Is Beehiiv or Substack Better – Full Picture!

So, you have actually been dabbling the idea of transforming your e-mail listing into an earnings stream, but you’re overwhelmed by all the alternatives around. Sound acquainted? You’re not the only one. If you have actually been utilizing a fundamental e-mail service and scratching your head concerning sponsorships, ads, and paid subscriptions, it could be time to check out beehiiv. In this guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to learn about making use of beehiiv to turn your newsletter right into cash– all from my very own experience. Ready? Let’s dive in Is Beehiiv or Substack Better

Why You Could be Stuck with Your Current Email System

You have actually probably tried the common suspects: Mailchimp, ConvertKit (currently Kit), Substack, or something similar. And if you’re like many small material developers, below’s what likely occurred:

• Minimal Money Making Choices

You have a handful of devoted clients– possibly 500 to 1,000 people– yet no easy means to generate income. Sponsorships seem like a foreign language, and you’re not keen on cold-emailing brand names monthly.

• Do It Yourself Automation Headaches

You want to drip campaign brand-new subscribers, send a welcome series, and segment folks for targeted emails … but establishing those automations seems like you need a computer science level.

• System Costs Draw

Every time you consider paid memberships, the system takes a substantial portion, and the payment arrangement is a lot more challenging than it’s worth.

• Growth Stalls

Development hacks appear to benefit every person else– but except you. You desire there was a simple means to find brand-new customers without by hand chasing them down.

I remained in your footwear at the beginning of 2024. I would certainly been using Kit (formerly ConvertKit), however it felt like a dead end for money making. Don’t get me wrong– Kit is great for building funnels and setting up standard automations. But when it came to making even a few hundred bucks a month from a little listing, there wasn’t an apparent “on” button.

Get in beehiiv.

My Change to beehiiv: A Truth Inspect

In January 2024, I finally shot and moved my e-newsletter from Kit to beehiiv. Below’s the honest truth: I really did not have time to pursue enrollers, negotiate prices, or construct complicated paid funnels. I run a search engine optimization creating organization permanent, so my e-newsletter was always going to be a side project. I needed something that almost ran itself.

The “Market Me” Moment

What marketed me on beehiiv was simple:

• Integrated Monetization: Right from the beginning, beehiiv yells, “Hey, you can generate income below!” It wasn’t an afterthought or a third-party add-on.
• Low-Effort Sponsorships: Rather than me scouring LinkedIn for enrollers, beehiiv brings deals straight to my dashboard. All I have to do is click “approve,” drop in the ad copy, and hit send.
• Easy Revenue Boosts: By advertising various other e-newsletters in my regular e-mail, I make $1–$ 3 per referred customer. No hefty training, no complicated analytics– just stable, incremental income.

Spoiler alert: It paid off. In my initial complete year on beehiiv (2024 ), I pulled in $940 from advertisement sponsorships and boosts alone– on a listing that never covered 1,000 subscribers. I didn’t develop a paid program. I really did not introduce a product and I just let beehiiv do its thing.

My Partner Program Windfall

As if that had not been enough, I also joined the beehiiv Partner Program– generally an affiliate program. By writing about beehiiv on my blog and sharing my experience with pals, I pocketed $5,108 in referral commissions with the end of 2024. Yep, you review that right: over 5 grand, simply by discussing the platform.

So if you’re asking yourself whether beehiiv deserves it for small developers or newbies, take my word: It’s a game-changer. But, certainly, it isn’t perfect. Let’s break down the great, the poor, and the great things you require to understand.

The Benefit of Using beehiiv

1. Monetization Made Ridiculously Simple

What I like ideal regarding beehiiv is exactly how very easy it is to make money on auto-pilot. You do not need a big target market. Below’s just how it works:

• Ad Network Sponsorships: Once you hit simply 1,000 active customers, brand names start lining up. You get 3– 6 ad requests per month on average. You select the ones you like, put the copy, and you’re done. They pay per click or check out– no difficult invoicing. And since beehiiv matches you with appropriate brand names, your customers are more likely to click.
• Boosts Referral Income: Don’t have sponsors yet? No worry. Advertise various other designer newsletters for $1–$ 3 per subscriber. It resembles Amazon’s affiliate program, but for email lists. I made numerous hundred dollars in this manner without breaking a sweat.
• Paid Subscriptions (When You prepare): Down the line, if you choose to bill for premium material, beehiiv takes a marginal cost (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction via Stripe). You can set up multiple pricing tiers, run cost-free tests, or even let clients “call their cost.”.
• Partner Program Compensations: Not in it for the brief haul? Enroll in the affiliate program. Earn 60% payment on beehiiv’s monthly or annual plans when someone signs up with your code. It’s literally additional money for sharing something you currently enjoy.

