Is Beehiiv Better Than Substack – Uncover All The Specifics!

So, you’ve been dabbling the idea of transforming your e-mail list into an earnings stream, yet you’re bewildered by all the alternatives out there. Audio familiar? You’re not the only one. If you’ve been making use of a standard email service and scraping your head about sponsorships, ads, and paid registrations, it might be time to take a look at beehiiv. In this overview, I’ll walk you with whatever you require to learn about using beehiiv to transform your e-newsletter right into money– all from my own experience. Ready? Let’s dive in Is Beehiiv Better Than Substack

Why You May be Stuck with Your Current Email System

You’ve most likely attempted the normal suspects: Mailchimp, ConvertKit (currently Kit), Substack, or something comparable. And if you’re like many small-scale material developers, right here’s what likely happened:

• Limited Monetization Alternatives

You have a handful of faithful subscribers– possibly 500 to 1,000 people– however absolutely no simple way to earn money. Sponsorships seem like a foreign language, and you’re not keen on cold-emailing brand names monthly.

• Do It Yourself Automation Headaches

You intend to drip campaign new customers, send out a welcome collection, and segment folks for targeted e-mails … yet setting up those automations feels like you need a computer science level.

• System Charges Draw

Whenever you think of paid registrations, the platform takes a massive piece, and the settlement configuration is extra complicated than it deserves.

• Development Stalls

Development hacks seem to benefit everybody else– yet except you. You desire there was a simple means to discover new clients without by hand chasing them down.

I was in your footwear at the beginning of 2024. I would certainly been using Kit (previously ConvertKit), yet it felt like a dead end for money making. Don’t get me wrong– Kit is great for developing funnels and setting up fundamental automations. However when it involved making a few hundred bucks a month from a small list, there wasn’t an evident “on” switch.

Go into beehiiv.

My Switch over to beehiiv: A Truth Inspect

In January 2024, I finally shot and moved my newsletter from Kit to beehiiv. Right here’s the honest truth: I really did not have time to hunt down enrollers, bargain prices, or develop difficult paid funnels. I run a SEO creating service full-time, so my newsletter was always mosting likely to be a side project. I required something that practically ran itself.

The “Market Me” Minute

What sold me on beehiiv was easy:

• Integrated Monetization: Right from the start, beehiiv yells, “Hey, you can generate income here!” It had not been an afterthought or a third-party add-on.
• Low-Effort Sponsorships: As opposed to me scouring LinkedIn for sponsors, beehiiv brings offers straight to my dashboard. All I have to do is click “accept,” drop in the advertisement duplicate, and struck send.
• Passive Revenue Boosts: By promoting various other e-newsletters in my regular email, I gain $1–$ 3 per referred client. No hefty training, no challenging analytics– just constant, incremental income.

Looter alert: It paid off. In my initial full year on beehiiv (2024 ), I pulled in $940 from advertisement sponsorships and boosts alone– on a list that never ever covered 1,000 subscribers. I really did not create a paid course. I didn’t introduce an item and I just let beehiiv do its point.

My Partner Program Windfall

As if that wasn’t sufficient, I likewise signed up with the beehiiv Partner Program– basically an affiliate program. By blogging about beehiiv on my blog and sharing my experience with friends, I stole $5,108 in referral commissions with completion of 2024. Yep, you check out that right: over five grand, simply by speaking about the platform.

So if you’re questioning whether beehiiv is worth it for tiny makers or newbies, take my word: It’s a game-changer. Yet, obviously, it isn’t flawless. Let’s break down the good, the negative, and the amazing things you need to understand.

The Advantage of Using beehiiv

1. Monetization Made Ridiculously Easy

What I enjoy ideal about beehiiv is how very easy it is to generate income on autopilot. You don’t need a massive target market. Right here’s just how it works:

• Advertisement Network Sponsorships: Once you hit simply 1,000 energetic subscribers, brands start lining up. You get 3– 6 advertisement demands per month usually. You select the ones you like, insert the copy, and you’re done. They ppc or see– no difficult invoicing. And since beehiiv matches you with relevant brands, your customers are most likely to click.
• Boosts Referral Income: Do not have enrollers yet? No worry. Advertise other developer newsletters for $1–$ 3 per subscriber. It’s like Amazon’s affiliate program, but for e-mail lists. I made several hundred dollars in this manner without breaking a sweat.
• Paid Subscriptions (When You prepare): Down the line, if you determine to charge for exceptional material, beehiiv takes a minimal charge (2.9% + $0.30 per purchase by means of Stripe). You can establish numerous pricing tiers, run free tests, and even let customers “call their rate.”.
• Partner Program Compensations: Not in it for the brief haul? Register for the affiliate program. Gain 60% compensation on beehiiv’s monthly or annual plans when someone signs up with your code. It’s literally extra cash money for sharing something you currently love.

