Beehiiv Vs Substack Vs ConvertKit – Trusted by Thousands of Top Creators!

So, you’ve been toying with the concept of turning your e-mail checklist into a revenue stream, but you’re overwhelmed by all the choices around. Noise acquainted? You’re not the only one. If you’ve been using a fundamental e-mail solution and damaging your head regarding sponsorships, advertisements, and paid subscriptions, it may be time to check out beehiiv. In this guide, I’ll walk you with whatever you require to understand about utilizing beehiiv to turn your e-newsletter right into money– all from my very own experience. Ready? Let’s dive in Beehiiv Vs Substack Vs ConvertKit

Why You Might Be Stuck with Your Present Email Platform

You’ve possibly attempted the usual suspects: Mailchimp, ConvertKit (now Kit), Substack, or something comparable. And if you resemble many small content makers, here’s what likely took place:

• Restricted Monetization Choices

You have a handful of faithful clients– maybe 500 to 1,000 people– however absolutely no very easy method to earn money. Sponsorships seem like an international language, and you’re not keen on cold-emailing brand names monthly.

• Do It Yourself Automation Headaches

You wish to leak campaign new customers, send a welcome collection, and section people for targeted e-mails … however setting up those automations feels like you require a computer science degree.

• System Fees Suck

Whenever you consider paid memberships, the platform takes a huge piece, and the payment configuration is extra complex than it’s worth.

• Growth Delays

Growth hacks appear to benefit everyone else– yet not for you. You desire there was a very easy means to locate brand-new subscribers without by hand chasing them down.

I was in your shoes at the beginning of 2024. I ‘d been utilizing Kit (previously ConvertKit), however it felt like a stumbling block for monetization. Don’t get me wrong– Kit is terrific for constructing funnels and setting up fundamental automations. However when it involved making a couple of hundred bucks a month from a tiny checklist, there wasn’t a noticeable “on” button.

Enter beehiiv.

My Switch over to beehiiv: A Reality Examine

In January 2024, I finally shot and relocated my newsletter from Kit to beehiiv. Here’s the honest truth: I really did not have time to hound enrollers, bargain prices, or construct challenging paid funnels. I run a SEO composing company full time, so my e-newsletter was always going to be a side project. I needed something that almost ran itself.

The “Sell Me” Minute

What offered me on beehiiv was straightforward:

• Integrated Money making: Right from the beginning, beehiiv yells, “Hey, you can earn money here!” It wasn’t an afterthought or a third-party add-on.
• Low-Effort Sponsorships: As opposed to me combing LinkedIn for sponsors, beehiiv brings deals right to my dashboard. All I need to do is click “approve,” drop in the ad copy, and struck send out.
• Easy Income Boosts: By advertising other newsletters in my weekly email, I gain $1–$ 3 per referred customer. No hefty lifting, no complex analytics– just consistent, incremental earnings.

Looter alert: It paid off. In my first complete year on beehiiv (2024 ), I drew in $940 from advertisement sponsorships and boosts alone– on a list that never ever topped 1,000 clients. I didn’t produce a paid course. I didn’t introduce an item and I simply let beehiiv do its thing.

My Partner Program Windfall

As if that had not been enough, I also signed up with the beehiiv Partner Program– primarily an affiliate program. By blogging about beehiiv on my blog and sharing my experience with chums, I pocketed $5,108 in referral payments through the end of 2024. Yep, you read that right: over 5 grand, just by speaking about the platform.

So if you’re wondering whether beehiiv is worth it for small designers or newbies, take my word: It’s a game-changer. But, naturally, it isn’t remarkable. Let’s break down the good, the bad, and the trendy stuff you need to understand.

The Advantage of Using beehiiv

1. Monetization Made Extremely Simple

What I like finest regarding beehiiv is how simple it is to generate income on autopilot. You do not need a massive target market. Right here’s how it functions:

• Advertisement Network Sponsorships: As soon as you strike simply 1,000 energetic subscribers, brands begin lining up. You get 3– 6 advertisement demands each month usually. You choose the ones you like, place the copy, and you’re done. They ppc or view– no complicated invoicing. And since beehiiv matches you with relevant brand names, your clients are more likely to click.
• Boosts Referral Income: Don’t have enrollers yet? No worry. Advertise various other designer newsletters for $1–$ 3 per subscriber. It resembles Amazon’s affiliate program, but for email lists. I earned a number of hundred dollars in this manner without breaking a sweat.
• Paid Subscriptions (When You prepare): Down the line, if you make a decision to bill for premium web content, beehiiv takes a minimal cost (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction through Stripe). You can set up several pricing tiers, run free tests, or perhaps let customers “name their cost.”.
• Partner Program Payments: Not in it for the brief haul? Sign up for the affiliate program. Earn 60% compensation on beehiiv’s month-to-month or annual plans when somebody join your code. It’s literally extra cash for sharing something you currently like.