In other words, beehiiv turns money making right into a built-in feature, rather than a job you fear.

2. Analytics That Don’t Make Your Head Explode

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

• Clear Customer Growth Graphs: See precisely how many new individuals joined, the number of handed over, and why your checklist reduced (extra on that in a sec).
• Open and Click Rates: Beehiiv breaks down efficiency over the last thirty days, so you can find trends today. As an example, I watched on my open price (hovering around 64%– not bad) and my click-through (around 3.5%). If either statistics dips, I tweak my subject lines or calls-to-action.
• Monetization Dashboards: Sponsorship revenue, boosts revenue, partner referral earnings– you get the picture. Income streams are neatly separated so absolutely nothing obtains lost in the shuffle.

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

3. Expanding Your Checklist Without Marketing Your Spirit

Most newsletter platforms will bill you for every single additional client after a limit. Not so with beehiiv– for up to 2,500 clients, it’s totally free. You obtain:.

• Unlimited e-mail sends.
• Access to the boosts network (grow your audience by advertising your e-newsletter on other beehiiv e-newsletters).
• Standard analytics and forms.

If you’re a beginner or have a small audience, this is significant. You can try out subject lines, send out regularity, and different lead magnets without stressing over hitting a paywall.

4. Integrated Internet Site & Customized Pages

Picture ditching WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace completely due to the fact that your newsletter system functions as a website builder. That’s beehiiv essentially:.

• E-newsletter Archive Pages: All your past e-mails survive a blog-like page that’s immediately SEO-optimized.
• Custom Landing Pages: Required a lead magnet web page? A thank-you page? A web page to market an item? You can construct it right in beehiiv’s website builder.
• Mobile-Friendly Templates: Every little thing looks great on phones– critical since a lots of people check out emails on mobile.

Sure, you won’t get every elegant drag-and-drop that a dedicated website builder supplies, however, for a lot of makers, it’s sufficient.

5. Referral Program to Supercharge Development

Beehiiv’s referral program is outstanding if you want to tap into a community of like-minded designers. When your subscriber clicks “Recommend This E-newsletter” and joins, both you and the referring designer obtain debt. It’s a smart method to grow your list without spamming.

The Downsides: What to Keep an eye out for

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

Feature Overload initially

When you visit, there are numerous choices– Forms, Boosts, Ads, Partner Program, Analytics, Website Builder– that it can feel overwhelming. If you’ve just made use of a straightforward solution that sends one-off emails, you may require a number of days to obtain comfortable.

Pointless Ad Requests

Sometimes the enrollers beehiiv matches you with have nothing to do with your niche. A gaming e-newsletter might get provided a code-review device for designers. Make certain to decrease anything that does not jive with your target market, or you’ll container your click-throughs.

No Time Area– Based Sends Out

If your checklist is worldwide, you can not automatically schedule emails based on each customer’s time zone. All sends head out at the same time, so you might get up to low open prices if half your listing is asleep.

Custom-made Web Page Builder Isn’t Very Intuitive

Producing a landing page is feasible, but the UI could be smoother. I invested a few hours (and a useful conversation with assistance) getting a free offer opt-in page ideal. If you’re impatient or design-averse, you could discover it confusing.

Minimal Integrations

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

All that said, beehiiv’s team is frequently rolling out updates– and those disadvantages are slowly but certainly being resolved.

Who Should Take into consideration beehiiv?

Not everybody needs a completely featured e-newsletter platform. Yet if any one of the complying with explains you, beehiiv could be a suit made in heaven:.