Simply put, beehiiv transforms monetization right into a built-in feature, as opposed to a job you fear.

2. Analytics That Do Not Make Your Head Explode

If you’ve ever looked at a control panel reasoning, “What does any one of this actually imply?”, you’ll appreciate beehiiv’s strategy:.

• Clear Subscriber Growth Charts: See specifically the amount of new individuals joined, the number of left, and why your list shrank (more on that in a sec).
• Open Up and Click Prices: Beehiiv breaks down performance over the last thirty day, so you can find fads today. For example, I watched on my open price (floating around 64%– not bad) and my click-through (around 3.5%). If either statistics dips, I fine-tune my subject lines or calls-to-action.
• Monetization Dashboards: Sponsorship income, boosts income, partner referral revenues– you understand. Earnings streams are nicely separated so nothing gets shed in the shuffle.

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

3. Expanding Your Checklist Without Selling Your Spirit

A lot of e-newsletter platforms will certainly charge you for every single added client after a limit. Not so with beehiiv– for up to 2,500 clients, it’s totally free. You obtain:.

• Endless e-mail sends out.
• Accessibility to the boosts network (expand your audience by advertising your e-newsletter on other beehiiv e-newsletters).
• Basic analytics and types.

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

4. Integrated Website & Customized Pages

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

• Newsletter Archive Pages: All your past e-mails survive a blog-like page that’s immediately SEO-optimized.
• Custom Landing Pages: Need a lead magnet page? A thank-you page? A page to offer an item? You can develop it right in beehiiv’s website builder.
• Mobile-Friendly Templates: Every little thing looks terrific on phones– essential given that a lots of individuals review e-mails on mobile.

Sure, you will not obtain every expensive drag-and-drop that a devoted website builder uses, however, for many makers, it’s more than enough.

5. Referral Program to Supercharge Development

Beehiiv’s referral program is remarkable if you wish to take advantage of a community of similar designers. When your client clicks “Recommend This E-newsletter” and signs up with, both you and the referring creator get credit score. It’s a wise means to grow your checklist without spamming.

The Downsides: What to Look out for

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

Feature Overload in the beginning

When you visit, there are many options– Forms, Boosts, Ads, Partner Program, Analytics, Website Builder– that it can really feel overwhelming. If you’ve only used an easy solution that sends one-off e-mails, you might require a number of days to get comfy.

Pointless Ad Requests

Occasionally the sponsors beehiiv matches you with have nothing to do with your niche. A video gaming e-newsletter could obtain provided a code-review tool for developers. Make sure to decline anything that does not jive with your target market, or you’ll container your click-throughs.

No Time At All Area– Based Sends Out

If your list is worldwide, you can not automatically set up emails based upon each client’s time zone. All sends go out at once, so you could awaken to reduced open rates if half your checklist is asleep.

Customized Page Builder Isn’t Extremely User-friendly

Producing a landing page is possible, but the UI could be smoother. I spent a few hours (and a useful conversation with assistance) getting a giveaway opt-in web page ideal. If you’re impatient or design-averse, you might discover it cumbersome.

Limited Integrations

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

All that said, beehiiv’s team is constantly turning out updates– and those cons are gradually yet certainly being attended to.

Who Should Consider beehiiv?

Not every person requires a completely featured newsletter platform. Yet if any one of the complying with explains you, beehiiv may be a match made in paradise:.

