiv’s algorithm will discover what fits your audience– decrease enough off-topic deals, and they’ll stop sending them.

Use Boosts to Examine New Audiences

Obtained a new group you intend to discover? Try boosting your newsletter in a relevant niche. The cost per client averages $1.63– however if those subscribers stick around, it deserves it. I as soon as increased a search engine optimization newsletter in a digital marketing target market and got an unusual uptick in retention.

Utilize AI for Faster Manufacturing

On nights when I’m stressed out, I ask the AI Writing Aide to draft a rough outline: intro, three main points, conclusion. Then I flesh it out with my own narratives and design tweaks. It’s not excellent, yet it’s a solid structure that conserves me 30– 45 minutes per email.

Make use of the Mobile Application

Motivate subscribers to install your e-newsletter’s mobile application. In your next email, compose a fast “How to Add Our E-newsletter to Your Home Display” tutorial. More app sets up indicate even more exposure, and push notifications defeat inbox sound.

Deal Occasional Paid-Only Content

Instead of making every issue totally free, tease a “perk record” once a quarter behind a paywall ($ 5–$ 7). Promote it greatly to your listing. Even if you just sell 20 duplicates, that’s $100–$ 140 that offsets your monthly beehiiv bill.

Concluding: Is beehiiv Right for You?

If you have actually stuck with me this much, you possibly fall into among these camps:

You have actually never ever sent out a newsletter, but you’re itching to start– beehiiv’s free plan and intuitive devices are best for learning the ropes.
You have a tiny checklist (< 2,500) and wish to generate income from without frustrations-- beehiiv's advertisement network and boosts pay you for doing practically nothing extra.
You’re a mid-sized designer (1k+ customers) aiming to scale– beehiiv’s analytics, AI tools, and referral program aid you expand faster and gain more.
You hate intricate email systems– beehiiv strikes a balance between effective features and straightforward layout.

Certain, the feature collection can really feel discouraging in the beginning, and you could obtain a few irrelevant ad requests. Yet consider this: in under a year, I made practically $1,000 on a little checklist and over $5,000 in affiliate compensations simply by sharing my experience. I have actually seen adequate to recognize that if you spend a little time learning the system, the returns can be significant.

So, what are you waiting on? Register for beehiiv, check out the dashboard, and let the money making engines turn. Your future self will thanks when the checks roll in.