19 Best Beehiiv Alternatives

Our Pick for SaaS Companies

4.8avg rating

Sequenzy

SaaSAI-poweredStripe integration

AI-powered email marketing with Stripe integration and transactional email. Sequenzy is built for SaaS companies rather than newsletter creators, so it's a fundamentally different tool — but if you're running a SaaS and accidentally chose Beehiiv for your email, Sequenzy is purpose-built for your use case.

AI generates entire email sequences from simple descriptions, the native Stripe integration syncs subscription data automatically, and both transactional and marketing emails live in one platform. No monetization features, no ad network, no landing pages — just focused email for software businesses.

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Best for

SaaS founders

Pricing

$49/month for 120,000 emails, unlimited subscribers

Pros

AI generates sequences
Native Stripe integration
Transactional + marketing
Built for SaaS
Simple pricing

Cons

No monetization features
No landing pages
Not creator-focused
Newer platform

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4.3avg rating

Substack

FreeNetwork effectsPaid subscriptions

The platform that started the newsletter boom. Free to use, takes 10% of paid subscriptions.

Built-in network for discovery, but limited customization. Substack's biggest advantage is the network effect — the Substack app, Notes feature, and cross-promotion from other writers create organic discovery that Beehiiv's recommendations network is still building toward. The platform is completely free to start, and you only pay when readers subscribe to your paid tier (10% of revenue). The mobile reading app creates a dedicated audience experience. The tradeoff is control: limited customization, no ad network, and Substack owns the platform relationship with your readers. For writers who prioritize simplicity and discovery over monetization flexibility, Substack remains the default choice.

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Best for

Writers who want simplicity and network discovery

Pricing

Free (10% of paid subscriptions)

Pros

Completely free to start
Built-in paid subscription support
Substack network for discovery
Mobile app for readers
Simple to use

Cons

10% cut of paid subscriptions
Limited customization
No ad network like Beehiiv
You don't fully own the platform
No referral programs

4.4avg rating

ConvertKit

CreatorsDigital productsLanding pages

The creator platform with digital product sales. Better for creators selling courses and products than pure newsletter monetization.

ConvertKit (now Kit) lets you sell digital products — courses, ebooks, memberships, coaching — directly from the platform, eliminating the need for separate tools like Gumroad or Teachable. The visual automation builder handles subscriber journeys, and landing pages create clean opt-in experiences. A strong creator community provides templates and peer support. At $89/month for 5k subscribers (Creator), ConvertKit is more expensive than Beehiiv and lacks the ad network and referral system, but if you monetize through products rather than newsletter subscriptions, it's the better fit.

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Best for

Creators selling digital products

Pricing

$89/month for 5,000 subscribers (Creator)

Pros

Sell digital products directly
Good landing pages
Visual automation builder
Creator community
Free migration help

Cons

No ad network like Beehiiv
No referral program built in
Recent price increase (35%)
More expensive than Beehiiv
Less newsletter-focused

What users say

View source reviews

K.G. · Trustpilot

“This company now calls itself 'Kit.' This platform has more than a few issues. It doesn't have the basic functionality that other platforms such as Constant Contact and Mailchimp have had for years. And last year, they raised their prices 50% without telling customers.”

Paris · Trustpilot

“I signed up for ConvertKit Trial and the first thing I noticed is there are very limited capabilities so I immediately provided my card details for the full experience but was still limited. It was preventing me from creating what I needed.”

4.4avg rating

Buttondown

MinimalMarkdownDeveloper-friendly

Simple, developer-friendly newsletter platform. Markdown support, clean interface, fair pricing.

No bloat, just email. Buttondown is built by a single developer who prioritizes simplicity and fair pricing over feature bloat. Write in Markdown, send newsletters, manage paid subscriptions — done. The API is well-documented for developers who want to integrate with their own tools. At $29/month for 10k subscribers, Buttondown costs a fraction of Beehiiv. The tradeoff is everything that makes Beehiiv powerful: no ad network, no referral program, no visual email builder, and minimal growth tools. For technical writers and developers who want a clean, no-nonsense newsletter tool, Buttondown is quietly excellent.

