You’ve chosen to produce an e-newsletter– or maybe you already have one. Regardless, the huge inquiry before you is: What device should you use to expand, and perhaps generate income from, your newsletter?
And yeah … it’s overwhelming. There’s no lack of choices around. Some are also complicated. Others are as well fundamental. And then there are two names that keep popping up in your research study: Footnotes in Beehiiv
They both seem strong. They’re both email platforms. They both let you create, send, and (ideally) make money. But when it boils down to choosing one, the distinctions start to matter– a lot.
If you’re trying to find out which one is in fact the better suitable for you, you’re in the appropriate area. Let’s dive in.
What Are Beehiiv and Substack?
Substack resembles the digital variation of an author’s relaxing corner. It’s a minimalist platform produced with authors in mind– believe blog site satisfies newsletter. You create, you publish, you hit send out. Boom. Done.
Beehiiv, on the other hand, is the more recent, shinier child that’s plainly been constructed for growth. It was born out of the Morning Brew group (yes, that Morning Brew), and it’s created to help e-newsletter makers not only create and send emails– but scale like crazy.
Alleviate of Use: Simpleness vs Approach
Let’s be straightforward– you don’t intend to invest hours learning a brand-new control panel. You intend to open the important things, write your item, and send it off.
Substack nails this.
You open the editor, and it feels like a Google Doc with less disturbances. No frills, no templates. Simply you and your words. It’s unusually comforting. Like journaling.
There’s a reason a lot of authors enjoy it– it gets out of the way.
Beehiiv? Still easy– however with more under the hood.
You obtain a classic, clean editor plus the capability to brand your e-newsletter with custom-made templates (though these are just available on paid plans). You can tweak your blog post settings, change format, and also select writer bylines. So while it’s still user-friendly, it’s definitely a lot more durable.
Judgment:
If you want pure simplicity, opt for Substack.
If you’re okay with a few additional switches in exchange for even more control, Beehiiv wins right here.
Monetization: Who Aids You Actually Make Money?
This one’s vital– particularly if you’re not simply writing for fun.
Substack’s design is straightforward: it’s totally free to make use of, once you turn on paid memberships, Substack takes a 10% cut– plus purchase fees. It’s plug-and-play for certain, however that portion of income loss can sting as you grow.
And if you want to run advertisements? Well, you’re pretty much on your own. There’s no native ad network. You’ll have to manually take care of sponsors, payment terms, and putting the advertisements yourself.
Beehiiv goes a different route.
It’s cost-free to start, but if you want accessibility to money making features (like their advertisement network), you’ll require a paid plan. That stated, they don’t take a cut of your subscription earnings (other than Stripe’s common handling charges). So while you pay monthly upfront, you maintain more as you grow.
Oh– and the money making tools? Way more modern-day:
- Lifetime memberships
- ” Pay What You Want” options
- Integrated referral programs
- An indigenous advertisement network to aid you land sponsors without the back-and-forth
Judgment:
If you’re intending to grow and actually generate income from, Beehiiv strikes Substack out of the water.
Community & Interaction: Footnotes in Beehiiv
Newsletters aren’t almost sending stuff out. They’re about drawing individuals in.
Substack leans into community hard.
You’ve obtained remarks, likes, replies, personal messages, discussion threads– also a “Notes” area that acts like Twitter-lite. It’s slowly developing into a social system of its very own. Some individuals like that. Others? Not so much.
However it’s a charming ecosystem if you want to construct conversations around your material. It doesn’t harm that Substack individuals can find you by means of the integrated network, and you can send out viewers to other authors.
Beehiiv is … quieter.
They have actually recently included comments and suches as, yet it’s not as community-driven (yet). People generally just reply to your e-mails. That’s not a poor point– it maintains your inbox cleaner, and your material more direct.
Yet where Beehiiv truly radiates is in growth mechanics:
- Integrated referral programs
- Paid recommendations
- Cross-promotion devices to feature other newsletters
Judgment:
Want to produce a buzzing, social room around your newsletter? Substack has the side.
Looking for built-in growth engines? Beehiiv takes the lead.
Layout & Versatility: How Much Can You Make It Yours?
Let’s speak visuals. How much flexibility do you get to design your e-newsletter?
Substack keeps it very little.
You can include a logo. Fine-tune a shade. That has to do with it. Emails all have the exact same framework, and your Substack homepage? It resembles a blog. Clean, however not incredibly adjustable.
Beehiiv offers a bit a lot more adaptability.
There’s a “Layout Laboratory” where you can set typefaces, styles, and history shades. In the editor, you can include tables, pictures, buttons, installs– the basics. It’s not Mailchimp-level personalization, but it lets you produce an e-newsletter that really feels even more like your own brand name.
Judgment:
Substack is better if you desire consistency without believing also hard.
Beehiiv gives you the tools to make your newsletter feel you– without overdoing it.
Target Market Insights & Analytics: What Do You Really Learn About Your Readers?
This component matters way greater than you think.
Substack offers you the fundamentals.
Opens, clicks, readers by gadget. There’s a high-level view of where clients originated from– yet it’s not granular. You don’t truly get detailed target market data, which makes it tough to know what’s working.
Beehiiv goes deeper.
Open and click rates? Check. However also– the amount of people came from X, Instagram, or your website. You can also see involvement by sector, place, or actions. It’s the type of data that helps you in fact grow.
Decision:
Beehiiv wins hands-down if information issues to you (and it must).
Listing Monitoring & Automations: Can You Customize the Experience?
Substack is straightforward.
You write a newsletter, and everyone gets it. There’s no division, no tags, no automations. It’s a one-size-fits-all design. Easy, yes. Flexible, not a lot.
Beehiiv, though?
You can sector your checklist based on interaction, signup source, actions– you call it. Want to send a welcome series to brand-new viewers? You can. Want to tag subscribers based on survey reactions? Yeah, that too.
Decision:
Beehiiv is a marketing professional’s dream. Substack is an author’s notebook.
Pricing
Substack is technically complimentary … till you generate income. After that they take 10%.
Beehiiv’s free plan lets you test the waters with as much as 2,500 subscribers. However to unlock money making, you’ll need to upgrade:
Scale Plan begins at $49/month.
Boost based on your subscriber count.
Higher rates use innovative automations, referral boosts, and customized domain names.
However again– Beehiiv doesn’t take a portion of your income. 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 better if you plan to scale– and keep even more of what you earn.
Which One’s In fact Much better?
If you’re still undecided, here’s the no-BS action:.
Use Substack if you’re a solitary author who intends to send out basic emails, connect with a community, and doesn’t care about style, information, or monetization Footnotes in Beehiiv.
Select Beehiiv if you intend to treat your e-newsletter like a business. 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 Thoughts
There’s no incorrect answer here – simply tools that offer various objectives.
Yet if you’re thinking about the lengthy game? Want greater than simply an area to strike “release”? Want the flexibility to build, generate income from, and utilize information to choose?
Beehiiv is your best choice.
It’s contemporary, built for makers and offers you the flexibility to grow your list just how you choose. So if you’re serious about your newsletter experience, Beehiiv isn’t just a platform, it’s your introducing factor.