You have actually chosen to create a newsletter– or maybe you already have one. Regardless, the large concern before you is: What device should you use to grow, and probably generate income from, your e-newsletter?
And yeah … it’s frustrating. There’s no shortage of alternatives around. Some are too intricate. Others are as well basic. And then there are two names that maintain appearing in your study: Beehiiv Pay What You Want
They both appear strong. They’re both email systems. They both let you write, send out, and (ideally) make money. But when it comes down to selecting one, the differences start to matter– a lot.
If you’re attempting to find out which one is actually the better suitable for you, you’re in the appropriate place. Let’s dive in.
What Are Beehiiv and Substack?
Substack resembles the digital version of an author’s relaxing edge. It’s a minimal system produced with authors in mind– believe blog site satisfies e-newsletter. You create, you publish, you hit send. Boom. Done.
Beehiiv, on the other hand, is the newer, shinier child that’s plainly been built for growth. It was substantiated of the Morning Brew team (yes, that Morning Brew), and it’s developed to help newsletter developers not just create and send emails– yet range like crazy.
Ease of Use: Simplicity vs Technique
Let’s be straightforward– you do not wish to spend hours learning a new dashboard. You wish to open up the important things, create your item, and send it off.
Substack nails this.
You open up the editor, and it seems like a Google Doc with less diversions. No frills, no templates. Just you and your words. It’s strangely reassuring. Like journaling.
There’s a factor so many writers love it– it gets out of the way.
Beehiiv? Still easy– yet with even more under the hood.
You get a traditional, clean editor plus the ability to brand name your e-newsletter with custom templates (though these are only available on paid plans). You can tweak your blog post setups, change layout, and even choose writer bylines. So while it’s still easy to use, it’s absolutely much more robust.
Judgment:
If you want pure simpleness, select Substack.
If you’re all right with a couple of added switches in exchange for more control, Beehiiv wins below.
Money making: Who Assists You Really Generate Income?
This’s crucial– particularly if you’re not just composing for fun.
Substack’s model is simple: it’s free to utilize, once you activate paid registrations, Substack takes a 10% cut– plus purchase fees. It’s plug-and-play for sure, yet that chunk of earnings loss can hurt as you expand.
And if you intend to run advertisements? Well, you’re virtually on your own. There’s no indigenous ad network. You’ll need to by hand handle sponsors, repayment terms, and placing the ads yourself.
Beehiiv goes a different route.
It’s complimentary to begin, however if you desire access to monetization features (like their ad network), you’ll need a paid plan. That claimed, they don’t take a cut of your subscription revenue (other than Stripe’s conventional handling fees). So while you pay month-to-month upfront, you maintain extra as you expand.
Oh– and the monetization devices? Means much more modern:
- Life time registrations
- ” Pay What You Want” choices
- Built-in referral programs
- A native advertisement network to assist you land sponsors without the back-and-forth
Verdict:
If you’re preparing to expand and truly monetize, Beehiiv impacts Substack out of the water.
Community & Interaction: Beehiiv Pay What You Want
E-newsletters aren’t practically sending out things out. They have to do with drawing people in.
Substack leans right into community hard.
You have actually got remarks, suches as, replies, private messages, conversation strings– also a “Notes” area that acts like Twitter-lite. It’s slowly developing into a social platform of its very own. Some individuals enjoy that. Others? Not so much.
Nonetheless it’s a wonderful ecological community if you intend to develop discussions around your material. It does not hurt that Substack individuals can discover you through the integrated network, and you can send visitors to various other writers.
Beehiiv is … quieter.
They have actually recently included comments and likes, yet it’s not as community-driven (yet). People commonly simply reply to your e-mails. That’s not a bad point– it maintains your inbox cleaner, and your web content a lot more direct.
But where Beehiiv really beams is in development mechanics:
- Integrated referral programs
- Paid recommendations
- Cross-promotion devices to feature various other e-newsletters
Judgment:
Wish to create a buzzing, social room around your newsletter? Substack has the edge.
Trying to find integrated growth engines? Beehiiv takes the lead.
Style & Flexibility: How Much Can You Make It Yours?
Let’s chat visuals. How much freedom do you reach create your e-newsletter?
Substack keeps it very little.
You can add a logo design. Modify a shade. That’s about it. E-mails all have the exact same structure, and your Substack homepage? It appears like a blog site. Clean, however not super adjustable.
Beehiiv provides a little bit more versatility.
There’s a “Layout Lab” where you can set typefaces, designs, and background colors. In the editor, you can add tables, images, switches, installs– the basics. It’s not Mailchimp-level modification, yet it allows you produce a newsletter that feels more like your own brand.
Decision:
Substack is much better if you desire consistency without believing as well hard.
Beehiiv offers you the tools to make your e-newsletter feel you– without going overboard.
Target Market Insights & Analytics: What Do You Really Learn About Your Viewers?
This component matters method greater than you think.
Substack gives you the fundamentals.
Opens, clicks, viewers by gadget. There’s a high-level view of where customers came from– yet it’s not granular. You do not truly get detailed audience data, that makes it hard to recognize what’s functioning.
Beehiiv goes deeper.
Open and click prices? Examine. Yet likewise– how many individuals originated from X, Instagram, or your site. You can also see involvement by sector, place, or behavior. It’s the sort of information that aids you actually expand.
Decision:
Beehiiv wins hands-down if information matters to you (and it should).
List Administration & Automations: Can You Personalize the Experience?
Substack is straightforward.
You write an e-newsletter, and everybody gets it. There’s no segmentation, no tags, no automations. It’s a one-size-fits-all model. Easy, yes. Versatile, not a lot.
Beehiiv, though?
You can segment your listing based on involvement, signup resource, behavior– you name it. Intend to send out a welcome sequence to brand-new viewers? You can. Want to label customers based on study responses? Yep, that also.
Judgment:
Beehiiv is a marketer’s desire. Substack is an author’s notebook.
Pricing
Substack is technically cost-free … till you make money. Then they take 10%.
Beehiiv’s free plan allows you evaluate the waters with up to 2,500 customers. Yet to open monetization, you’ll require to update:
Scale Plan starts at $49/month.
Costs increase based on your client matter.
Higher tiers use advanced automations, referral boosts, and custom-made domains.
But once more– Beehiiv does not take a percentage of your profits. That’s a big deal.
Decision:
Substack is wonderful if you wish to evaluate the waters and don’t mind surrendering 10%.
Beehiiv is better if you plan to range– and maintain even more of what you make.
Which One’s Really Better?
If you’re still undecided, below’s the no-BS reaction:.
Usage Substack if you’re a single writer who intends to send fundamental e-mails, connect with a community, and doesn’t respect style, data, or money making Beehiiv Pay What You Want.
Pick Beehiiv if you want to treat your e-newsletter like a service. It’s much better for serious growth, money making, automation, and division. It’s primarily what you ‘d get if ConvertKit and Substack had an infant– with Morning Brew as the godparent.
Last Ideas
There’s no incorrect answer right here – just tools that offer different objectives.
However if you’re taking into consideration the long video game? Want more than just a place to hit “release”? Want the freedom to construct, generate income from, and make use of information to make decisions?
Beehiiv is your ideal alternative.
It’s modern, developed for designers and offers you the flexibility to expand your listing just how you pick. So if you’re serious about your newsletter experience, Beehiiv isn’t simply a system, it’s your launching point.