Last updated: November 11, 2026 | 9 min read
beehiiv is a newsletter platform built for people whose newsletter is the business. Founded in 2021 and based in New York, it now powers more than 130,000 publications, with a hosted website, paid subscriptions, an ad network and a recommendation network to grow your list.
In this review we look at what beehiiv does well, where it falls short, and what it really costs in 2026, using the prices on its pricing page at 1,000 to 25,000 subscribers.
Short verdict: beehiiv is one of the best platforms for monetised newsletters: 0% take on subscriptions, a built-in ad network, and strong growth tools. The free plan covers 2,500 subscribers, but ads, paid subscriptions and automations need Lite ($59/month), and removing beehiiv branding needs Pro.
Quick Answer: beehiiv is worth it if your newsletter is your business. The free plan covers 2,500 subscribers with a website and recommendations. Lite costs $59/month and Pro $109/month for up to 1,000 subscribers on monthly billing ($49 and $95 billed yearly), rising to $109 and $199 at 5,000. beehiiv takes 0% of subscription revenue.
Table of Contents
beehiiv at a Glance
| beehiiv | |
|---|---|
| Best for | Creators and media businesses monetising a newsletter |
| Company | beehiiv (founded 2021, New York) |
| Free plan | 2,500 subscribers, unlimited sends |
| Lite | $59/month (1K); $109 (5K); $139 (10K) |
| Pro | $109/month (1K); $199 (5K); $239 (10K) |
| Annual billing | Saves up to 20% |
| Revenue take | 0% on subscriptions and digital products |
| Monetisation | Ad Network and paid subscriptions from Lite |
| Our verdict | Excellent for paid newsletters, pricey for businesses |
beehiiv Pricing in 2026
beehiiv has four plans: Free, Lite, Pro and Enterprise. Prices depend on your subscriber count across all publications. On monthly billing:
| Subscribers | Lite | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 1,000 | $59 ($49 yearly) | $109 ($95 yearly) |
| Up to 5,000 | $109 ($95 yearly) | $199 ($169 yearly) |
| Up to 10,000 | $139 ($119 yearly) | $239 ($199 yearly) |
| Up to 25,000 | $199 ($169 yearly) | $349 ($299 yearly) |
What each plan includes:
- Free: up to 2,500 subscribers, unlimited sends, 1 publication and seat, a website, podcast hosting, the recommendation network and 30-day analytics. No ads, paid subscriptions, automations or referral program.
- Lite: adds the Ad Network, paid subscriptions and digital products at 0% take, email automations, surveys, webhooks, 2 seats and support tickets.
- Pro: removes beehiiv branding and adds a sponsorship storefront, the Send API, dynamic content, up to 10 publications, 10 seats and 24/7 priority support. 14-day free trial.
- Enterprise: custom pricing with SSO, dedicated IPs and a customer success manager.
beehiiv takes 0% of subscription and digital-product revenue, but Stripe still charges its standard processing fee (2.9% + 30¢ in the US).
Sidenote: Boosts are now called paid recommendations and need a paid plan. Free recommendations between newsletters still work on every plan.
What beehiiv Does Well
Built for monetisation
Paid subscriptions at 0% take, a built-in Ad Network and a sponsorship storefront on Pro make beehiiv one of the easiest ways to earn from a newsletter.
Strong growth tools
The recommendation network, paid recommendations and referral program help you grow through other newsletters and your own readers.
Website and podcast included
Every plan includes a hosted website for your archive, and podcast hosting, so you don’t need a separate site builder. For layout inspiration, see our newsletter design ideas.
A generous free plan
2,500 subscribers with unlimited sends is enough to launch and find your audience. Our tips for creating a newsletter people love will help you make the most of it.
Where beehiiv Falls Short
Monetisation needs Lite
Ads, paid subscriptions and automations all start at $59/month (or $49 billed yearly).
Branding removal needs Pro
Removing beehiiv branding requires Pro, from $109/month.