1. Outright Beginners: You’ve never sent an e-mail blast, you do not intend to invest cash ahead of time, and you require a cost-free, easy means to experiment. Beehiiv lets you begin free of charge, send out unrestricted e-mails to approximately 2,500 subscribers, and grow organically with the boosts network.
2. Small-List Creators: If you currently have a couple of hundred or a pair thousand customers but no clue just how to turn that right into earnings, beehiiv’s advertisement and boost programs are tailor-made for you. In my first 10 months, I was making about $92/month with a ~ 1k checklist. Not bad for coffee money, right?
3. Designers Who Dislike “Salesy” Stuff: You do not intend to pitch items nonstop or sling digital programs. You prefer to share worth, develop count on, and let the cash been available in on autopilot. Beehiiv’s ad network and boosts let you earn without crafting a four-part sales funnel.
4. Switchers Who Do Not Intend To Rebuild Every Little Thing: Possibly you get on Substack, Ghost, or Mailchimp, and your e-mail automations are a twisted mess. Beehiiv promises a smooth migration from those platforms. Plus, if you have a big checklist (claim 10k+), you can obtain help from beehiiv’s support team to relocate every little thing over without losing your automations.

Beginning: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough

Sign Up and Explore the Dashboard

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

Build Your Initial Subscribe Kind

Browse to Audience �’ Subscribe Kinds �’ Create Brand-new Kind. You’ll need:

• A headline that hooks site visitors
• A brief blurb explaining what your e-newsletter has to do with
• A call-to-action switch (e.g., “Join My Newsletter”)
• Your logo or a pertinent picture
• A post-subscribe message or redirect (e.g., “Many thanks for signing up with! Check your inbox in a sec.”)

You can choose from various type styles: full-width, fixed-width, slim embed (just the e-mail area), or progressed (with tracking codes). The personalization options are basic– shades for buttons and background photos– however it’s surprisingly effective for catching emails.

Establish Your Site and Custom-made Pages

If you desire greater than just a type, hop into Design �’ Website Builder �’ Custom Pages �’ Internal Web Page. Use this to:

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

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

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

I spent a couple of hours tweaking my first landing page, once I mastered it, I recognized how powerful it is to have every little thing under one roof covering. 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 corner. You’ll see a clean, distraction-free editor where you can:

• Create your e-mail duplicate Is Beehiiv or Substack Better
• Place photos, headers, and custom HTML blocks
• Preview how it’ll look in inboxes and on your website
• Schedule or send quickly

One catch: Customization is restricted. Every customer sees “Hey there” instead of “Hi [Given name]” If you require hyper-personalization, you could miss out on that. But also for most people, a pleasant, conversational intro suffices.

Activate Monetization

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

• Join the Ad Network: Instantly receive sponsorship requests that match your niche. Select which ones to accept, insert the advertisement copy right into your e-newsletter, and make money per click/view.
• Set Up Boosts: Apply to advertise other e-newsletters. If somebody joins using your link, you earn $1–$ 3 per subscriber.

For paid e-newsletters, navigate to Monetization �’ Paid Memberships. You’ll attach your Stripe account (beehiiv does not bill added charges past Stripe’s handling), establish your pricing plans (monthly, annual, or “Call Your Price”), and choose what web 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 obtains absolutely no clicks, it might be unnecessary to your target market– decline comparable future ads. When a boost transforms well, send more boost requests or modify your offer.

It could seem like a great deal in the beginning, but I guarantee you’ll master it within a couple of days. And the rewards– both monetary and in terms of your target market’s growth– deserve the initial contour.

Deep Dive: beehiiv’s Money making Options

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

1. beehiiv Partner Program (Affiliate Revenues)

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

• How It Works: You sign up for the Partner Program, get your unique referral link, and share it on your blog site, Twitter, LinkedIn, any place. When a person clicks, enroll in a paid plan (Scale or Max), you make a commission.
• Commission Fees: As Much As 60% of their first-year repayment. If they pay $100, you may see $60. Cha-ching.
• Payment: Beehiiv pays month-to-month by means of PayPal. No minimum threshold, no hoops to jump with.

In my instance, I released a Medium blog post strolling individuals via my beehiiv experience (spoiler: this guide right here belongs to that initiative). Through a mix of blog traffic and word-of-mouth, I made over $5,000 in associate compensations by December 2024. All I did was share my genuine experience.

2. Boosts: Gain by Aiding Others Expand

Boosts are primarily sponsored promotions– beehiiv’s spin on a “send for pay” model. Below’s the scoop:.