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Best for

Developers and technical writers

Pricing

$29/month for 10,000 subscribers

Pros

Markdown support
Clean, minimal interface
Developer-friendly API
Paid newsletter support
Fair, simple pricing

Cons

No ad network
Limited monetization features
No visual email builder
Smaller company
No growth or referral tools

4.5avg rating

Ghost

Open sourceSelf-hostedMemberships

Open-source publishing platform with built-in memberships. Full control, beautiful design, but email is secondary to the CMS.

Ghost gives you a complete publishing platform — website, blog, newsletter, and membership system — with beautiful themes and full ownership of your content and audience. Self-hosting is free; managed hosting starts at $9/month. The membership and paywall system handles paid subscriptions natively. SEO-friendly publishing means your content lives on your own domain with proper structured data. The tradeoff versus Beehiiv is that Ghost is primarily a CMS with email capabilities bolted on, not an email-first platform. The newsletter features are functional but basic compared to Beehiiv's growth tools, ad network, and referral system.

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Best for

Creators wanting full control

Pricing

$9-25/month managed (free self-hosted)

Pros

Open source and independent
Built-in membership/paywall
Beautiful themes
Self-host option
SEO-friendly publishing

Cons

More CMS than newsletter platform
Email features basic vs Beehiiv
No ad network
Requires more setup
No referral programs

4.5avg rating

MailerLite

Budget-friendlyLanding pagesFree tier

Affordable email with landing pages and website builder. Good for creators who need more than just newsletters.

MailerLite includes landing pages, a website builder, pop-ups, and automation workflows alongside email marketing, with the ability to sell digital products directly. The interface is clean and modern, and a generous free tier (1,000 subscribers) lets you test everything. At $50/month for 10k subscribers, MailerLite is significantly cheaper than Beehiiv. The tradeoff is the lack of newsletter-specific growth tools — no ad network, no referral program, no recommendations network. MailerLite is a general email marketing tool that creators can use, not a newsletter platform built specifically for creators.

Visit

Best for

Budget-conscious creators

Pricing

$50/month for 10,000 subscribers

Pros

Landing pages included
Website builder included
Generous free tier
Easy to use
Sell digital products

Cons

No ad network
No referral programs
Deliverability reviews mixed
Less newsletter-focused
No recommendation network

What users say

View source reviews

Alpine Sport · Trustpilot

“Our company used MailerLite as a professional email tool for legitimate business communication. Then, without notice, the account was terminated. We received only a generic rejection with no meaningful explanation.”

Joseph Berk · Trustpilot

“MailerLite is a powerful platform once everything is set up, especially for landing pages and email automation. The editor is flexible, and support was responsive and helpful when I hit a confusing publishing issue.”

4.1avg rating

Mailchimp

IntegrationsEnterpriseTemplates

The one everyone knows. Has newsletter features but not built for creators like Beehiiv.

Landing pages and website included. Mailchimp's integration ecosystem is the largest in email marketing, which means connecting your newsletter to other tools (analytics, e-commerce, CRM) is seamless. Landing pages, a website builder, and social ads extend your reach beyond email. The template library and drag-and-drop editor produce professional-looking emails quickly. At $110-135/month for 10k contacts, Mailchimp is more expensive than Beehiiv and lacks newsletter-specific features like the ad network and referral program. Mailchimp is a general marketing platform that can send newsletters, not a newsletter-first platform like Beehiiv.

Visit

Best for

People who want familiar tools

Pricing

$110-135/mo for 10,000 contacts

Pros

Everyone knows it
Landing pages included
Website builder
Tons of integrations
Good templates

Cons

Not newsletter-focused
No monetization features
Expensive for what you get
Counts unsubscribed contacts
No referral or growth tools

What users say

View source reviews

Jaimie Lancaster · Trustpilot

“Helped me resolve situations and waited till I did what they recommended. Never felt rushed or as if they were doing something else while waiting on me. Very responsive.”

Valeria Vinogradova · Trustpilot

“I had a very frustrating experience with Mailchimp's sales team that ultimately made me question the organization as a whole. I booked an initial sales call which went well, but follow-up questions were completely ignored.”