1. Outright Beginners: You’ve never sent an e-mail blast, you don’t intend to spend cash in advance, and you require a complimentary, very easy way to experiment. Beehiiv lets you begin completely free, send out unlimited emails to as much as 2,500 customers, and grow naturally with the boosts network.
2. Small-List Creators: If you currently have a couple of hundred or a couple thousand subscribers but no hint how to transform that right into revenue, beehiiv’s advertisement and boost programs are custom-made for you. In my first 10 months, I was making about $92/month with a ~ 1k checklist. Okay for coffee money, right?
3. Designers Who Hate “Salesy” Stuff: You do not wish to pitch products continuously or sling digital courses. You ‘d rather share worth, develop count on, and let the money can be found in on auto-pilot. Beehiiv’s ad network and boosts let you earn without crafting a four-part sales funnel.
4. Switchers Who Do Not Intend To Restore Everything: Perhaps you get on Substack, Ghost, or Mailchimp, and your e-mail automations are a twisted mess. Beehiiv promises a smooth movement from those systems. And also, if you have a big checklist (say 10k+), you can obtain aid from beehiiv’s support group to relocate everything over without shedding your automations.

Beginning: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough

Sign Up and Check Out the Control panel

Once you develop an account, beehiiv drops you right into a control panel where you see your client matter, open rates, click-through rates, and any type of pending ad deals. Consider it as your mission control– every little thing you need is just a click away.

Develop Your Initial Subscribe Type

Navigate to Audience �’ Subscribe Kinds �’ Develop Brand-new Kind. You’ll need:

• A headline that hooks visitors
• A short blurb describing what your newsletter is about
• A call-to-action switch (e.g., “Join My E-newsletter”)
• Your logo design or a relevant photo
• A post-subscribe message or redirect (e.g., “Thanks for joining! Inspect your inbox in a sec.”)

You can choose from various form styles: full-width, fixed-width, slim embed (simply the e-mail area), or progressed (with monitoring codes). The modification choices are standard– shades for buttons and background pictures– but it’s remarkably reliable for capturing emails.

Set Up Your Internet Site and Custom-made Pages

If you want more than simply a type, jump right into Style �’ Website Builder �’ Personalized Pages �’ Internal Page. Use this to:

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

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

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

I invested a few hours tweaking my very first landing page, once I mastered it, I recognized how effective it is to have whatever under one roofing system. Rather than juggling Leadpages, WordPress, and Mailchimp, beehiiv does it all.

Draft Your First Newsletter

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

• Create your email copy Is Beehiiv Better Than Substack
• Put images, headers, and custom HTML obstructs
• Preview how it’ll look in inboxes and on your internet site
• Arrange or send quickly

One catch: Personalization is limited. Every client sees “Hello there” as opposed to “Hi [Given name]” If you require hyper-personalization, you might miss that. However, for the majority of folks, a pleasant, conversational introductory suffices.

Activate Money making

As soon as you strike 1,000 active clients, beehiiv will invite you to:.

• Sign Up With the Advertisement Network: Instantly obtain sponsorship demands that match your niche. Select which ones to accept, insert the ad duplicate right into your newsletter, and make money per click/view.
• Set Up Boosts: Put on promote other e-newsletters. If someone signs up with using your link, you gain $1–$ 3 per customer.

For paid newsletters, browse to Monetization �’ Paid Registrations. You’ll attach your Stripe account (beehiiv does not charge added fees beyond Stripe’s processing), set your pricing plans (monthly, annual, or “Name Your Price”), and determine what material goes behind the paywall.

Display and Optimize

Check your analytics weekly. If open rates drop below 40%, reassess your subject lines. If a sponsorship obtains zero clicks, it may be irrelevant to your target market– decrease similar future ads. When a boost converts well, send even more boost requests or modify your deal.

It may feel like a great deal initially, however I assure you’ll master it within a few days. And the incentives– both financial and in terms of your audience’s development– are worth the preliminary contour.

Deep Dive: beehiiv’s Money making Options

If you’re serious about turning your newsletter into an economic device, let’s break down each profits stream carefully.

1. beehiiv Partner Program (Affiliate Revenues)

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

• How It Functions: You sign up for the Partner Program, get your one-of-a-kind referral link, and share it on your blog, Twitter, LinkedIn, wherever. When someone clicks, register for a paid plan (Range or Max), you make a payment.
• Payment Rates: Up to 60% of their first-year payment. If they pay $100, you could see $60. Cha-ching.
• Payment: Beehiiv pays month-to-month through PayPal. No minimum limit, no hoops to jump with.

