Can I Use Beehiiv For Free – A Full Breakdown!

So, you’ve been dabbling the concept of transforming your e-mail list right into a revenue stream, but you’re bewildered by all the alternatives available. Sound acquainted? You’re not alone. If you have actually been making use of a basic e-mail solution and damaging your head regarding sponsorships, ads, and paid registrations, it could be time to check out beehiiv. In this guide, I’ll walk you via everything you require to learn about utilizing beehiiv to transform your newsletter into cash– all from my own experience. Ready? Let’s dive in Can I Use Beehiiv For Free

Why You Might Be Stuck with Your Existing Email System

You have actually possibly tried the typical suspects: Mailchimp, ConvertKit (now Kit), Substack, or something comparable. And if you resemble the majority of small content creators, right here’s what likely occurred:

• Minimal Monetization Choices

You have a handful of dedicated customers– perhaps 500 to 1,000 individuals– yet absolutely no simple 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 intend to trickle campaign brand-new subscribers, send out a welcome series, and segment individuals for targeted emails … but setting up those automations feels like you require a computer technology degree.

• System Charges Draw

Each time you think of paid registrations, the system takes a significant chunk, and the payment setup is a lot more difficult than it deserves.

• Development Delays

Growth hacks seem to benefit everyone else– yet except you. You desire there was an easy means to locate new subscribers without manually chasing them down.

I remained in your shoes at the start of 2024. I would certainly been utilizing Kit (previously ConvertKit), however it seemed like a dead end for money making. Do not get me wrong– Kit is terrific for building funnels and establishing fundamental automations. However when it came to making a few hundred bucks a month from a little checklist, there had not been an apparent “on” button.

Enter beehiiv.

My Change to beehiiv: A Reality Examine

In January 2024, I ultimately pulled the trigger and moved my e-newsletter from Kit to beehiiv. Right here’s the honest truth: I didn’t have time to pursue sponsors, bargain prices, or develop challenging paid funnels. I run a search engine optimization composing company full-time, so my newsletter was constantly mosting likely to be a side project. I needed something that almost ran itself.

The “Sell Me” Moment

What offered me on beehiiv was simple:

• Integrated Monetization: Right from the start, beehiiv shouts, “Hey, you can make money right here!” It wasn’t an afterthought or a third-party add-on.
• Low-Effort Sponsorships: Rather than me scouring LinkedIn for enrollers, beehiiv brings deals right to my dashboard. All I need to do is click “accept,” decrease in the ad copy, and hit send.
• Easy Earnings Boosts: By advertising various other newsletters in my weekly e-mail, I earn $1–$ 3 per referred customer. No heavy lifting, no complicated analytics– just stable, step-by-step income.

Looter alert: It settled. In my very first complete year on beehiiv (2024 ), I drew in $940 from ad sponsorships and boosts alone– on a list that never ever topped 1,000 subscribers. I really did not produce a paid training course. I really did not launch a product and I simply let beehiiv do its thing.

My Partner Program Windfall

As if that wasn’t sufficient, I likewise joined the beehiiv Partner Program– primarily an affiliate program. By discussing beehiiv on my blog site and sharing my experience with chums, I stole $5,108 in referral commissions with completion of 2024. Yep, you read that right: over five grand, just by discussing the platform.

So if you’re wondering whether beehiiv deserves it for tiny makers or newbies, take my word: It’s a game-changer. But, obviously, it isn’t perfect. Let’s break down the great, the poor, and the trendy stuff you require to understand.

The Benefit of Using beehiiv

1. Monetization Made Extremely Easy

What I enjoy ideal about beehiiv is how simple it is to make money on autopilot. You do not require a massive audience. Below’s exactly how it functions:

• Advertisement Network Sponsorships: When you strike simply 1,000 energetic clients, brand names start lining up. You get 3– 6 advertisement requests each month generally. You pick the ones you like, put the duplicate, and you’re done. They ppc or check out– no difficult invoicing. And due to the fact that beehiiv matches you with appropriate brand names, your clients are most likely to click.
• Boosts Referral Revenue: Don’t have sponsors yet? Not a problem. Advertise various other developer newsletters for $1–$ 3 per subscriber. It resembles Amazon’s affiliate program, however, for e-mail lists. I earned several hundred bucks by doing this without breaking a sweat.
• Paid Subscriptions (When You’re Ready): Down the line, if you determine to charge for premium web content, beehiiv takes a very little charge (2.9% + $0.30 per deal using Stripe). You can set up multiple pricing rates, run cost-free tests, or even let clients “name their cost.”.
• Partner Program Payments: Not in it for the short haul? Enroll in the affiliate program. Gain 60% payment on beehiiv’s month-to-month or yearly plans when someone register with your code. It’s actually additional money for sharing something you currently love.

