You’ve made a decision to develop an e-newsletter– or probably you currently have one. Regardless, the huge question in front of you is: What tool should you use to grow, and perhaps monetize, your e-newsletter?
And yeah … it’s frustrating. There’s no lack of choices available. Some are too complex. Others are also fundamental. And after that there are two names that maintain appearing in your research: Invest in Beehiiv
They both seem strong. They’re both email platforms. They both let you compose, send out, and (ideally) make money. But when it comes down to choosing one, the distinctions begin to matter– a great deal.
If you’re attempting to find out which one is actually the far better fit for you, you remain in the best area. Let’s dive in.
What Are Beehiiv and Substack?
Substack resembles the digital version of an author’s cozy corner. It’s a minimalist platform developed with writers in mind– believe blog satisfies e-newsletter. You create, you release, you hit send. Boom. Done.
Beehiiv, on the other hand, is the newer, shinier kid that’s plainly been built for growth. It was born out of the Morning Brew group (yes, that Morning Brew), and it’s developed to aid e-newsletter developers not just compose and send emails– but scale like crazy.
Relieve of Use: Simplicity vs Strategy
Let’s be straightforward– you don’t want to spend hours learning a brand-new dashboard. You wish to open the thing, compose your piece, and send it off.
Substack nails this.
You open up the editor, and it seems like a Google Doc with fewer distractions. No fuss, no templates. Simply you and your words. It’s strangely reassuring. Like journaling.
There’s a reason numerous authors like it– it finishes.
Beehiiv? Still basic– however with more under the hood.
You obtain a timeless, tidy editor plus the capability to brand your e-newsletter with customized templates (though these are just available on paid plans). You can fine-tune your blog post setups, change format, and also select writer bylines. So while it’s still easy to use, it’s most definitely extra durable.
Judgment:
If you desire pure simpleness, select Substack.
If you’re alright with a couple of extra buttons for more control, Beehiiv wins below.
Monetization: Who Aids You Really Make Money?
This’s essential– especially if you’re not simply creating for fun.
Substack’s design is straightforward: it’s free to use, once you switch on paid registrations, Substack takes a 10% cut– plus purchase costs. It’s plug-and-play for certain, however that piece of revenue loss can hurt as you grow.
And if you wish to run advertisements? Well, you’re practically on your own. There’s no native ad network. You’ll need to by hand manage enrollers, settlement terms, and putting the advertisements yourself.
Beehiiv goes a various course.
It’s complimentary to get started, yet if you desire accessibility to money making features (like their advertisement network), you’ll need a paid plan. That said, they don’t take a cut of your membership income (except Stripe’s typical processing fees). So while you pay month-to-month upfront, you keep much more as you expand.
Oh– and the money making tools? Method a lot more modern-day:
- Lifetime memberships
- ” Pay What You Want” alternatives
- Built-in referral programs
- A native ad network to assist you land enrollers without the back-and-forth
Verdict:
If you’re preparing to grow and truly generate income from, Beehiiv strikes Substack out of the water.
Community & Interaction: Invest in Beehiiv
E-newsletters aren’t almost sending out things out. They have to do with drawing individuals in.
Substack leans into community hard.
You have actually obtained comments, suches as, replies, private messages, discussion threads– also a “Notes” section that acts like Twitter-lite. It’s slowly turning into a social platform of its own. Some people like that. Others? Not a lot.
Nonetheless it’s a charming ecosystem if you want to build conversations around your web content. It does not harm that Substack individuals can uncover you by means of the built-in network, and you can send out visitors to various other writers.
Beehiiv is … quieter.
They have actually lately added comments and suches as, but it’s not as community-driven (yet). People generally simply reply to your e-mails. That’s not a poor thing– it keeps your inbox cleaner, and your web content a lot more straight.
However where Beehiiv truly beams is in development technicians:
- Integrated referral programs
- Paid referrals
- Cross-promotion devices to feature various other e-newsletters
Decision:
Want to develop a humming, social space around your newsletter? Substack has the edge.
Looking for integrated growth engines? Beehiiv takes the lead.
Design & Versatility: How Much Can You Make It Yours?
Let’s talk visuals. Just how much flexibility do you reach make your newsletter?
Substack maintains it marginal.
You can include a logo. Fine-tune a shade. That’s about it. E-mails all have the same framework, and your Substack homepage? It resembles a blog. Clean, however not incredibly adjustable.
Beehiiv supplies a bit extra adaptability.
There’s a “Layout Laboratory” where you can establish fonts, designs, and background colors. In the editor, you can include tables, photos, buttons, embeds– the essentials. It’s not Mailchimp-level modification, but it allows you develop an e-newsletter that feels more like your own brand name.
Judgment:
Substack is much better if you want consistency without assuming too hard.
Beehiiv provides you the tools to make your newsletter feel you– without overdoing it.
Audience Insights & Analytics: What Do You Actually Know About Your Viewers?
This component matters means greater than you think.
Substack provides you the fundamentals.
Opens, clicks, viewers by tool. There’s a high-level view of where clients originated from– however it’s not granular. You don’t truly get detailed audience information, that makes it difficult to know what’s functioning.
Beehiiv goes deeper.
Open and click prices? Examine. But also– the number of people came from X, Instagram, or your website. You can even see engagement by segment, area, or actions. It’s the kind of data that assists you in fact expand.
Decision:
Beehiiv wins hands-down if data matters to you (and it ought to).
Checklist Administration & Automations: Can You Individualize the Experience?
Substack is straightforward.
You compose a newsletter, and everyone gets it. There’s no segmentation, no tags, no automations. It’s a one-size-fits-all design. Easy, yes. Flexible, not a lot.
Beehiiv, though?
You can section your list based upon interaction, signup source, habits– you call it. Want to send a welcome series to new viewers? You can. Want to mark customers based upon survey responses? Yep, that too.
Judgment:
Beehiiv is an online marketer’s dream. Substack is an author’s notebook.
Pricing
Substack is practically complimentary … till you earn money. After that they take 10%.
Beehiiv’s free plan allows you test the waters with as much as 2,500 subscribers. However to unlock money making, you’ll require to update:
Scale Plan begins at $49/month.
Boost based on your subscriber count.
Higher tiers use advanced automations, referral boosts, and personalized domain names.
Yet again– Beehiiv doesn’t take a portion of your earnings. That’s a big deal.
Verdict:
Substack is great if you want to check the waters and do not mind giving up 10%.
Beehiiv is better if you plan to range– and keep even more of what you make.
Which One’s Actually Better?
If you’re still undecided, here’s the no-BS action:.
Use Substack if you’re a single writer who intends to send out standard e-mails, interact with a community, and does not appreciate layout, information, or money making Invest in Beehiiv.
Choose Beehiiv if you wish to treat your newsletter like a service. It’s better for major growth, money making, automation, and segmentation. It’s primarily what you would certainly get if ConvertKit and Substack had an infant– with Morning Brew as the godparent.
Final Ideas
There’s no wrong solution below – just tools that serve various objectives.
However if you’re thinking about the long video game? Desire greater than simply an area to strike “release”? Desire the freedom to construct, monetize, and utilize data to choose?
Beehiiv is your ideal choice.
It’s contemporary, constructed for makers and provides you the liberty to grow your listing how you pick. So if you’re serious about your newsletter adventure, Beehiiv isn’t simply a platform, it’s your establishing point.