Simply put, beehiiv transforms money making into a built-in feature, rather than a job you dread.

2. Analytics That Do Not Make Your Head Explode

If you’ve ever stared at a dashboard thinking, “What does any one of this in fact indicate?”, you’ll value beehiiv’s method:.

• Clear Customer Development Charts: See precisely the amount of brand-new individuals joined, the amount of handed over, and why your listing diminished (more on that particular in a sec).
• Open Up and Click Prices: Beehiiv breaks down efficiency over the last one month, so you can detect patterns as soon as possible. For instance, I kept an eye on my open price (floating around 64%– tolerable) and my click-through (around 3.5%). If either statistics dips, I fine-tune my subject lines or calls-to-action.
• Money making Dashboards: Sponsorship revenue, boosts income, companion referral revenues– you understand. Revenue streams are nicely separated so absolutely nothing obtains lost in the shuffle.

It resembles having a sidekick who informs you, “Hey, your January email eliminated it– below’s why,” or “Uh oh, your February open rates are tanking– let’s fix this.”.

3. Growing Your Checklist Without Offering Your Heart

Most newsletter platforms will certainly bill you for every single added customer after a limit. Not so with beehiiv– for approximately 2,500 subscribers, it’s totally free. You obtain:.

• Unlimited email sends.
• Accessibility to the boosts network (grow your target market by advertising your newsletter on other beehiiv newsletters).
• Fundamental analytics and forms.

If you’re a beginner or have a tiny target market, this is massive. You can explore subject lines, send out frequency, and various lead magnets without worrying about striking a paywall.

4. Integrated Web Site & Custom-made Pages

Think of abandoning WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace entirely since your newsletter platform functions as a website builder. That’s beehiiv essentially:.

• E-newsletter Archive Pages: All your past emails survive on a blog-like page that’s immediately SEO-optimized.
• Custom-made Landing Pages: Need a lead magnet web page? A thank-you web page? A web page to sell a product? You can construct it right in beehiiv’s website builder.
• Mobile-Friendly Templates: Everything looks excellent on phones– critical because a lots of people check out emails on mobile.

Sure, you will not get every expensive drag-and-drop that a dedicated website builder provides, but also for most developers, it’s more than enough.

5. Referral Program to Turbo Charge Growth

Beehiiv’s referral program is incredible if you wish to take advantage of a community of like-minded designers. When your customer clicks on “Recommend This Newsletter” and signs up with, both you and the referring designer obtain credit score. It’s a wise way to grow your checklist without spamming.

The Downsides: What to Watch Out For

No product is perfect– and beehiiv has its missteps. Before you dive in, right here’s what might trip you up:.

Feature Overload in the beginning

When you log in, there are so many options– Kinds, Boosts, Advertisements, Partner Program, Analytics, Website Builder– that it can feel frustrating. If you’ve only used a straightforward solution that sends one-off emails, you could need a couple of days to obtain comfortable.

Irrelevant Ad Requests

In some cases the sponsors beehiiv matches you with have nothing to do with your specific niche. A video gaming newsletter might get provided a code-review device for programmers. Make certain to decrease anything that doesn’t jive with your audience, or you’ll tank your click-throughs.

No Time Zone– Based Sends

If your listing is worldwide, you can’t automatically arrange e-mails based upon each customer’s time zone. All sends out head out at the same time, so you may get up to reduced open prices if half your listing is asleep.

Personalized Web Page Builder Isn’t Extremely Instinctive

Creating a landing page is possible, yet the UI could be smoother. I invested a few hours (and a handy chat with assistance) getting a giveaway opt-in page ideal. If you’re impatient or design-averse, you could find it clunky.

Minimal Integrations

If you utilize Gumroad to offer items, you’re out of luck– no straight integration yet. You’ll have to use embed codes or a Zapier workaround.

All that said, beehiiv’s team is constantly rolling out updates– and those disadvantages are slowly yet definitely being resolved.

Who Should Take into consideration beehiiv?

Not everybody needs a completely featured newsletter system. Yet if any of the following defines you, beehiiv might be a match made in paradise:.