In other words, beehiiv turns money making into a built-in feature, as opposed to a job you fear.

2. Analytics That Don’t Make Your Head Explode

If you’ve ever looked at a control panel thinking, “What does any of this really mean?”, you’ll value beehiiv’s approach:.

• Clear Subscriber Growth Charts: See specifically how many brand-new individuals signed up with, how many left, and why your list diminished (more on that in a sec).
• Open and Click Rates: Beehiiv breaks down efficiency over the last thirty day, so you can identify trends as soon as possible. For instance, I kept an eye on my open rate (floating around 64%– okay) 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 profits, boosts earnings, companion referral incomes– you get the picture. Earnings streams are neatly divided so absolutely nothing obtains shed in the shuffle.

It’s like having a sidekick 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 List Without Offering Your Heart

Many e-newsletter systems will charge you for every single additional subscriber after a limit. Not so with beehiiv– for as much as 2,500 clients, it’s cost-free. You get:.

• Limitless e-mail sends out.
• Accessibility to the boosts network (grow your target market by promoting your newsletter on other beehiiv e-newsletters).
• Basic analytics and kinds.

If you’re a novice or have a tiny audience, this is big. You can experiment with subject lines, send regularity, and various lead magnets without fretting about striking a paywall.

4. Built-In Web Site & Customized Pages

Envision dumping WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace completely due to the fact that your e-newsletter platform functions as a website builder. That’s beehiiv in short:.

• Newsletter Archive Pages: All your past emails reside on a blog-like page that’s immediately SEO-optimized.
• Custom-made Landing Pages: Required a lead magnet web page? A thank-you web page? A page to offer an item? You can build it right in beehiiv’s website builder.
• Mobile-Friendly Templates: Every little thing looks terrific on phones– vital since a ton of folks review e-mails on mobile.

Certain, you will not get every expensive drag-and-drop that a specialized website builder uses, but also for most creators, it’s more than enough.

5. Referral Program to Turbo Charge Development

Beehiiv’s referral program is outstanding if you intend to tap into a community of like-minded designers. When your client clicks on “Recommend This Newsletter” and signs up with, both you and the referring maker obtain credit rating. It’s a wise method to expand your listing without spamming.

The Downsides: What to Keep an eye out for

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

Feature Overload at First

When you visit, there are so many options– Kinds, Boosts, Advertisements, Partner Program, Analytics, Website Builder– that it can feel overwhelming. If you’ve only made use of a straightforward solution that sends one-off e-mails, you may need a couple of days to obtain comfy.

Pointless Advertisement Requests

Often the enrollers beehiiv matches you with have nothing to do with your particular niche. A pc gaming e-newsletter could obtain supplied a code-review device for programmers. Make sure to decline anything that doesn’t jive with your target market, or you’ll tank your click-throughs.

No Time Area– Based Sends Out

If your list is international, you can’t immediately set up emails based on each client’s time zone. All sends head out simultaneously, so you could wake up to reduced open prices if half your checklist is asleep.

Customized Page Builder Isn’t Incredibly Intuitive

Creating a landing page is possible, yet the UI could be smoother. I invested a couple of hours (and a useful chat with support) getting a freebie opt-in page just right. If you’re impatient or design-averse, you could find it clunky.

Restricted Integrations

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

All that said, beehiiv’s group is continuously rolling out updates– and those cons are slowly however definitely being attended to.

Who Should Think about beehiiv?

Not everybody needs a totally included e-newsletter platform. Yet if any one of the complying with describes you, beehiiv might be a suit made in heaven:.