• Come To Be a Boost Sponsor: If you think your e-newsletter can aid others expand, use in the Boosts control panel. You’ll discuss why your audience is an excellent fit and established a rate you ‘d pay for a new subscriber.
• Put on Boost Others: If you desire fast customers, you can pay to boost your e-newsletter on other developers’ lists. But what a lot of little creators like is the reverse: you apply to be a boost companion for various other e-newsletters. When somebody register with your boost, you obtain $1–$ 3
• Limitations:
  • You can send up to 25 boost supplies per month, however beehiiv just surfaces three deals at a time to prospective companions.
  • If a boost is doing well, other makers will choose it up rapidly.

Here’s a quick example: In October 2024, I promoted a fellow SEO developer’s e-newsletter for $1.75 per subscriber. Over 2 weeks, I produced 200 new clients for them– and earned about $350 while doing so. Win-win.

3. beehiiv Ad Network (Sponsored Ads)

This is where the big bucks can be available in, even if your list is “little.” Below’s just how it goes:

• Eligibility: You need at the very least 1,000 energetic subscribers and a consistent send routine (a minimum of one e-mail monthly, though weekly is ideal).
• Automation: As soon as accepted, you’ll start getting 3– 5 sponsorship requests per month. Beehiiv matches you with brand names based on your target market’s rate of interests– so a marketing SaaS firm could come close to an SEO-focused e-newsletter, for instance.
• Payment Design:
  • Price Per Click (CPC): You make money whenever somebody clicks the advertisement in your email.
  • Cost Per Mille (CPM): You gain based on a thousand impacts.
• Relieve of Use: You can accept or decline each deal right from your control panel. Beehiiv manages all the invoicing. All you do is copy-paste the advertisement into your e-newsletter.

In 2024, I ran 37 sponsored advertisements, including a few prominent brand names like HubSpot. I made $632 from ads alone, with my top campaign creating $112 from 35 clicks (4.5% click-through). Remember: relevance is king. Irrelevant ads container click-through prices, so be selective.

4. Paid Subscriptions (” Costs Web Content”)

If you create really special material– deep dive records, exclusive tutorials, or expert evaluations– you could take into consideration a paid rate. Right here’s the 101:

• Setup: Go to Money Making �’ Paid Memberships, attach Stripe, and select your pricing:
  • Monthly
  • Yearly (generally discounted)
  • One-time settlement (for a single overview or program)
  • Name Your Cost (your customers pick what they can pay for)
• Revenue Split: Beehiiv does not charge you a platform cost; they only pass Stripe’s handling charge (2.9% + $0.30) on you.
• Examples: If you have 100 subscribers paying $7/month, that’s $700/month = $8,400/ year (minus Stripe fees). Tolerable, appropriate? Obviously, reaching 100 paid subscribers suggests you require a faithful, involved base.

Currently, be practical: Paid memberships are a work. You need regular, high-value content that makes individuals comfy taking out their purses. If you’re just beginning, the advertisement network and boosts may be quicker success.

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

I recognize pricing is a huge enigma when you’re thinking about switching systems. Here’s the break down as of mid-2025:.

• Free Plan (up to 2,500 customers): Great for pet projects or if you’re examining the waters. You still get boosts for checklist growth, standard analytics, and unlimited sends– simply no ad network or paid memberships yet.
• Scale ($ 39.20/ month): Suitable if you’re serious about monetizing. You get ad network accessibility, boosts, paid registrations, and the AI Composing Aide to quicken your newsletter creation.
• Max ($ 87.29/ month): If AI devices (image generation, grammar fixing, translation) issue to you, and you want top priority assistance, this is the pleasant area. And also, you can release a mobile application for your subscribers.
• Enterprise (100k+ customers): For brands and mega-creators who need custom-made migrations, service-level contracts, and progressed protection. Not many little creators need this.

My recommendation? Begin on the Free plan. Obtain a feel for the dashboard, expand your list to 1,000, after that update to Scale as soon as you understand you classifieds income and boosts.

Distinct Features Is Beehiiv or Substack Better

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

1. Audio E-newsletters

Ever before thought of turning your email right into a podcast-like experience? Beehiiv’s integrated audio newsletter feature automatically transforms your e-mails into spoken-word sound. No extra modifying software program, no outsourcing to Fiverr– just toggle it on, and your subscribers can pay attention on the go. For active audiences who drive or exercise, this is a useful method to remain linked.

