Difference Between Beehiiv and Substack

So, you have actually been dabbling the idea of turning your email listing right into an earnings stream, but you’re overwhelmed by all the alternatives around. Audio acquainted? You’re not alone. If you’ve been utilizing a basic email service and scratching your head regarding sponsorships, ads, and paid subscriptions, it may be time to check out beehiiv. In this guide, I’ll walk you with whatever you require to know about making use of beehiiv to transform your e-newsletter right into cash– all from my own experience. Ready? Let’s dive in Difference Between Beehiiv and Substack

Why You May be Stuck with Your Present Email System

You’ve possibly attempted the usual suspects: Mailchimp, ConvertKit (currently Kit), Substack, or something similar. And if you resemble the majority of small material designers, below’s what likely took place:

Restricted Monetization Choices

You have a handful of faithful clients– maybe 500 to 1,000 individuals– yet absolutely no very easy means to make money. Sponsorships feel like a foreign language, and you’re not keen on cold-emailing brand names monthly.

Do It Yourself Automation Headaches

You wish to trickle campaign new customers, send out a welcome series, and section folks for targeted e-mails … but establishing those automations seems like you need a computer technology degree.

System Fees Draw

Every single time you consider paid registrations, the system takes a substantial portion, and the payment arrangement is much more difficult than it deserves.

Growth Delays

Growth hacks appear to help everybody else– but not for you. You want there was an easy way to find brand-new subscribers without by hand chasing them down.

I was in your footwear at the beginning of 2024. I would certainly been utilizing Kit (formerly ConvertKit), but it felt like a stumbling block for monetization. Do not get me wrong– Kit is fantastic for constructing funnels and setting up basic automations. However when it pertained to making a couple of hundred bucks a month from a tiny checklist, there had not been an apparent “on” button.

Enter beehiiv.

My Change to beehiiv: A Fact Check

In January 2024, I finally shot and moved my e-newsletter from Kit to beehiiv. Right here’s the honest truth: I really did not have time to pursue sponsors, negotiate prices, or build complex paid funnels. I run a SEO writing service permanent, so my newsletter was constantly mosting likely to be a side project. I required something that practically ran itself.

The “Market Me” Moment

What marketed me on beehiiv was straightforward:

Integrated Money making: Right from the beginning, beehiiv shouts, “Hey, you can generate income right here!” It wasn’t an afterthought or a third-party add-on.
Low-Effort Sponsorships: As opposed to me searching LinkedIn for enrollers, beehiiv brings offers right to my dashboard. All I have to do is click “accept,” decrease in the advertisement duplicate, and struck send out.
Passive Earnings Boosts: By promoting other e-newsletters in my once a week e-mail, I make $1–$ 3 per referred subscriber. No hefty lifting, no complex analytics– simply stable, incremental income.

Spoiler alert: It repaid. In my very first complete year on beehiiv (2024 ), I pulled in $940 from ad sponsorships and boosts alone– on a listing that never topped 1,000 subscribers. I really did not develop a paid program. I really did not release an item and I just let beehiiv do its point.

My Partner Program Windfall

As if that wasn’t enough, I also signed up with the beehiiv Partner Program– basically an affiliate program. By blogging about beehiiv on my blog and sharing my experience with pals, I swiped $5,108 in referral commissions via completion of 2024. Yep, you read that right: over 5 grand, just by speaking about the platform.

So if you’re wondering whether beehiiv deserves it for little developers or newbies, take my word: It’s a game-changer. However, certainly, it isn’t remarkable. Let’s break down the great, the bad, and the cool things you require to recognize.

The Advantage of Using beehiiv

1. Monetization Made Unbelievably Basic

What I enjoy ideal regarding beehiiv is how very easy it is to earn money on autopilot. You do not require a significant target market. Right here’s exactly how it works:

Advertisement Network Sponsorships: When you hit just 1,000 energetic customers, brand names start lining up. You obtain 3– 6 ad requests monthly typically. You choose the ones you like, insert the duplicate, and you’re done. They pay per click or check out– no difficult invoicing. And due to the fact that beehiiv matches you with relevant brand names, your clients are more probable to click.
Boosts Referral Income: Don’t have enrollers yet? Not a problem. Promote other creator e-newsletters for $1–$ 3 per customer. It’s like Amazon’s affiliate program, but also for email lists. I gained numerous hundred dollars this way without breaking a sweat.
Paid Subscriptions (When You prepare): Down the line, if you determine to charge for premium content, beehiiv takes a very little cost (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction using Stripe). You can set up numerous pricing rates, run free tests, or perhaps let subscribers “name their cost.”.
Partner Program Payments: Not in it for the brief haul? Sign up for the affiliate program. Gain 60% compensation on beehiiv’s monthly or yearly plans when somebody signs up with your code. It’s actually added money for sharing something you already love.

