You’ve made a decision to develop an e-newsletter– or maybe you currently have one. Regardless, the huge inquiry in front of you is: What device should you make use of to expand, and probably monetize, your newsletter?
And yeah … it’s overwhelming. There’s no shortage of alternatives around. Some are also intricate. Others are too standard. And after that there are two names that maintain appearing in your research: Beehiiv VICE
They both appear solid. They’re both e-mail systems. They both let you create, send, and (ideally) make money. But when it boils down to selecting one, the distinctions begin to matter– a whole lot.
If you’re attempting to find out which one is actually the much better fit for you, you remain in the ideal place. Let’s dive in.
What Are Beehiiv and Substack?
Substack is like the digital variation of a writer’s comfortable edge. It’s a minimalist system created with authors in mind– assume blog satisfies e-newsletter. You create, you publish, you struck send out. Boom. Done.
Beehiiv, on the other hand, is the newer, shinier kid that’s plainly been constructed for growth. It was substantiated of the Morning Brew team (yes, that Morning Brew), and it’s created to aid newsletter creators not just write and send out emails– but range like crazy.
Relieve of Use: Simplicity vs Approach
Let’s be honest– you do not want to invest hours learning a brand-new control panel. You intend to open up the important things, compose your piece, and send it off.
Substack nails this.
You open up the editor, and it feels like a Google Doc with less diversions. No fuss, no templates. Just you and your words. It’s strangely comforting. Like journaling.
There’s a reason so many authors like it– it gets out of the way.
Beehiiv? Still simple– yet with more under the hood.
You get a timeless, clean editor plus the capacity to brand name your e-newsletter with customized templates (though these are only offered on paid plans). You can modify your blog post settings, adjust format, and also select author bylines. So while it’s still user-friendly, it’s most definitely a lot more durable.
Judgment:
If you desire pure simplicity, opt for Substack.
If you’re alright with a few additional buttons in exchange for more control, Beehiiv wins here.
Money making: Who Aids You Actually Earn Money?
This’s crucial– specifically if you’re not just creating for fun.
Substack’s model is straightforward: it’s totally free to use, but once you activate paid memberships, Substack takes a 10% cut– plus transaction fees. It’s plug-and-play for sure, however that piece of profits loss can hurt as you grow.
And if you wish to run advertisements? Well, you’re pretty much on your own. There’s no native advertisement network. You’ll have to by hand manage enrollers, repayment terms, and positioning the ads yourself.
Beehiiv goes a different path.
It’s totally free to get started, however if you want accessibility to monetization features (like their ad network), you’ll require a paid plan. That claimed, they do not take a cut of your subscription revenue (except Stripe’s typical handling fees). So while you pay monthly upfront, you maintain a lot more as you grow.
Oh– and the monetization devices? Way extra modern:
- Life time registrations
- ” Pay What You Desired” choices
- Integrated referral programs
- A native ad network to help you land enrollers without the back-and-forth
Decision:
If you’re planning to expand and actually monetize, Beehiiv strikes Substack out of the water.
Community & Engagement: Beehiiv VICE
Newsletters aren’t almost sending out stuff out. They’re about drawing individuals in.
Substack leans right into community hard.
You’ve got comments, likes, responds, private messages, discussion threads– even a “Notes” area that imitates Twitter-lite. It’s slowly turning into a social system of its very own. Some people enjoy that. Others? Not a lot.
Nonetheless it’s a wonderful community if you want to build discussions around your web content. It doesn’t hurt that Substack users can find you by means of the integrated network, and you can send readers to other authors.
Beehiiv is … quieter.
They’ve lately included comments and likes, but it’s not as community-driven (yet). People usually just reply to your e-mails. That’s not a bad thing– it maintains your inbox cleaner, and your content much more direct.
However where Beehiiv really radiates is in growth mechanics:
- Built-in referral programs
- Paid suggestions
- Cross-promotion tools to feature various other e-newsletters
Judgment:
Want to produce a buzzing, social room around your e-newsletter? Substack has the edge.
Looking for integrated development engines? Beehiiv takes the lead.
Style & Flexibility: How Much Can You Make It Yours?
Let’s talk visuals. Just how much freedom do you get to make your e-newsletter?
Substack maintains it marginal.
You can include a logo design. Fine-tune a shade. That’s about it. E-mails all have the very same framework, and your Substack homepage? It resembles a blog. Clean, but not incredibly customizable.
Beehiiv offers a little bit extra flexibility.
There’s a “Design Laboratory” where you can establish font styles, designs, and background shades. In the editor, you can add tables, photos, switches, embeds– the basics. It’s not Mailchimp-level modification, however it lets you produce a newsletter that feels more like your own brand name.
Decision:
Substack is better if you want consistency without thinking also hard.
Beehiiv gives you the devices to make your newsletter feel you– without overdoing.
Audience Insights & Analytics: What Do You Really Find Out About Your Visitors?
This part matters method greater than you think.
Substack gives you the essentials.
Opens, clicks, visitors by gadget. There’s a top-level view of where subscribers came from– yet it’s not granular. You don’t actually get detailed audience data, that makes it difficult to know what’s functioning.
Beehiiv goes deeper.
Open up and click rates? Check. But additionally– how many individuals came from X, Instagram, or your site. You can even see interaction by section, area, or habits. It’s the type of information that assists you really grow.
Verdict:
Beehiiv wins hands-down if data matters to you (and it need to).
Checklist Administration & Automations: Can You Personalize the Experience?
Substack is straightforward.
You create a newsletter, and everyone gets it. There’s no segmentation, no tags, no automations. It’s a one-size-fits-all design. Easy, yes. Versatile, not so much.
Beehiiv, though?
You can segment your list based on engagement, signup source, actions– you name it. Intend to send out a welcome series to brand-new viewers? You can. Intend to mark clients based upon survey feedbacks? Yep, that also.
Judgment:
Beehiiv is a marketing professional’s dream. Substack is an author’s note pad.
Pricing
Substack is practically complimentary … till you earn money. After that they take 10%.
Beehiiv’s free plan lets you examine the waters with as much as 2,500 subscribers. However to unlock money making, you’ll require to upgrade:
Scale Plan begins at $49/month.
Boost based on your subscriber matter.
Greater tiers provide sophisticated automations, referral boosts, and custom-made domains.
Yet once more– Beehiiv does not take a percentage of your earnings. That’s a big deal.
Judgment:
Substack is great if you want to examine the waters and don’t mind giving up 10%.
Beehiiv is much better if you plan to range– and maintain more of what you gain.
Which One’s In fact Much better?
If you’re still undecided, here’s the no-BS reaction:.
Usage Substack if you’re a single writer who wishes to send basic e-mails, interact with a community, and doesn’t respect layout, information, or money making Beehiiv VICE.
Pick Beehiiv if you intend to treat your e-newsletter like an organization. It’s far better for major growth, monetization, automation, and segmentation. It’s primarily what you would certainly obtain if ConvertKit and Substack had an infant– with Morning Brew as the godparent.
Last Ideas
There’s no incorrect solution here – simply tools that serve different goals.
However if you’re taking into consideration the lengthy video game? Want more than just a location to strike “publish”? Desire the liberty to develop, generate income from, and make use of data to make decisions?
Beehiiv is your best option.
It’s contemporary, developed for makers and gives you the flexibility to expand your list exactly how you select. So if you’re serious about your newsletter adventure, Beehiiv isn’t simply a platform, it’s your introducing point.