In my instance, I published a Medium blog post walking individuals through my beehiiv experience (looter: this guide right here becomes 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: Gain by Aiding Others Expand

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

• End Up Being a Boost Sponsor: If you think your e-newsletter can help others expand, use in the Boosts dashboard. You’ll explain why your audience is a good fit and set a rate you would certainly pay for a brand-new customer.
• Relate to Boost Others: If you want quick customers, you can pay to boost your e-newsletter on various other designers’ listings. Yet what many tiny designers like is the reverse: you apply to be a boost partner for various other e-newsletters. When someone join via your boost, you get $1–$ 3
• Limits:
  • You can send up to 25 boost supplies each month, however beehiiv just surfaces three offers each time to prospective companions.
  • If a boost is executing well, other makers will certainly choose it up rapidly.

Below’s a fast instance: In October 2024, I advertised a fellow search engine optimization creator’s e-newsletter for $1.75 per customer. Over 2 weeks, I produced 200 brand-new clients for them– and gained concerning $350 in the process. Win-win.

3. beehiiv Ad Network (Sponsored Advertisements)

This is where the large bucks can be available in, even if your checklist is “tiny.” Below’s how it goes:

• Qualification: You need a minimum of 1,000 energetic customers and a regular send schedule (at the very least one email each month, though regular is ideal).
• Automation: When approved, you’ll start getting 3– 5 sponsorship requests each month. Beehiiv matches you with brands based on your audience’s interests– so a marketing SaaS company may approach an SEO-focused e-newsletter, for example.
• Repayment Version:
  • Price Per Click (CPC): You generate income every single time somebody clicks the ad in your email.
  • Price Per Mille (CPM): You make based upon a thousand perceptions.
• Alleviate of Use: You can approve or decline each deal right from your dashboard. Beehiiv handles all the invoicing. All you do is copy-paste the ad right into your newsletter.

In 2024, I ran 37 funded ads, including a few top-level brands like HubSpot. I made $632 from advertisements alone, with my leading campaign generating $112 from 35 clicks (4.5% click-through). Remember: importance is king. Unimportant ads container click-through rates, so be careful.

4. Paid Subscriptions (” Premium Content”)

If you produce truly unique web content– deep dive reports, unique tutorials, or expert analyses– you might take into consideration a paid tier. Here’s the 101:

• Configuration: Most Likely To Monetization �’ Paid Registrations, link Stripe, and choose your pricing:
  • Regular monthly
  • Yearly (normally discounted)
  • One-time repayment (for a single overview or training course)
  • Name Your Price (your subscribers pick what they can pay for)
• Earnings Split: Beehiiv does not charge you a system charge; they just pass Stripe’s processing fee (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 fees). Tolerable, ideal? Of course, getting to 100 paid clients implies you require a dedicated, engaged base.

Currently, be sensible: Paid registrations are a work. You require regular, high-value web content that makes people comfy pulling out their wallets. If you’re simply starting, the ad network and boosts might be quicker wins.

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

I understand pricing is a big enigma when you’re thinking of changing platforms. Below’s the malfunction since mid-2025:.

• Free Plan (up to 2,500 customers): Great for pet projects or if you’re testing the waters. You still obtain boosts for listing growth, fundamental analytics, and limitless sends out– simply no ad network or paid registrations yet.
• Scale ($ 39.20/ month): Perfect if you’re serious about monetizing. You get ad network accessibility, boosts, paid registrations, and the AI Creating Aide to quicken your newsletter production.
• Max ($ 87.29/ month): If AI tools (picture generation, grammar repairing, translation) issue to you, and you want top priority assistance, this is the sweet area. And also, you can launch a mobile app for your clients.
• Enterprise (100k+ subscribers): For brand names and mega-creators who require custom-made migrations, service-level arrangements, and advanced safety. Very few small creators need this.

My referral? Beginning on the Free plan. Get a feel for the dashboard, grow your listing to 1,000, after that upgrade to Scale as soon as you understand you want ad earnings and boosts.

Special Features Is Beehiiv Better Than Substack

You could be believing, “Okay, advertisements and boosts are trendy. However what else can beehiiv do that can not?” Let me highlight a few standout features:.

1. Sound Newsletters

Ever considered turning your e-mail right into a podcast-like experience? Beehiiv’s built-in audio newsletter feature immediately transforms your e-mails into spoken-word audio. No extra editing software, no outsourcing to Fiverr– just toggle it on, and your subscribers can pay attention on the go. For busy target markets who drive or exercise, this is a handy means to stay linked.