Put simply, beehiiv transforms money making right into an integrated feature, instead of a job you dread.

2. Analytics That Do Not Make Your Head Explode

If you’ve ever before stared at a dashboard reasoning, “What does any one of this actually suggest?”, you’ll appreciate beehiiv’s method:.

Clear Client Development Charts: See precisely the number of new people signed up with, the number of left, and why your listing shrank (much more on that particular in a sec).
Open and Click Prices: Beehiiv breaks down efficiency over the last thirty days, so you can spot patterns as soon as possible. As an example, I watched on my open rate (floating around 64%– not bad) and my click-through (around 3.5%). If either statistics dips, I modify my subject lines or calls-to-action.
Money making Dashboards: Sponsorship revenue, boosts income, companion referral incomes– you understand. Revenue streams are nicely separated so nothing gets shed in the shuffle.

It resembles having a partner who tells you, “Hey, your January email killed it– here’s why,” or “Uh oh, your February open rates are tanking– let’s fix this.”.

3. Expanding Your Checklist Without Selling Your Soul

A lot of e-newsletter platforms will charge you for each additional subscriber after a threshold. Not so with beehiiv– for as much as 2,500 clients, it’s totally free. You get:.

Endless e-mail sends.
Accessibility to the boosts network (grow your audience by advertising your newsletter on other beehiiv e-newsletters).
Fundamental analytics and forms.

If you’re a novice or have a small audience, this is huge. You can trying out subject lines, send frequency, and different lead magnets without stressing over striking a paywall.

4. Built-In Internet Site & Customized Pages

Think of ditching WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace entirely since your e-newsletter system doubles as a website builder. That’s beehiiv in short:.

E-newsletter Archive Pages: All your past emails reside on a blog-like web page that’s instantly SEO-optimized.
Custom-made Landing Pages: Need a lead magnet web page? A thank-you page? A page to offer an item? You can construct it right in beehiiv’s website builder.
Mobile-Friendly Templates: Everything looks wonderful on phones– vital because a ton of people read emails on mobile.

Sure, you will not get every fancy drag-and-drop that a specialized website builder uses, but also for most creators, it’s ample.

5. Referral Program to Turbo Charge Growth

Beehiiv’s referral program is amazing if you want to tap into a community of like-minded developers. When your client clicks on “Recommend This Newsletter” and signs up with, both you and the referring creator get debt. It’s a smart way to expand your checklist without spamming.

The Downsides: What to Keep an eye out for

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

Feature Overload at First

When you log in, there are so many choices– Forms, Boosts, Ads, Partner Program, Analytics, Website Builder– that it can feel overwhelming. If you have actually just made use of a basic service that sends out one-off e-mails, you might need a couple of days to obtain comfy.

Unnecessary Advertisement Requests

Sometimes the enrollers beehiiv matches you with have nothing to do with your niche. A pc gaming e-newsletter might get offered a code-review device for designers. Make sure to decrease anything that doesn’t jive with your audience, or you’ll tank your click-throughs.

No Time Zone– Based Sends

If your list is worldwide, you can’t instantly schedule e-mails based on each subscriber’s time zone. All sends go out simultaneously, so you could get up to low open prices if half your listing is asleep.

Customized Web Page Builder Isn’t Extremely Instinctive

Producing a landing page is possible, however the UI could be smoother. I invested a couple of hours (and a helpful chat with assistance) obtaining a freebie opt-in web page ideal. If you’re impatient or design-averse, you could discover it confusing.

Restricted Integrations

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

All that stated, beehiiv’s group is constantly turning out updates– and those disadvantages are gradually however certainly being addressed.

Who Should Take into consideration beehiiv?

Not everyone needs a fully featured newsletter platform. However if any one of the following describes you, beehiiv might be a suit made in paradise:.