1. Absolute Beginners: You have actually never ever sent out an email blast, you do not wish to spend money upfront, and you require a totally free, easy means to experiment. Beehiiv lets you begin absolutely free, send unlimited emails to approximately 2,500 subscribers, and grow naturally with the boosts network.
2. Small-List Creators: If you currently have a few hundred or a pair thousand customers but no hint just how to transform that into revenue, beehiiv’s advertisement and boost programs are custom-made for you. In my very first 10 months, I was making about $92/month with a ~ 1k listing. Okay for coffee cash, right?
3. Designers Who Hate “Salesy” Stuff: You do not wish to pitch items continuously or sling digital training courses. You prefer to share worth, construct depend on, and let the money been available in on autopilot. Beehiiv’s ad network and boosts let you make without crafting a four-part sales funnel.
4. Switchers Who Do Not Want to Rebuild Whatever: Possibly you get on Substack, Ghost, or Mailchimp, and your e-mail automations are a twisted mess. Beehiiv assures a smooth movement from those systems. Plus, if you have a big list (say 10k+), you can obtain assist from beehiiv’s support team to move whatever over without shedding your automations.

Beginning: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough

Register and Check Out the Dashboard

As soon as you develop an account, beehiiv drops you into a control panel where you see your subscriber count, open rates, click-through prices, and any kind of pending advertisement deals. Think about it as your mission control– everything you require is just a click away.

Develop Your First Subscribe Form

Browse to Target Market �’ Subscribe Kinds �’ Produce New Type. You’ll need:

• A headline that hooks visitors
• A short blurb explaining what your e-newsletter has to do with
• A call-to-action button (e.g., “Join My E-newsletter”)
• Your logo design or a relevant image
• A post-subscribe message or redirect (e.g., “Many thanks for signing up with! Check your inbox in a sec.”)

You can select from different form designs: full-width, fixed-width, slim embed (simply the email field), or progressed (with tracking codes). The personalization options are standard– colors for switches and history images– yet it’s remarkably effective for recording emails.

Set Up Your Web Site and Personalized Pages

If you desire more than just a form, jump into Style �’ Website Builder �’ Personalized Pages �’ Internal Web Page. Use this to:

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

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

Build a thank-you page that goes online after someone subscribes.

I spent a few hours tweaking my first landing page, but once I mastered it, I realized exactly how powerful it is to have everything under one roof. Rather than managing Leadpages, WordPress, and Mailchimp, beehiiv does it all.

Draft Your Initial Newsletter

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

• Create your e-mail duplicate Can I Use Beehiiv For Free
• Insert images, headers, and customized HTML obstructs
• Preview just how it’ll search in inboxes and on your website
• Schedule or send out promptly

One catch: Personalization is limited. Every subscriber sees “Hello there” instead of “Hello [First Name]” If you require hyper-personalization, you may miss out on that. But also for most people, a friendly, conversational introduction is enough.

Turn On Monetization

Once you strike 1,000 energetic customers, beehiiv will invite you to:.

• Join the Ad Network: Immediately obtain sponsorship demands that match your particular niche. Select which ones to approve, insert the advertisement copy right into your newsletter, and earn money per click/view.
• Set Up Boosts: Put on advertise other newsletters. If someone joins by means of your link, you make $1–$ 3 per client.

For paid newsletters, navigate to Monetization �’ Paid Registrations. You’ll link your Stripe account (beehiiv doesn’t charge extra costs past Stripe’s handling), set your pricing plans (monthly, annual, or “Name Your Cost”), and determine what content goes behind the paywall.

Display and Optimize

Inspect your analytics weekly. If open prices drop below 40%, rethink your subject lines. If a sponsorship gets absolutely no clicks, it might be irrelevant to your audience– decrease comparable future advertisements. When a boost transforms well, send even more boost demands or tweak your deal.

It may seem like a lot initially, but I promise you’ll master it within a few days. And the benefits– both monetary and in regards to your target market’s development– deserve the preliminary curve.

Deep Dive: beehiiv’s Monetization Options

If you’re serious about turning your e-newsletter into a lucrative machine, let’s break down each profits stream in detail.

1. beehiiv Partner Program (Affiliate Profits)

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

• How It Functions: You sign up for the Partner Program, grab your distinct referral link, and share it on your blog, Twitter, LinkedIn, wherever. When someone clicks, signs up for a paid plan (Scale or Max), you gain a payment.
• Commission Fees: Up to 60% of their first-year settlement. If they pay $100, you might see $60. Cha-ching.
• Payout: Beehiiv pays month-to-month by means of PayPal. No minimum limit, no hoops to leap with.

In my case, I published a Medium article strolling individuals with my beehiiv experience (looter: this overview right here is part of that initiative). Via a combination of blog website traffic and word-of-mouth, I transformed $5,000 in associate payments by December 2024. All I did was share my real experience.