4.5avg rating

Flodesk

Design-focusedFlat pricingVisual brands

Beautiful email templates with flat pricing. Popular with designers and lifestyle creators.

Unlimited subscribers for one price. Flodesk's templates are genuinely the most visually striking in the email space — popular with designers, photographers, and lifestyle brands where aesthetics matter as much as content. The flat $38/month pricing covers unlimited subscribers, which is a massive advantage over Beehiiv's subscriber-based model as your list grows. Form and landing page builders maintain the same design quality. The tradeoff is depth: no ad network, no referral programs, basic analytics, and limited integrations. Flodesk is for creators who care most about how their emails look, not about growth hacking or newsletter monetization.

Visit

Best for

Creators who prioritize design

Pricing

$38/month unlimited subscribers

Pros

Gorgeous email templates
Flat pricing regardless of list size
Form and landing page builder
Visual workflow builder
Easy to use

Cons

No ad network
No referral programs
Limited integrations
Analytics are basic
No newsletter growth tools

What users say

View source reviews

Jennifer Costanza · Trustpilot

“I've been with Flodesk since their inception, and have been very happy with my experience. It's very easy to use, easy to collect emails, and has helped me grow my list and my business.”

Jackson Bolich · Trustpilot

“I've used a few different email platforms and have found Flodesk to be the most user intuitive. Easy to learn and use for my business communications.”

4.0avg rating

AWeber

ReliablePhone supportSmall business

Old-school email marketing that works. Been around since 1998. Reliable with good deliverability, but not built for modern creators.

AWeber's 25+ year track record means proven deliverability infrastructure and phone support from real humans when things go wrong. The template library and landing pages cover basic needs. At $25/month for 500 subscribers, the entry price is low, but costs scale quickly as your list grows (recent 50-150% price hikes impacted many users). AWeber lacks everything that makes Beehiiv a newsletter platform — no ad network, no referral system, no recommendations, no monetization tools. It's a reliable email sending tool from a different era, best for traditional businesses rather than modern newsletter creators.

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Best for

Traditional email marketers

Pricing

$25/month for 500 subscribers

Pros

Proven deliverability
25+ years in business
Landing pages included
Good customer support
Reliable platform

Cons

Interface feels dated
No ad network
No referral programs
Not creator-focused
Recent price hikes

What users say

View source reviews

Patricia Dent · Trustpilot

“I decided to speak to a customer service specialist when after several attempts to remove blank space from my weekly newsletter I could never permanently banish it. The AWeber Customer Solutions Specialist was thorough and resolved the issue.”

Mai · Trustpilot

“Martha helped me solve my problem within minutes. It saved me a lot of time trying to troubleshoot it on my own. Her expertise saved me anguish from figuring out how to solve the problem.”

#10

4.5avg rating

Loops

SaaSModernDeveloper-friendly

Modern SaaS email platform. More for software companies than newsletter creators, but has a clean interface.

Loops is purpose-built for SaaS companies with event-based triggers, transactional email, and a developer-friendly API — it's a different tool for a different audience than Beehiiv. The interface is genuinely clean and modern, which some newsletter creators appreciate. All features are included on every plan without tier gating. At $49/month for 5k subscribers, it's affordable but lacks everything newsletter creators need: no monetization, no ad network, no referral programs, no landing pages for subscriber acquisition. Only consider Loops if you're running a software company, not a newsletter.

Visit

Best for

SaaS companies

Pricing

$49/mo for 5,000 subscribers

Pros

Clean, modern interface
Built for SaaS
Transactional + marketing
Good deliverability
Simple pricing

Cons

No monetization features
No ad network
Smaller company
Not for newsletter creators
No landing pages

#11

4.3avg rating

Drip

E-commerceShopifyAutomation

E-commerce email marketing. If you're a creator selling physical products, Drip has good Shopify integration.

Drip's visual workflow builder creates sophisticated automation sequences with revenue attribution and event tracking designed for e-commerce conversion flows. Native Shopify and WooCommerce integrations pull in product and order data automatically. At $39/month for 2,500 contacts, the entry is affordable but scales quickly. Drip makes sense only for newsletter creators who also run e-commerce stores — the platform is purpose-built for selling products, not publishing content. No ad network, no referral programs, and pricing gets expensive at larger list sizes.