1. Outright Beginners: You have actually never ever sent out an email blast, you don’t wish to spend money ahead of time, and you need a cost-free, easy method to experiment. Beehiiv lets you begin absolutely free, send out limitless emails to up to 2,500 customers, and grow organically with the boosts network.
2. Small-List Creators: If you already have a couple of hundred or a couple thousand customers however no idea how to transform that right into income, beehiiv’s advertisement and boost programs are custom-made for you. In my first ten months, I was making concerning $92/month with a ~ 1k listing. Not bad for coffee cash, right?
3. Creators Who Hate “Salesy” Stuff: You don’t wish to pitch items nonstop or sling digital training courses. You prefer to share value, build trust, and let the cash come in on auto-pilot. Beehiiv’s ad network and boosts let you make without crafting a four-part sales funnel.
4. Switchers Who Don’t Intend To Reconstruct Whatever: Perhaps you’re on Substack, Ghost, or Mailchimp, and your email automations are a tangled mess. Beehiiv assures a smooth migration from those platforms. And also, if you have a big list (state 10k+), you can get assist from beehiiv’s assistance group to move everything over without shedding your automations.

Getting Started: A Detailed Walkthrough

Subscribe and Check Out the Dashboard

When you develop an account, beehiiv drops you into a dashboard where you see your customer matter, open prices, click-through prices, and any pending ad deals. Consider it as your mission control– whatever you need is simply a click away.

Build Your First Subscribe Kind

Browse to Audience �’ Subscribe Kinds �’ Produce New Kind. You’ll require:

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

You can select from different form styles: full-width, fixed-width, slim embed (simply the e-mail field), or advanced (with monitoring codes). The personalization alternatives are basic– shades for switches and background images– but it’s surprisingly efficient for capturing e-mails.

Establish Your Web Site and Custom-made Pages

If you want greater than just a kind, jump right into Layout �’ Website Builder �’ Custom-made Pages �’ Internal Web Page. Use this to:

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

Produce a landing page for a freebie (e.g., “Download my SEO rip off sheet”).

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

I spent a couple of hours tweaking my very first landing page, once I mastered it, I understood exactly how effective it is to have everything under one roofing system. As opposed to handling Leadpages, WordPress, and Mailchimp, beehiiv does it all.

Draft Your Initial Newsletter

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

• Create your e-mail duplicate Beehiiv Vs Substack Vs ConvertKit
• Place pictures, headers, and custom-made HTML obstructs
• Preview exactly how it’ll search in inboxes and on your site
• Set up or send out immediately

One catch: Customization is limited. Every client sees “Hello there” as opposed to “Hi [Given name]” If you need hyper-personalization, you might miss out on that. However, for the majority of individuals, a friendly, conversational intro is enough.

Switch on Monetization

Once you hit 1,000 energetic customers, beehiiv will certainly welcome you to:.

• Join the Advertisement Network: Immediately get sponsorship demands that match your specific niche. Pick which ones to approve, place the ad copy right into your e-newsletter, and get paid per click/view.
• Establish Boosts: Put on advertise other newsletters. If a person joins via your link, you gain $1–$ 3 per subscriber.

For paid e-newsletters, browse to Monetization �’ Paid Subscriptions. You’ll attach your Stripe account (beehiiv doesn’t bill additional charges past Stripe’s processing), set your pricing plans (monthly, annual, or “Call Your Price”), and decide what web content goes behind the paywall.

Monitor and Maximize

Inspect your analytics weekly. If open prices go down listed below 40%, rethink your subject lines. If a sponsorship gets no clicks, it could be unnecessary to your target market– decrease comparable future ads. When a boost converts well, submit more boost requests or tweak your deal.

It might seem like a whole lot initially, but I assure you’ll get the hang of it within a couple of days. And the benefits– both financial and in terms of your audience’s development– are worth the initial curve.

Deep Dive: beehiiv’s Monetization Options

If you’re serious about transforming your e-newsletter right into a money-making maker, let’s break down each earnings stream carefully.

1. beehiiv Partner Program (Affiliate Profits)

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

• How It Works: You register for the Partner Program, order your special referral link, and share it on your blog, Twitter, LinkedIn, any place. When someone clicks, enroll in a paid plan (Range or Max), you gain a commission.
• Compensation Rates: As Much As 60% of their first-year payment. If they pay $100, you may see $60. Cha-ching.
• Payment: Beehiiv pays regular monthly by means of PayPal. No minimum threshold, no hoops to jump via.

In my instance, I published a Medium post strolling individuals via my beehiiv experience (spoiler: this overview right here is part of that effort). Through a mix of blog web traffic and word-of-mouth, I transformed $5,000 in affiliate payments by December 2024. All I did was share my authentic experience.

2. Boosts: Earn by Assisting Others Grow

Boosts are primarily sponsored promos– beehiiv’s spin on a “send for pay” version. Here’s the scoop:.