Absolute Beginners: You’ve never ever sent out an email blast, you do not intend to spend money ahead of time, and you require a totally free, easy means to experiment. Beehiiv lets you start completely free, send endless emails to up to 2,500 subscribers, and grow organically with the boosts network.
Small-List Creators: If you currently have a couple of hundred or a couple thousand clients however no clue exactly how to transform that right into revenue, beehiiv’s advertisement and boost programs are tailor-made for you. In my initial ten months, I was making concerning $92/month with a ~ 1k list. Okay for coffee cash, right?
Developers Who Hate “Salesy” Stuff: You do not wish to pitch products nonstop or sling digital training courses. You ‘d rather share worth, develop trust fund, and let the money can be found in on autopilot. Beehiiv’s advertisement network and boosts let you make without crafting a four-part sales funnel.
Switchers Who Don’t Wish To Rebuild Whatever: Perhaps you’re on Substack, Ghost, or Mailchimp, and your e-mail automations are a twisted mess. Beehiiv guarantees a smooth migration from those platforms. And also, if you have a big listing (claim 10k+), you can get help from beehiiv’s support group to move every little thing over without shedding your automations.

Beginning: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough

Register and Discover the Control panel

As soon as you produce an account, beehiiv drops you right into a control panel where you see your client count, open rates, click-through prices, and any pending ad deals. Think of it as your mission control– whatever you require is simply a click away.

Build Your Very First Subscribe Form

Browse to Audience �’ Subscribe Types �’ Produce Brand-new Kind. You’ll require:

A headline that hooks site visitors
A short blurb clarifying what your e-newsletter is about
A call-to-action button (e.g., “Join My Newsletter”)
Your logo design or a relevant photo
A post-subscribe message or redirect (e.g., “Thanks for signing up with! Examine your inbox in a sec.”)

You can pick from different form styles: full-width, fixed-width, slim embed (simply the e-mail field), or progressed (with tracking codes). The modification alternatives are basic– shades for switches and background photos– however it’s surprisingly efficient for recording emails.

Establish Your Web Site and Custom Pages

If you desire greater than simply a form, hop right into Layout �’ Website Builder �’ Custom-made Pages �’ Internal Web Page. Use this to:

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

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

Develop a thank-you page that goes live after somebody subscribes.

I spent a couple of hours tweaking my first landing page, once I got the hang of it, I realized exactly how powerful it is to have every little thing under one roofing. As opposed to handling Leadpages, WordPress, and Mailchimp, beehiiv does it all.

Draft Your Initial E-newsletter

Click the huge “Begin Composing” button in the top-right corner. You’ll see a clean, distraction-free editor where you can:

Create your email duplicate Difference Between Beehiiv and Substack
Put pictures, headers, and custom HTML obstructs
Preview how it’ll search in inboxes and on your web site
Arrange or send out quickly

One catch: Personalization is restricted. Every customer sees “Hey there” rather than “Hey there [Given name]” If you need hyper-personalization, you may miss that. But for many folks, a pleasant, conversational intro is enough.

Turn On Money making

When you strike 1,000 active customers, beehiiv will invite you to:.

Join the Ad Network: Immediately get sponsorship demands that match your particular niche. Choose which ones to accept, place the advertisement copy right into your newsletter, and make money per click/view.
Establish Boosts: Put on promote various other e-newsletters. If somebody signs up with using your link, you earn $1–$ 3 per customer.

For paid newsletters, navigate to Monetization �’ Paid Memberships. You’ll attach your Stripe account (beehiiv doesn’t charge additional charges beyond Stripe’s processing), set your pricing plans (monthly, annual, or “Call Your Cost”), and decide what material goes behind the paywall.

Display and Maximize

Check your analytics weekly. If open rates go down below 40%, rethink your subject lines. If a sponsorship gets absolutely no clicks, it might be pointless to your audience– decrease similar future ads. When a boost transforms well, send even more boost demands or modify your offer.

It may seem like a whole lot initially, but I promise you’ll get the hang of it within a few days. And the incentives– both monetary and in terms of your target market’s growth– deserve the first contour.

Deep Dive: beehiiv’s Money making Options

If you’re serious about turning your newsletter right into a profitable maker, let’s break down each profits stream carefully.

1. beehiiv Partner Program (Affiliate Earnings)

Consider this as beehiiv’s affiliate program. Right here’s the lowdown:.

How It Functions: You sign up for the Partner Program, get your distinct referral link, and share it on your blog site, Twitter, LinkedIn, anywhere. When someone clicks, enroll in a paid plan (Scale or Max), you make a commission.
Payment Rates: Approximately 60% of their first-year payment. If they pay $100, you could see $60. Cha-ching.
Payment: Beehiiv pays regular monthly by means of PayPal. No minimum threshold, no hoops to leap with.

In my case, I released a Medium post strolling individuals via my beehiiv experience (looter: this overview right here is part of that initiative). Via a mix of blog site website traffic and word-of-mouth, I transformed $5,000 in associate commissions by December 2024. All I did was share my genuine experience.

