Pricing checked on official pages on October 18, 2026. Plans and fees change often; confirm on each provider's page before deciding. No affiliate links. This site uses AWeber for its own email list.
Pricing at a glance
- Substack: free to use; if you turn on paid subscriptions, Substack keeps 10% of paid revenue, plus card processing fees.
- beehiiv: Free plan up to 2,500 subscribers with unlimited sends; Lite from $49/month billed yearly (at 1,000 subscribers) adds paid subscriptions with a 0% beehiiv take rate, automations and A/B testing; Pro from $95/month billed yearly removes beehiiv branding.
The core difference: percentage vs flat fee
Substack charges nothing until you earn, then takes a percentage. beehiiv charges a monthly fee once you outgrow the free plan or want paid features, but takes no percentage of subscriptions. A free newsletter with a modest list may cost nothing on either. A paid newsletter with growing revenue will usually favor whichever model costs less at your numbers, so do the math with your own figures rather than relying on anyone's rule of thumb.
Discovery vs growth tools
Substack's strength is its network: readers browse and subscribe within Substack's app and website, and other writers can recommend you. beehiiv's strength is growth tooling: a recommendation network, referral program, subscribe forms, pop-ups, an ad network and A/B testing, per its pricing page.
For a YouTube-driven business
If most subscribers come from your videos, the platform's network matters less than how easily you can offer a free resource, tag subscribers and send a welcome sequence. beehiiv's paid plans include automations; Substack is simpler and more focused on publishing posts. If you also sell services or courses, consider whether you'll need automated sequences, and see email marketing vs newsletter.
Ownership
Both let you export your subscriber list, which is the asset that matters. Whatever you choose, keep a regular export. See why you need an email list.
Quick chooser
| If you... | Substack | beehiiv |
|---|---|---|
| Want to start free and simple, mainly writing | ✓ | |
| Expect a large paid audience and prefer flat fees | ✓ (compare at your numbers) | |
| Want growth tools such as referrals and A/B testing | ✓ | |
| Value a built-in reader network | ✓ | |
| Best for | Starting free and simple, mainly writing, with a built-in reader network | Growth tools such as referrals and A/B testing, and a large paid audience on flat fees |
Example
A worked example
A woodworking teacher with a YouTube channel wanted a weekly free email with plans and tips. With no paid tier planned, both platforms' free options would work. She chose the one whose sign-up form looked best on her site and put the link first in every description. The platform mattered less than mentioning the free plan in every video.
Start here
Getting started
Whichever you pick, the steps are the same: choose a clear free offer, add the sign-up link to your descriptions and pinned comments, and send a short welcome email. See how to start a newsletter and paid newsletters.
Watch out
Common mistakes
- Choosing based on someone else's revenue numbers.
- Ignoring the cost model once paid subscriptions grow.
- Never exporting your list.
- Spending weeks choosing instead of starting.
Dave’s take
A principle I keep coming back to
"Until you get them on your free newsletter, you don't own that audience. YouTube continues to own that audience." (Dave)
AI shortcut
How can AI speed this up?
AI tools and plans checked October 18, 2026. They change often, so confirm on each tool's own page. No affiliate links.
- Built-in AI. Check each platform's current AI writing features on its own site.
- Compare plans. Ask Claude to build a comparison table from the official pricing pages you paste in.
- Draft issues. Claude turns a video transcript into a first newsletter draft.
Tools mentioned:
- Substack: free to publish; keeps 10% of paid subscription revenue, plus Stripe fees.
- beehiiv: free up to 2,500 subscribers; paid plans add more tools; takes 0% of your subscription revenue.
- Claude: free plan, Pro at $20 a month.
AI is great for first drafts. Always edit the result so it sounds like you and is accurate for your business.
Key takeaways
- Substack is free to use and keeps 10% of paid subscription revenue.
- beehiiv is free up to 2,500 subscribers, then charges flat monthly plans.
- Substack leans on its built-in reader network; beehiiv on growth and ad tools.
- Either works for capturing YouTube viewers; pick the cost model that fits.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, Substack or beehiiv?
It depends on your model. With no paid subscribers, Substack costs nothing and beehiiv is free up to 2,500 subscribers. If you sell paid subscriptions, Substack takes 10% of that revenue, while beehiiv's paid plans charge a flat monthly fee with a 0% take rate. Compare using your own numbers.