• End Up Being a Boost Sponsor: If you think your newsletter can aid others expand, apply in the Boosts dashboard. You’ll clarify why your audience is a good fit and established a price you ‘d pay for a new client.
• Apply to Boost Others: If you want fast clients, you can pay to boost your newsletter on various other designers’ lists. However what the majority of little developers love is the opposite: you apply to be a boost partner for other newsletters. When somebody register with your boost, you obtain $1–$ 3
• Limitations:
  • You can send up to 25 boost uses each month, however beehiiv only surface areas three deals each time to prospective companions.
  • If a boost is performing well, other designers will certainly pick it up swiftly.

Right here’s a fast example: In October 2024, I promoted a fellow SEO maker’s newsletter for $1.75 per customer. Over two weeks, I created 200 brand-new clients for them– and made about $350 while doing so. Win-win.

3. beehiiv Ad Network (Sponsored Ads)

This is where the large dollars can come in, even if your list is “little.” Here’s how it goes:

• Qualification: You need at least 1,000 energetic clients and a constant send schedule (at least one email each month, though once a week is ideal).
• Automation: When authorized, you’ll start receiving 3– 5 sponsorship demands each month. Beehiiv matches you with brand names based on your audience’s rate of interests– so a marketing SaaS business could come close to an SEO-focused e-newsletter, for instance.
• Repayment Model:
  • Expense Per Click (CPC): You earn money whenever somebody clicks the ad in your e-mail.
  • Expense Per Mille (CPM): You make based on a thousand impressions.
• Alleviate of Use: You can approve or decrease each offer right from your control panel. Beehiiv takes care of all the invoicing. All you do is copy-paste the ad right into your newsletter.

In 2024, I ran 37 funded advertisements, consisting of a few top-level brands like HubSpot. I made $632 from advertisements alone, with my top campaign producing $112 from 35 clicks (4.5% click-through). Bear in mind: importance is king. Unimportant ads storage tank click-through rates, so be careful.

4. Paid Subscriptions (” Premium Material”)

If you develop really special web content– deep dive reports, exclusive tutorials, or insider evaluations– you may think about a paid tier. Here’s the 101:

• Arrangement: Go to Monetization �’ Paid Registrations, attach Stripe, and select your pricing:
  • Monthly
  • Yearly (normally marked down)
  • One-time repayment (for a solitary overview or course)
  • Name Your Cost (your customers pick what they can pay for)
• Income Split: Beehiiv does not bill you a platform charge; they just pass Stripe’s processing charge (2.9% + $0.30) on to you.
• Examples: If you have 100 customers paying $7/month, that’s $700/month = $8,400/ year (minus Stripe charges). Tolerable, right? Certainly, getting to 100 paid clients means you need a dedicated, engaged base.

Now, be sensible: Paid registrations are a grind. You require regular, high-value material that makes people comfy pulling out their pocketbooks. If you’re simply starting, the advertisement network and boosts could be quicker wins.

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

I know pricing is a huge enigma when you’re thinking of changing systems. Below’s the breakdown since mid-2025:.

• Free Plan (approximately 2,500 subscribers): Great for pet projects or if you’re evaluating the waters. You still obtain boosts for list development, basic analytics, and limitless sends– simply no ad network or paid registrations yet.
• Scale ($ 39.20/ month): Ideal if you’re serious about generating income from. You obtain advertisement network gain access to, boosts, paid registrations, and the AI Composing Aide to quicken your e-newsletter production.
• Max ($ 87.29/ month): If AI tools (picture generation, grammar fixing, translation) issue to you, and you want concern assistance, this is the pleasant spot. Plus, you can launch a mobile application for your subscribers.
• Enterprise (100k+ subscribers): For brand names and mega-creators who require custom migrations, service-level contracts, and progressed security. Few tiny makers need this.

My recommendation? Begin on the Free plan. Obtain a feel for the control panel, expand your checklist to 1,000, then update to Scale once you know you classified ad profits and boosts.

Special Features Beehiiv Vs Substack Vs ConvertKit

You could be thinking, “Okay, ads and boosts are amazing. Yet what else can beehiiv do that others can’t?” Let me highlight a few standout features:.

1. Sound Newsletters

Ever before thought of transforming your email into a podcast-like experience? Beehiiv’s built-in sound e-newsletter feature immediately transforms your emails into spoken-word audio. No added editing software application, no outsourcing to Fiverr– simply toggle it on, and your clients can listen on the go. For hectic audiences who drive or work out, this is a helpful method to remain connected.