2. Boosts: Gain by Assisting Others Expand

Boosts are basically sponsored promos– beehiiv’s spin on a “send for pay” design. Below’s the scoop:.

End Up Being a Boost Sponsor: If you assume your e-newsletter can aid others grow, apply in the Boosts dashboard. You’ll explain why your target market is a good fit and set a price you would certainly pay for a brand-new subscriber.
Apply to Boost Others: If you want fast clients, you can pay to boost your e-newsletter on various other creators’ lists. Yet what most tiny creators like is the opposite: you apply to be a boost companion for various other newsletters. When somebody signs up through your boost, you get $1–$ 3
Limits:
- You can send up to 25 boost provides each month, however beehiiv only surfaces 3 deals at once to prospective partners.
- If a boost is performing well, various other developers will select it up rapidly.

Right here’s a fast instance: In October 2024, I promoted a fellow SEO designer’s e-newsletter for $1.75 per customer. Over two weeks, I created 200 brand-new clients for them– and made concerning $350 in the process. Win-win.

3. beehiiv Ad Network (Sponsored Ads)

This is where the big dollars can come in, even if your checklist is “small.” Below’s just how it goes:

Qualification: You require at least 1,000 energetic clients and a regular send out schedule (at least one e-mail per month, though weekly is perfect).
Automation: As soon as authorized, you’ll begin getting 3– 5 sponsorship demands per month. Beehiiv matches you with brand names based upon your target market’s rate of interests– so a marketing SaaS company could approach an SEO-focused e-newsletter, as an example.
Settlement Version:
- Price Per Click (CPC): You make money each time somebody clicks the advertisement in your e-mail.
- Price Per Mille (CPM): You earn based upon a thousand perceptions.
Reduce of Use: You can approve or decline each deal 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 funded ads, including a few high-profile brand names like HubSpot. I made $632 from advertisements alone, with my leading campaign generating $112 from 35 clicks (4.5% click-through). Keep in mind: significance is king. Pointless ads storage tank click-through rates, so be careful.

4. Paid Subscriptions (” Premium Material”)

If you create genuinely unique web content– deep dive records, unique tutorials, or expert evaluations– you might take into consideration a paid tier. Below’s the 101:

Setup: Most Likely To Money Making �’ Paid Subscriptions, connect Stripe, and pick your pricing:
- Regular monthly
- Yearly (typically marked down)
- One-time settlement (for a single overview or course)
- Call Your Cost (your customers select what they can pay for)
Earnings Split: Beehiiv doesn’t charge you a platform fee; they just pass Stripe’s processing charge (2.9% + $0.30) on to you.
Instances: If you have 100 customers paying $7/month, that’s $700/month = $8,400/ year (minus Stripe costs). Tolerable, appropriate? Certainly, reaching 100 paid subscribers suggests you need a dedicated, involved base.

Now, be practical: Paid memberships are a work. You need constant, high-value content that makes individuals comfortable pulling out their pocketbooks. If you’re simply starting, the advertisement network and boosts could be quicker success.

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

I know pricing is a large question mark when you’re thinking of switching systems. Right here’s the break down since mid-2025:.

Free Plan (up to 2,500 customers): Great for pet projects or if you’re checking the waters. You still obtain boosts for list development, basic analytics, and endless sends out– simply no ad network or paid subscriptions yet.
Scale ($ 39.20/ month): Perfect if you’re serious about generating income from. You obtain ad network gain access to, boosts, paid registrations, and the AI Creating Aide to quicken your newsletter creation.
Max ($ 87.29/ month): If AI devices (photo generation, grammar fixing, translation) issue to you, and you want top priority support, this is the pleasant place. Plus, you can introduce a mobile application for your clients.
Enterprise (100k+ subscribers): For brand names and mega-creators who need customized migrations, service-level arrangements, and advanced safety and security. Very few little creators need this.

My recommendation? Start on the Free plan. Get a feel for the control panel, grow your listing to 1,000, then update to Scale once you understand you classifieds revenue and boosts.

Special Features Difference Between Beehiiv and Substack

You may be thinking, “Okay, advertisements and boosts are great. Yet what else can beehiiv do that can not?” Let me highlight a few standout features:.

1. Sound Newsletters

Ever considered transforming your email into a podcast-like experience? Beehiiv’s integrated sound newsletter feature automatically transforms your e-mails right into spoken-word sound. No additional editing and enhancing software, no outsourcing to Fiverr– simply toggle it on, and your customers can pay attention on the go. For hectic target markets who drive or exercise, this is a handy method to remain linked.