2. Custom Mobile Application for Viewers

The majority of systems give you a “mobile-optimized web site.” Beehiiv goes one action even more: you can launch a customized mobile application for your clients. 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 app alerts when you go down a brand-new concern. Discuss engagement.

3. “Call Your Price” Subscriptions

Rather than forcing everybody right into $5 or $7 tiers, let your most loyal followers choose what to pay. It’s a trust-building move and can cause greater life time value. I have not tested this feature personally yet, but also for developers who really feel a little bit worried concerning rate points, it’s a sweet option to trying out.

4. beehiiv AI Suite

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

• AI Composing Assistant: Create e-newsletter drafts based on bullet points or subjects. For days when you’re staring at an empty web page, this starts your imagination.
• AI Text Tool: Grammar, spelling, tone checks– no need for Grammarly. You obtain a clean, polished draft that really feels human Is Beehiiv Better Than Substack.
• AI Picture Tool: Develop custom-made header photos or illustrations without acquiring supply pictures. Just type a prompt, and voila.
• AI Translator: Want to send your e-newsletter in multiple languages? Translate your content right into Spanish, French, German, Italian, or Portuguese immediately.

These features can cut hours off content development and help you try out new styles.

Pro Tips For Succeeding on beehiiv

Now that you understand what beehiiv can do, right here are some insider hacks to maximize it:

Clean Your Listing for Better Performance

In August 2024, I reduced my customer count in half (from regarding 2,400 down to 1,200) by removing non-active e-mails– individuals who hadn’t opened anything in six months. My open prices leapt from ~ 45% to over 60%, which meant advertisers paid even more per click. It hurt to lose customers, but a lean, involved checklist is worth more than a bloated, easy one.

Try Out Subject Lines Like a Pro

Subject lines make or break open rates. Do A/B examinations on little sections prior to sending out to your entire list. Short, punchy, question-based subjects (” Ready to double your traffic?”) often outperform common ones (” April Newsletter”).

Be Pickier with Advertisement Offers

If an ad does not resonate with your particular niche, say no. Irrelevant ads irritate readers and storage tank click metrics. With time, beehiiv’s algorithm will learn what fits your target market– decline sufficient off-topic deals, and they’ll quit sending them.

Usage Boosts to Check New Audiences

Obtained a brand-new group you wish to explore? Attempt enhancing your e-newsletter in a relevant niche. The expense per subscriber averages $1.63– yet if those subscribers linger, it’s worth it. I as soon as boosted a search engine optimization newsletter in a digital marketing audience and got a surprising uptick in retention.

Utilize AI for Faster Production

On evenings when I’m burnt out, I ask the AI Creating Assistant to prepare a rough outline: introduction, 3 main points, final thought. After that I flesh it out with my very own narratives and design tweaks. It’s not best, but it’s a strong foundation that saves me 30– 45 minutes per e-mail.

Take Advantage of the Mobile App

Urge subscribers to mount your newsletter’s mobile app. In your following email, write a fast “How to Add Our Newsletter to Your Home Display” tutorial. More app installs imply even more visibility, and push notices beat inbox noise.

Deal Occasional Paid-Only Web Content

Rather than making every problem totally free, tease a “benefit report” once a quarter behind a paywall ($ 5–$ 7). Promote it heavily to your listing. Even if you only offer 20 copies, that’s $100–$ 140 that offsets your month-to-month beehiiv bill.

Concluding: Is beehiiv Right for You?

If you have actually stuck to me this much, you most likely fall under among these camps:

• You’ve never sent out a newsletter, however you’re itching to begin– beehiiv’s free plan and intuitive tools are best for learning the ropes.
• You have a tiny list (< 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 maker (1k+ subscribers) wanting to range– beehiiv’s analytics, AI devices, and referral program aid you expand much faster and earn more.
• You dislike complicated e-mail platforms– beehiiv strikes a balance between effective features and user-friendly layout.

Certain, the feature set can really feel intimidating in the beginning, and you might obtain a couple of unnecessary advertisement demands. Yet consider this: in under a year, I made nearly $1,000 on a small list and over $5,000 in associate compensations simply by sharing my experience. I have actually seen sufficient to know that if you spend a bit of time learning the platform, the returns can be significant.

So, what are you waiting for? Enroll in beehiiv, explore the dashboard, and let the money making engines transform. Your future self will certainly thanks when the checks roll in.