Expensive for business newsletters
If you’re not monetising, $109–$199 a month at 5,000 subscribers is a lot compared with general email tools.
Support is limited on Free
Free accounts get the beehiiv AI agent only, and no plan offers phone or email support.
Deliverability
beehiiv manages sending infrastructure for you, and Enterprise adds dedicated IPs. beehiiv’s results still depend on your list and your domain setup. Gmail and Yahoo now require bulk senders to authenticate with SPF, DKIM and DMARC, keep spam complaints low and offer one-click unsubscribe. See Google’s sender guidelines, Yahoo’s best practices and RFC 8058 on one-click unsubscribe. Set up DMARC for your domain (dmarc.org) and track your reputation in Google Postmaster Tools.
beehiiv Pros and Cons
✅beehiiv Pros:
- 0% take on paid subscriptions and digital products
- Built-in Ad Network and sponsorship tools
- Recommendation network and referral program
- Website and podcast hosting included
- Free plan for 2,500 subscribers
❌beehiiv Cons:
- Ads, paid subs and automations need Lite ($59/month)
- Branding removal needs Pro ($109/month)
- Expensive for non-monetised business newsletters
- No phone or email support
💰Pricing: Free (2,500 subscribers); Lite from $59/month ($49 yearly); Pro from $109/month ($95 yearly); Enterprise custom.
Who beehiiv Is Best For
- Writers and media businesses building a paid newsletter.
- Newsletters that want ad revenue without finding sponsors themselves.
- Creators who want growth tools like recommendations and referrals.
It’s a weaker fit for businesses that send newsletters to customers rather than selling the newsletter itself.
How beehiiv Compares
- beehiiv vs Substack: beehiiv wins on take rate and growth tools.
- beehiiv vs Mailchimp: Mailchimp suits general business email.
- Kit review: Kit suits creators selling digital products.
- Email newsletter software: more newsletter tools compared.
See our Substack alternatives for other paid-newsletter platforms.
Every campaign, on any tool, needs an unsubscribe link and a physical address under the CAN-SPAM Act.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is beehiiv worth it in 2026?
beehiiv is worth it if your newsletter is your business and you’ll use its ads, paid subscriptions and growth tools. For business newsletters, cheaper tools are a better fit.
How much does beehiiv cost?
Lite costs $59/month and Pro $109/month for up to 1,000 subscribers on monthly billing ($49 and $95 yearly), rising to $109 and $199 at 5,000.
Is beehiiv free?
Yes. beehiiv’s free plan covers up to 2,500 subscribers with unlimited sends, but no ads, paid subscriptions or automations.
Does beehiiv take a cut of subscriptions?
No. beehiiv takes 0% of subscription revenue; you only pay Stripe’s processing fees.
What happened to beehiiv’s plan names?
beehiiv’s plans are now Free, Lite, Pro and Enterprise, replacing the older Launch, Grow and Scale names.
What are the best beehiiv alternatives?
Substack, Kit and Ghost are common alternatives. See our Substack alternatives guide.
Final Verdict
beehiiv is one of the best platforms for monetised newsletters, with 0% take on subscriptions, a built-in ad network and strong growth tools. The trade-offs are that monetisation starts at $59/month, branding removal needs Pro, and support is limited. Choose it if you’re building a newsletter business.
Looking for a Simpler Alternative?
If your newsletter supports a business rather than being the product, Mailercloud costs much less. It’s free for 1,000 contacts and 12,000 emails a month, and Premium costs $10/month for 5,000 contacts with unlimited sends, automation and segmentation. It doesn’t offer paid subscriptions or an ad network. beehiiv Lite costs $109 at 5,000.
Newsletters from $10/month — try Mailercloud free
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Free for 1,000 contacts · No credit card · $10/month for 5,000
As a Marketing Director, I develop and implement marketing strategies, conduct market research, and manage a team of marketing professionals. With a successful track record of launching campaigns that drive revenue growth, I bring my marketing expertise to blog writing, creating engaging content that promotes the brand and its products/services.