2. Custom Mobile Application for Visitors

The majority of systems give you a “mobile-optimized internet site.” Beehiiv goes one action further: you can launch a custom-made mobile application for your subscribers. Once they add it to their home display, your e-newsletter comes to be a one-tap experience– no inbox clutter. Think of awakening and seeing application notices when you go down a brand-new concern. Talk about involvement.

3. “Name Your Cost” Registrations

As opposed to forcing everyone right into $5 or $7 tiers, let your most devoted fans decide what to pay. It’s a trust-building relocation and can cause greater lifetime value. I have not tested this feature directly yet, but for designers who really feel a bit worried concerning cost points, it’s a sweet alternative to explore.

4. beehiiv AI Collection

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

AI Composing Aide: Produce newsletter drafts based on bullet factors or subjects. For days when you’re staring at a blank page, this boosts your imagination.
AI Text Device: Grammar, spelling, tone checks– no need for Grammarly. You obtain a clean, sleek draft that feels human Difference Between Beehiiv and Substack.
AI Image Tool: Develop customized header images or images without buying stock photos. Simply type a prompt, and voila.
AI Translator: Wish to send your e-newsletter in numerous languages? Translate your material right into Spanish, French, German, Italian, or Portuguese instantly.

These features can shave hours off content creation and aid you trying out brand-new layouts.

Pro Tips For Doing well on beehiiv

Since you know what beehiiv can do, here are some expert hacks to maximize it:

Tidy Your Checklist for Better Performance

In August 2024, I reduced my subscriber count in half (from regarding 2,400 to 1,200) by removing inactive e-mails– individuals who had not opened up anything in six months. My open rates leapt from ~ 45% to over 60%, which implied advertisers paid more per click. It injured to lose clients, but a lean, engaged listing deserves greater than a puffed up, passive one.

Trying Out Topic Lines Like a Pro

Subject lines make or burst rates. Do A/B examinations on small segments prior to sending to your entire listing. Brief, punchy, question-based subjects (” Ready to double your web traffic?”) frequently outperform common ones (” April E-newsletter”).

Be Pickier with Ad Offers

If an advertisement does not reverberate with your niche, say no. Unimportant ads annoy visitors and storage tank click metrics. In time, beehiiv’s formula will learn what fits your target market– decline sufficient off-topic offers, and they’ll quit sending them.

Usage Boosts to Evaluate New Audiences

Obtained a new classification you wish to check out? Attempt improving your newsletter in an associated niche. The cost per customer standards $1.63– but if those subscribers remain, it deserves it. I when enhanced a SEO e-newsletter in a digital marketing target market and got an unusual uptick in retention.

Leverage AI for Faster Production

On evenings when I’m burnt out, I ask the AI Writing Assistant to prepare a rough outline: introductory, 3 main points, verdict. Then I flesh it out with my own anecdotes and design tweaks. It’s not perfect, but it’s a solid structure that saves me 30– 45 minutes per email.

Capitalize on the Mobile Application

Encourage customers to mount your newsletter’s mobile app. In your next email, write a quick “Just how to Add Our E-newsletter to Your Home Display” tutorial. More app sets up mean more presence, and press alerts defeat inbox sound.

Deal Periodic Paid-Only Content

As opposed to making every problem cost-free, tease a “perk record” once a quarter behind a paywall ($ 5–$ 7). Advertise it greatly to your listing. Even if you just offer 20 duplicates, that’s $100–$ 140 that offsets your month-to-month beehiiv bill.

Wrapping Up: Is beehiiv Right for You?

If you have actually stuck with me this far, you most likely fall into among these camps:

You’ve never ever sent out an e-newsletter, yet you’re itching to begin– beehiiv’s free plan and intuitive tools are ideal for learning the ropes.
You have a tiny list (< 2,500) and want to monetize without frustrations-- beehiiv's ad network and boosts pay you for doing nearly nothing extra.
You’re a mid-sized designer (1k+ subscribers) seeking to range– beehiiv’s analytics, AI devices, and referral program assist you expand quicker and earn a lot more.
You hate intricate e-mail platforms– beehiiv strikes an equilibrium in between effective features and user-friendly layout.

Certain, the feature set can feel intimidating initially, and you might get a few irrelevant advertisement requests. However consider this: in under a year, I made nearly $1,000 on a tiny checklist and over $5,000 in associate commissions just by sharing my experience. I have actually seen enough to recognize that if you spend a little bit of time learning the system, the returns can be considerable.

So, what are you awaiting? Enroll in beehiiv, explore the control panel, and let the money making engines transform. Your future self will thanks when the checks roll in.