2. Boosts: Make by Assisting Others Grow

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

• Come To Be a Boost Sponsor: If you assume your newsletter can help others expand, use in the Boosts dashboard. You’ll explain why your audience is an excellent fit and established a cost you ‘d spend for a brand-new client.
• Apply to Boost Others: If you want fast customers, you can pay to boost your newsletter on various other developers’ checklists. However what most little makers like is the reverse: you put on be a boost partner for other newsletters. When a person subscribe via your boost, you get $1–$ 3
• Restrictions:
  • You can send up to 25 boost offers per month, however beehiiv just surface areas 3 offers each time to prospective companions.
  • If a boost is performing well, other designers will certainly pick it up rapidly.

Right here’s a quick example: In October 2024, I advertised a fellow search engine optimization creator’s e-newsletter for $1.75 per subscriber. Over two weeks, I produced 200 new clients for them– and earned concerning $350 in the process. Win-win.

3. beehiiv Ad Network (Sponsored Ads)

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

• Qualification: You require at the very least 1,000 active subscribers and a consistent send timetable (a minimum of one e-mail per month, though weekly is optimal).
• Automation: Once authorized, you’ll start receiving 3– 5 sponsorship requests monthly. Beehiiv matches you with brand names based on your audience’s passions– so a marketing SaaS business may come close to an SEO-focused newsletter, for example.
• Settlement Design:
  • Expense Per Click (CPC): You generate income each time someone clicks the ad in your email.
  • Expense Per Mille (CPM): You earn based upon a thousand perceptions.
• Ease of Use: You can accept or decline each offer right from your dashboard. Beehiiv handles all the invoicing. All you do is copy-paste the advertisement right into your e-newsletter.

In 2024, I ran 37 funded advertisements, including a few high-profile brands like HubSpot. I made $632 from ads alone, with my leading campaign producing $112 from 35 clicks (4.5% click-through). Keep in mind: significance is king. Unimportant ads storage tank click-through prices, so be selective.

4. Paid Subscriptions (” Premium Material”)

If you create genuinely one-of-a-kind web content– deep dive records, special tutorials, or insider analyses– you may take into consideration a paid tier. Below’s the 101:

• Arrangement: Go to Monetization �’ Paid Subscriptions, link Stripe, and choose your pricing:
  • Month-to-month
  • Annual (usually marked down)
  • One-time payment (for a single guide or course)
  • Call Your Rate (your clients select what they can afford)
• Revenue Split: Beehiiv doesn’t bill you a system cost; they just pass Stripe’s processing fee (2.9% + $0.30) on to you.
• Examples: If you have 100 subscribers paying $7/month, that’s $700/month = $8,400/ year (minus Stripe charges). Not bad, appropriate? Naturally, getting to 100 paid subscribers indicates you require a faithful, involved base.

Currently, be sensible: Paid registrations are a grind. You need regular, high-value web content that makes individuals comfy pulling out their pocketbooks. If you’re just beginning, the advertisement network and boosts could be quicker success.

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

I know pricing is a huge question mark when you’re thinking of switching over systems. Below’s the failure as of mid-2025:.

• Free Plan (up to 2,500 customers): Great for pet projects or if you’re evaluating the waters. You still get boosts for checklist development, fundamental analytics, and unlimited sends out– just no advertisement network or paid subscriptions yet.
• Scale ($ 39.20/ month): Perfect if you’re serious about monetizing. You get ad network access, boosts, paid subscriptions, and the AI Writing Assistant to speed up your e-newsletter creation.
• Max ($ 87.29/ month): If AI tools (photo generation, grammar taking care of, translation) issue to you, and you want top priority assistance, this is the wonderful place. Plus, you can launch a mobile app for your clients.
• Enterprise (100k+ customers): For brands and mega-creators who require custom movements, service-level contracts, and progressed safety. Not many tiny developers require this.

My suggestion? Begin on the Free plan. Obtain a feel for the control panel, expand your checklist to 1,000, after that upgrade to Scale when you understand you want ad revenue and boosts.

Special Features Can I Use Beehiiv For Free

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

1. Sound E-newsletters

Ever considered transforming your e-mail right into a podcast-like experience? Beehiiv’s integrated sound e-newsletter feature instantly transforms your emails right into spoken-word sound. No additional modifying software program, no outsourcing to Fiverr– just toggle it on, and your subscribers can pay attention on the move. For active target markets who drive or exercise, this is a handy means to stay connected.