2. Customized Mobile Apps for Readers

The majority of systems provide you a “mobile-optimized website.” Beehiiv goes one action additionally: you can launch a custom-made mobile application for your subscribers. Once they include it to their home screen, your e-newsletter ends up being a one-tap experience– no inbox mess. Picture waking up and seeing application notices when you drop a new issue. Speak about interaction.

3. “Name Your Rate” Subscriptions

Rather than forcing everybody into $5 or $7 rates, let your most faithful fans choose what to pay. It’s a trust-building move and can bring about greater life time value. I have not checked this feature directly yet, but for creators who feel a bit anxious regarding rate factors, it’s a pleasant alternative to trying out.

4. beehiiv AI Collection

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

• AI Composing Assistant: Produce newsletter drafts based upon bullet factors or subjects. For days when you’re looking at a blank page, this jumpstarts your imagination.
• AI Text Device: Grammar, spelling, tone checks– no demand for Grammarly. You obtain a clean, sleek draft that really feels human Is Beehiiv or Substack Better.
• AI Picture Tool: Create personalized header pictures or images without buying stock photos. Simply type a prompt, and voila.
• AI Translator: Want to send your newsletter in several languages? Equate your web content into Spanish, French, German, Italian, or Portuguese quickly.

These features can cut hours off web content development and help you trying out brand-new styles.

Pro Tips For Being successful on beehiiv

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

Tidy Your List for Better Performance

In August 2024, I cut my customer matter in half (from concerning 2,400 down to 1,200) by getting rid of non-active emails– people who had not opened up anything in six months. My open prices jumped from ~ 45% to over 60%, which implied marketers paid even more per click. It injured to shed customers, however a lean, engaged list is worth more than a bloated, passive one.

Experiment with Subject Lines Like a Pro

Subject lines make or burst rates. Do A/B examinations on tiny sections prior to sending out to your whole listing. Brief, punchy, question-based subjects (” Ready to double your web traffic?”) often outperform generic ones (” April E-newsletter”).

Be Pickier with Ad Offers

If an ad does not resonate with your particular niche, say no. Unnecessary ads irritate viewers and tank click metrics. With time, beehiiv’s algorithm will learn what fits your audience– decrease enough off-topic offers, and they’ll quit sending them.

Usage Boosts to Examine New Audiences

Got a new classification you want to explore? Attempt improving your newsletter in an associated particular niche. The expense per customer averages $1.63– but if those clients remain, it deserves it. I once boosted a SEO newsletter in a digital marketing audience and got an unusual uptick in retention.

Utilize AI for Faster Production

On nights when I’m burnt out, I ask the AI Creating Aide to draft a rough outline: intro, 3 main points, final thought. After that I flesh it out with my own stories and design tweaks. It’s not ideal, however it’s a strong foundation that conserves me 30– 45 mins per e-mail.

Take Advantage of the Mobile Application

Encourage customers to mount your newsletter’s mobile application. In your next email, compose a fast “How to Add Our Newsletter to Your Home Screen” tutorial. More application mounts indicate even more visibility, and push notices beat inbox noise.

Offer Occasional Paid-Only Web Content

Rather than making every issue totally free, tease a “perk record” once a quarter behind a paywall ($ 5–$ 7). Promote it heavily to your list. Even if you only offer 20 duplicates, that’s $100–$ 140 that offsets your regular monthly beehiiv expense.

Wrapping Up: Is beehiiv Right for You?

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

• You’ve never ever sent an e-newsletter, yet you’re itching to start– beehiiv’s free plan and intuitive tools are ideal for learning the ropes.
• You have a small listing (< 2,500) and wish to generate income from without frustrations-- beehiiv's ad network and boosts pay you for doing almost absolutely nothing additional.
• You’re a mid-sized maker (1k+ subscribers) seeking to scale– beehiiv’s analytics, AI devices, and referral program aid you grow quicker and make more.
• You dislike intricate e-mail systems– beehiiv strikes an equilibrium in between powerful features and easy to use layout.

Sure, the feature collection can really feel discouraging at first, and you could get a couple of unnecessary advertisement demands. However consider this: in under a year, I made almost $1,000 on a small listing and over $5,000 in affiliate payments just by sharing my experience. I have actually seen adequate to recognize that if you invest a little bit of time learning the system, the returns can be significant.

So, what are you waiting for? Register for beehiiv, check out the control panel, and let the monetization engines transform. Your future self will thanks when the checks roll in.