Comparison guide
Best Newsletter Platform 2026: beehiiv vs Substack vs ConvertKit
The three differ most on what they take from paid subscriptions: Substack keeps 10%, Kit charges 3.5% + 30c per sale including card fees, and beehiiv takes 0% on its paid Scale plan (US$43 a month billed annually). Kit's free plan goes to 10,000 subscribers, four times beehiiv's 2,500; beehiiv has the stronger growth tools once you pay. Each figure was read on the vendor's own pricing page on 30 September 2026.
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Start beehiiv freeOur Pick: beehiiv
For newsletter creators focused on growing an audience and monetising without giving up revenue, beehiiv fits best: its referral program, and on the Scale plan its ad network and 0% revenue share on paid subscriptions, cover the growth stage (beehiiv.com/pricing, 30 September 2026).
Substack is a legitimate starting point for its discovery network and zero monthly fee, but the 10% revenue cut becomes a real cost at scale. ConvertKit is better for product businesses with complex email sequences than for newsletter-first creators.
Start beehiiv FreeKit vs Substack: which should you use?
Substack if you want to publish free today and let its network find readers. Kit if you sell products, courses or services and need automated email sequences around them.
On a paid newsletter the fee structure differs. Substack keeps 10% of paid subscription revenue, and card fees come on top (substack.com/going-paid). Kit charges 3.5% + 30c per sale with card processing included (kit.com/pricing, 30 September 2026). On a US$10 monthly subscription, Substack keeps US$1 before the card fee; Kit takes US$0.65 in total.
Substack charges no monthly fee at any list size. Kit is free up to 10,000 subscribers, and paid subscriptions work on the free plan; unlimited automations and sequences start on the Creator plan at US$33 a month billed yearly (US$390 a year) for 1,000 subscribers, and its newsletter referral system needs the Pro plan at US$66 a month billed yearly. All figures read on each vendor's own page on 30 September 2026. We have no affiliate arrangement with either.
beehiiv
The newsletter platform built for growth
Free Plan
Free up to 2,500 subs
Paid From
Scale US$43/mo billed annually (30 September 2026)
Revenue Share
0% on paid subscriptions (Scale plan)
Pros
- Built-in referral program for subscriber growth
- Native ad network on the paid Scale plan
- No revenue cut on paid subscriptions
- Free Launch plan up to 2,500 subscribers
- Best-in-class analytics and growth tracking
- Newsletter recommendations across the beehiiv network
- Custom domains on free plan
Cons
- Smaller discovery network than Substack
- Paid plans required for advanced features
Substack
Simplest path to a paid newsletter
Free Plan
Free, no subscriber cap
Paid From
No monthly fee
Revenue Share
10% of paid subscriptions, plus card fees (30 September 2026)
Pros
- Largest built-in discovery and recommendation network
- Extremely simple setup, live in minutes
- No monthly fee, only pay when you earn
- Strong brand trust with readers
Cons
- 10% revenue cut on paid subscriptions adds up at scale
- Limited growth and automation tools compared to beehiiv
- No native ad network
- Less control over design and branding
ConvertKit (Kit)
Advanced email marketing for product businesses
Free Plan
Free up to 10,000 subscribers
Paid From
Creator US$33/mo billed yearly (30 September 2026)
Revenue Share
3.5% + 30c per sale, card fees included
Pros
- Powerful automation sequences and tagging
- Strong segmentation for complex email funnels
- Integrates well with digital product sales
- Established platform with large creator community
Cons
- Not newsletter-first, reader experience is basic
- No ad network; the newsletter referral system needs the Pro plan
- More complex than needed for newsletter-only creators
- Unlimited automations and sequences need a paid plan
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | beehiiv | Substack | ConvertKit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan (30 September 2026) | Up to 2,500 subs | Unlimited | Up to 10,000 subs |
| Cut of paid subscriptions | 0% (Scale plan) | 10% plus card fees | 3.5% + 30c, card fees included |
| Referral program | Built in | No | Pro plan |
| Ad network | Yes, native | No | No |
| Paid subscriptions | Scale plan, 0% cut | Yes, 10% cut | Yes, every plan |
| Discovery network | Growing | Large | Limited |
| Automation | Basic | Minimal | Advanced |
| Analytics | Best in class | Basic | Good |
| Free trial | Yes; length not stated | N/A | 14 days |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best newsletter platform in 2026?
For creators focused on growth and monetisation, beehiiv: its paid Scale plan (US$43 a month billed annually) takes 0% of paid subscriptions and adds an ad network and referral tools. Kit is stronger if you sell products and need automated sequences, and Substack is the simplest free start with the largest discovery network (each read on the vendor's own page, 30 September 2026).
beehiiv vs Substack, which is better?
For creators who want to grow fast and keep their subscription revenue, beehiiv: it takes 0% of paid subscriptions on Scale, where Substack keeps 10%. Substack costs nothing monthly at any list size and has a built-in discovery network, so it is the easier start, but on a large paid list the 10% costs more than beehiiv's plan fee.
Kit vs Substack: which should I use?
Substack if you want to publish free today and let its network find readers; Kit if you sell products or need automated email sequences. Substack keeps 10% of paid subscriptions plus card fees; Kit charges 3.5% + 30c per sale with card processing included, so on a US$10 subscription Substack keeps US$1 before card fees and Kit takes US$0.65 in total. Kit is free to 10,000 subscribers (kit.com/pricing and substack.com/going-paid, 30 September 2026).
beehiiv vs ConvertKit, what is the difference?
ConvertKit (now Kit) is a full email marketing platform with advanced automation, tagging and segmentation built for complex sequences and sales funnels. beehiiv is newsletter-first, with growth tools like a referral program and an ad network on its paid plan. For newsletter publishing and audience growth, beehiiv fits better; for automation around a product funnel, Kit is stronger.
Which newsletter platform has the best free plan?
It depends on what you need free. Kit's free plan goes to 10,000 subscribers, four times beehiiv's, with forms, broadcasts and paid subscriptions, but unlimited automations and sequences need the Creator plan (US$33 a month billed yearly). beehiiv's free plan stops at 2,500 subscribers and includes a custom domain and website; its ad network and paid subscriptions need Scale. Substack has no subscriber cap and no monthly fee, and keeps 10% of paid revenue instead (each read on the vendor's own page, 30 September 2026).
Ready to Start Your Newsletter? Try beehiiv Free.
Free up to 2,500 subscribers on the Launch plan. The ad network and 0% revenue share come with the paid Scale plan.
This page is operated by Refer Labs and contains an affiliate referral link to beehiiv. If you sign up through it we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. We do not have an affiliate arrangement with Substack or Kit, so we earn nothing if you choose either of them, and that has not changed what we say about any of the three. Rankings are never sold. Comparisons are based on publicly available information at time of publication and may change.