2. Personalized Mobile Application for Readers

A lot of systems provide you a “mobile-optimized web site.” Beehiiv goes one step better: you can launch a customized mobile app for your clients. Once they add it to their home display, your e-newsletter ends up being a one-tap experience– no inbox mess. Envision getting up and seeing application notifications when you drop a new issue. Talk about interaction.

3. “Name Your Price” Memberships

Rather than requiring everyone right into $5 or $7 tiers, let your most loyal followers determine what to pay. It’s a trust-building action and can result in higher life time worth. I have not tested this feature personally yet, but for makers who feel a little bit worried concerning cost factors, it’s a sweet alternative to explore.

4. beehiiv AI Suite

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

• AI Creating Assistant: Create e-newsletter drafts based upon bullet factors or subjects. For days when you’re looking at an empty web page, this starts your imagination.
• AI Text Device: Grammar, spelling, tone checks– no need for Grammarly. You get a clean, polished draft that really feels human Beehiiv Vs Substack Vs ConvertKit.
• AI Picture Device: Produce custom header pictures or pictures without buying stock photos. Just type a prompt, and voila.
• AI Translator: Wish to send your e-newsletter in multiple languages? Equate your material into Spanish, French, German, Italian, or Portuguese instantaneously.

These features can shave hours off material creation and aid you try out brand-new styles.

Pro Tips For Prospering on beehiiv

Now that you know what beehiiv can do, here are some insider hacks to take advantage of it:

Tidy Your Checklist for Better Efficiency

In August 2024, I cut my customer count in half (from about 2,400 to 1,200) by removing inactive e-mails– individuals who hadn’t opened anything in six months. My open prices jumped from ~ 45% to over 60%, which meant marketers paid even more per click. It harmed to shed subscribers, but a lean, involved listing deserves more than a puffed up, passive one.

Experiment with Subject Lines Like a Pro

Subject lines make or burst rates. Do A/B tests on little segments prior to sending to your whole list. Short, punchy, question-based topics (” Ready to double your traffic?”) typically outperform generic ones (” April Newsletter”).

Be Pickier with Advertisement Offers

If an ad doesn’t reverberate with your specific niche, say no. Irrelevant ads annoy viewers and tank click metrics. In time, beehiiv’s algorithm will learn what fits your audience– decline enough off-topic offers, and they’ll stop sending them.

Usage Boosts to Evaluate New Audiences

Obtained a brand-new classification you wish to explore? Attempt improving your newsletter in a relevant specific niche. The price per client standards $1.63– yet if those subscribers remain, it deserves it. I as soon as boosted a SEO newsletter in a digital marketing audience and obtained a surprising uptick in retention.

Utilize AI for Faster Production

On evenings when I’m burnt out, I ask the AI Writing Aide to compose a rough outline: intro, three bottom lines, verdict. Then I flesh it out with my own narratives and style tweaks. It’s not ideal, yet it’s a strong structure that saves me 30– 45 minutes per e-mail.

Make use of the Mobile App

Encourage customers to mount your newsletter’s mobile app. In your next e-mail, compose a quick “How to Include Our E-newsletter to Your Home Display” tutorial. Even more application mounts indicate more exposure, and push notices beat inbox noise.

Deal Periodic Paid-Only Content

Instead of making every issue free, tease a “bonus offer record” once a quarter behind a paywall ($ 5–$ 7). Promote it greatly to your listing. Even if you only sell 20 copies, that’s $100–$ 140 that offsets your month-to-month beehiiv costs.

Completing: Is beehiiv Right for You?

If you’ve stuck with me this far, you possibly fall under one of these camps:

• You have actually never ever sent an e-newsletter, however you’re itching to start– beehiiv’s free plan and instinctive devices are excellent for learning the ropes.
• You have a small checklist (< 2,500) and wish to monetize without headaches-- beehiiv's ad network and boosts pay you for doing virtually absolutely nothing added.
• You’re a mid-sized designer (1k+ customers) wanting to scale– beehiiv’s analytics, AI tools, and referral program aid you grow faster and gain extra.
• You dislike complicated e-mail platforms– beehiiv strikes a balance between powerful features and user-friendly layout.

Sure, the feature collection can feel intimidating in the beginning, and you might obtain a couple of irrelevant ad requests. Yet consider this: in under a year, I made virtually $1,000 on a small checklist and over $5,000 in associate commissions just by sharing my experience. I have actually seen sufficient to know that if you invest a little bit of time learning the system, the returns can be significant.

So, what are you waiting on? Enroll in beehiiv, check out the control panel, and let the money making engines transform. Your future self will certainly thank you when the checks roll in.