2. Custom Mobile Application for Readers

Many platforms give you a “mobile-optimized site.” Beehiiv goes one step additionally: you can introduce a personalized mobile application for your clients. Once they include it to their home display, your newsletter ends up being a one-tap experience– no inbox clutter. Visualize getting up and seeing application notifications when you drop a new concern. Talk about involvement.

3. “Call Your Cost” Memberships

Rather than requiring everyone right into $5 or $7 tiers, let your most devoted fans determine what to pay. It’s a trust-building action and can lead to higher life time value. I have not examined this feature personally yet, however, for developers who feel a bit uneasy regarding 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 Creating Assistant: Generate newsletter drafts based on bullet points or subjects. For days when you’re looking at an empty web page, this boosts your creativity.
• AI Text Device: Grammar, punctuation, tone checks– no requirement for Grammarly. You get a tidy, sleek draft that feels human Can I Use Beehiiv For Free.
• AI Image Device: Create custom-made header images or images without acquiring stock photos. Just type a prompt, and voila.
• AI Translator: Want to send your newsletter in multiple languages? Equate your content into Spanish, French, German, Italian, or Portuguese instantly.

These features can shave hours off content development and help you try out brand-new layouts.

Pro Tips For Being successful on beehiiv

Since you recognize what beehiiv can do, below are some insider hacks to maximize it:

Clean Your List for Better Performance

In August 2024, I reduced my subscriber matter in half (from about 2,400 to 1,200) by removing inactive e-mails– people who hadn’t opened anything in 6 months. My open prices leapt from ~ 45% to over 60%, which meant advertisers paid more per click. It harmed to lose subscribers, yet a lean, involved list deserves greater than a bloated, passive one.

Trying Out Subject Lines Like a Pro

Subject lines make or break open prices. Do A/B tests on tiny sectors before sending out to your whole checklist. Brief, punchy, question-based subjects (” Ready to increase your traffic?”) often outperform common ones (” April Newsletter”).

Be Pickier with Ad Offers

If an advertisement doesn’t reverberate with your specific niche, say no. Irrelevant advertisements irritate viewers and container click metrics. Over time, beehiiv’s formula will certainly learn what fits your audience– decrease enough off-topic deals, and they’ll quit sending them.

Usage Boosts to Test New Audiences

Got a brand-new category you want to check out? Try improving your e-newsletter in a related particular niche. The cost per customer averages $1.63– yet if those customers stick around, it deserves it. I when enhanced a search engine optimization newsletter in a digital marketing audience and got an unusual uptick in retention.

Utilize AI for Faster Production

On evenings when I’m stressed out, I ask the AI Composing Aide to prepare a rough outline: intro, 3 main points, conclusion. Then I flesh it out with my own stories and design tweaks. It’s not excellent, however it’s a solid structure that saves me 30– 45 minutes per e-mail.

Take Advantage of the Mobile App

Urge clients to install your e-newsletter’s mobile app. In your following e-mail, compose a quick “How to Add Our Newsletter to Your Home Screen” tutorial. More application installs indicate more visibility, and press alerts beat inbox sound.

Deal Occasional Paid-Only Content

Rather than making every concern complimentary, tease a “bonus offer report” once a quarter behind a paywall ($ 5–$ 7). Advertise it greatly to your listing. Even if you just sell 20 copies, that’s $100–$ 140 that offsets your regular monthly beehiiv costs.

Finishing up: Is beehiiv Right for You?

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

• You’ve never ever sent a newsletter, yet you’re itching to begin– beehiiv’s free plan and user-friendly tools are ideal for learning the ropes.
• You have a little checklist (< 2,500) and want to monetize without frustrations-- beehiiv's advertisement network and boosts pay you for doing practically nothing extra.
• You’re a mid-sized creator (1k+ customers) seeking to range– beehiiv’s analytics, AI tools, and referral program help you grow much faster and gain a lot more.
• You hate intricate email systems– beehiiv strikes an equilibrium between powerful features and user-friendly layout.

Certain, the feature collection can really feel discouraging at first, and you might get a couple of unimportant advertisement requests. Yet consider this: in under a year, I made nearly $1,000 on a small checklist and over $5,000 in associate payments simply by sharing my experience. I’ve seen sufficient to recognize that if you spend a little time learning the platform, the returns can be significant.

So, what are you waiting for? Sign up for beehiiv, check out the dashboard, and let the money making engines transform. Your future self will thank you when the checks roll in.