Software Alternatives & Startups

Substack VS beehiiv

Compare Substack VS beehiiv and see what are their differences

Substack

With Substack, anyone can start a publication that combines a personal website, blog, and email newsletter or podcast. It's quick and simple.

Rating
0 reviews
beehiiv

beehiiv empowers people to create, monetize, and grow by providing the most powerful and robust newsletter platform, holistically under one roof.

Rating
0 reviews
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Substack seems to be a lot more popular than beehiiv. While we know about 108 links to Substack, we've tracked only 5 mentions of beehiiv.

social mentions
108 vs 5
Blogging popularity
100% vs 0%

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Substack
beehiiv
Website substack.com beehiiv.com
Pricing —
Company Startup from the United States —
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Substack 6 features
beehiiv 5 features
  • Ease of Use
    Substack offers a user-friendly interface that makes it easy for writers to publish and monetize their newsletters.
  • Built-in Monetization
    Writers can easily charge readers for subscriptions, allowing for straightforward monetization.
  • Direct Audience Connection
    Substack allows writers to build a direct relationship with their audience via email, which can lead to a more engaged readership.
  • Discovery and Community
    Features like staff picks and recommendations help writers get discovered by new readers.
  • No Upfront Costs
    Substack does not charge upfront fees; instead, it takes a percentage of subscription revenues, making it easier to start.
  • Content Ownership
    Writers retain full ownership of their content, giving them more control over their work.

Possible disadvantages

  • Revenue Share
    Substack takes a 10% cut of subscription revenues, which can add up for writers with a large subscriber base.
  • Limited Customization
    The platform has limited customization options compared to building a custom website or using more flexible CMS options.
  • Dependency on Platform
    Relying on Substack means depending on its policies and infrastructure, which could pose risks if the platform changes its terms or features.
  • Competition
    As more writers join Substack, it can become challenging to stand out amidst the growing competition.
  • Email Deliverability
    Writers may face issues with email deliverability, as some newsletters may end up in spam folders.
  • Payment Processing Fees
    Besides Substack's fee, payment processors like Stripe also take a percentage, further reducing net earnings for writers.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    Beehiiv provides an intuitive and easy-to-navigate interface that allows users to create and manage newsletters with minimal technical knowledge.
  • Advanced Analytics
    Beehiiv offers detailed analytics to track newsletter performance, helping users to understand subscriber engagement and optimize their content strategy.
  • Customization Options
    The platform allows for significant customization of newsletters, from templates to branding, enabling businesses to maintain their unique identity.
  • Integrations
    Beehiiv supports integrations with various third-party services and tools, allowing users to seamlessly incorporate their newsletters into broader digital marketing strategies.
  • Subscriber Management
    The platform includes robust subscriber management features that help users easily segment and target their audience for more personalized communication.

Possible disadvantages

  • Pricing Structure
    Beehiiv's pricing might be a concern for smaller businesses or individual creators as it may not scale well with budget constraints.
  • Limited Free Tier
    The free tier of Beehiiv may offer limited features compared to the paid plans, potentially restricting access to some advanced functionalities needed for growth.
  • Learning Curve
    While the interface is generally user-friendly, some users might face a learning curve when exploring more advanced features and integrations.
  • Customer Support
    There might be limitations or variability in the customer support experience, which could affect how quickly users can resolve issues.
  • Feature Set Limitations
    Compared to some other newsletter platforms, Beehiiv might lack certain niche features or options required by more specialized users or industries.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Substack
beehiiv

Overall verdict

  • Substack is a good choice for writers seeking autonomy and a straightforward way to monetize their content. However, it may not be the best fit for those who prefer working within the framework of a larger publication or those unfamiliar with the challenges of building and maintaining a subscriber base.

Why this product is good

  • Substack is a platform that allows writers, journalists, and content creators to publish and monetize their newsletters. It is praised for its ease of use, built-in subscription system, and direct-to-consumer model which enables writers to retain control over their audience and content. The platform has attracted both independent writers and established journalists seeking the freedom to monetize their work without traditional media constraints.

Recommended for

  • Independent writers and journalists
  • Content creators looking to monetize their work
  • Individuals seeking a direct relationship with their audience
  • Those who appreciate simplicity in publishing

No analysis of beehiiv yet.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Substack 5 videos + Add
beehiiv 3 videos + Add

Monetizing Podcasts and Newsletters - Chris Best of Substack and Jonathan Gill of Backtracks

More videos

  • - E1016 Substack CEO Chris Best empowers writers via email newsletter platform, raised $15M from a16z
  • - Why EVERYONE should be on Substack | What it is, How it Works, $$$
  • - Beehiiv vs Substack (2024) - Which is Better?
  • - My Experience with SUBSTACK: An Honest Review of Substack

My Initial Review of the Beehiiv newsletter / blogging platform

More videos

  • - beehiiv review: is it worth it?
  • - Platform Walkthrough - beehiiv 101

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Substack
beehiiv
100% 100%
0% 0%
51% 51%
49% 49%
100% 100%
CMS
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using Substack and beehiiv. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

Substack no reviews yet
beehiiv no reviews yet

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We have no reviews of beehiiv yet. Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Substack 108 mentions
beehiiv 5 mentions
  • Effective Altruism Conquered the World
    Https://substack.com/@gurwinder/posts. - Source: Hacker News / 1 day ago
  • Ask HN: Who wants to be hired? (October 2026)
    Substack: https://substack.com/@friedkielbasa. - Source: Hacker News / 4 days ago
  • Sync any blog via API to Substack in one-click
    Name Type Required Description Cookie String Yes Substack.sid= (browser session cookie) Accept String Yes Application/json Origin String Yes Publication origin, e.g.... - Source: dev.to / 7 days ago

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  • After spending last 5 years with Tiktok Team & Influencer Agencies. Here’s a complete (No BS) guide to Tiktok Marketing!
    Your h1 font is also hard to read. For the newsletter, check out beehiiv.com. I would re-post your content on their site, it would look better and easier to read. Source: over 3 years ago
  • How I Grew My Newsletter from Zero to 1,000+ Subscribers in 5 Weeks (Without Reaching Out to Friends or Family)
    Beehiiv.com! Absolutely love it and makes the whole thing so much easier. My next goal is to start monetizing so I can justify paying for the full access package but for now, still using the free version and worked great for getting... Source: over 3 years ago
  • My One-Day Journey to Launching an AI Newsletter with ChatGPT
    Managing Subscriptions: To streamline the subscription process and manage my growing list of newsletter subscribers, I decided to use beehiiv.com. It's an intuitive, user-friendly platform that takes care of everything from sign-ups to... Source: over 3 years ago

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Alternatives to Substack and beehiiv

When comparing Substack and beehiiv, you can also consider the following products.