Visit

Best for

Creators with e-commerce stores

Pricing

$39/month for 2,500 contacts

Pros

Good e-commerce integrations
Visual workflow builder
Revenue tracking
Good segmentation
Cart abandonment flows

Cons

Not newsletter-focused
No ad network
Gets expensive at scale
Only for e-commerce
No referral programs

#12

4.1avg rating

GetResponse

WebinarsFunnelsAll-in-one

Full marketing suite with webinars and landing pages. Good for creators who do live events alongside newsletters.

GetResponse's built-in webinar platform eliminates the need for separate tools like Zoom, and conversion funnels guide leads from landing page through to purchase. AI features help generate subject lines and email content. The automation builder handles marketing workflows with triggers and conditions. At $69/month for 10k contacts, GetResponse is cheaper than Beehiiv and includes features (webinars, landing pages, funnels) that Beehiiv doesn't. The tradeoff is that GetResponse lacks newsletter-specific growth tools — no ad network, no referral programs, and the platform isn't designed around the newsletter creator workflow.

Visit

Best for

Creators running webinars

Pricing

$69/month for 10,000 contacts

Pros

Webinar hosting included
Landing page builder
Conversion funnels
Automation builder
Good value for features

Cons

No ad network
No referral programs
Interface can feel cluttered
Not newsletter-focused
Less modern than Beehiiv

What users say

View source reviews

Tristram Powell · Trustpilot

“Big thanks to Alice for her help. She made it easy to get the image resized properly and explained everything clearly. Really good experience.”

Jeremy Rosenvall · Trustpilot

“Alice was so good at explaining things simply and clearly, I was impressed with her! And also willing to try to go to bat for me with pricing.”

#13

3.5avg rating

Revue

FreeSimpleCurated newsletters

Simple newsletter tool now independent after Twitter acquisition ended. Revue was bought by Twitter in 2021 and later spun off, leaving it in an uncertain position.

It still functions for basic newsletter sending with a clean curation-focused editor that lets you collect and organize links into digest-style newsletters. Free for up to 50 subscribers, then 5% of paid subscription revenue. At its core, Revue is far simpler than Beehiiv — no ad network, no referral system, limited analytics. The curation workflow is unique though: bookmark articles throughout the week, then drag them into your newsletter layout. For writers who primarily curate content rather than create original long-form, Revue's workflow makes sense. But the uncertain product direction post-Twitter makes it hard to recommend over Beehiiv for anything serious.

Visit

Best for

Content curators who want simplicity

Pricing

Free (5% of paid subscriptions)

Pros

Free to use
Good curation workflow
Simple interface
Paid subscriptions included
Low revenue cut (5% vs Substack's 10%)

Cons

Uncertain product future
Very limited features
No growth tools
No ad network or referrals
Small user base

#14

4.2avg rating

Brevo

Budget-friendlyTransactionalSMS

Budget-friendly all-in-one marketing platform. Formerly Sendinblue, Brevo offers email, SMS, WhatsApp, and CRM at prices that make Beehiiv's plans look expensive.

At $25/month for unlimited contacts and 20,000 emails, it's the cheapest serious option on this list. The pay-per-email model works well for newsletter creators with large lists who don't email daily. Transactional email and SMS are included, which Beehiiv doesn't offer. The clear downside is that Brevo has zero newsletter-specific features — no ad network, no referral system, no recommendation engine, no audience growth tools. It's a general marketing tool that happens to send newsletters, not a newsletter platform. For budget-conscious creators who just need to send and don't care about monetization features, Brevo delivers excellent value.

Visit

Best for

Budget-conscious newsletter senders

Pricing

$25/month for unlimited contacts

Pros

Very affordable
Unlimited contacts
Transactional email included
SMS marketing available
CRM included

Cons

No newsletter-specific features
No ad network or referrals
Interface less modern than Beehiiv
Not built for creators
Pay-per-email adds up for daily senders

What users say

View source reviews

Gary Curran · Trustpilot

“Disappointing experience with Brevo. Our account was initially suspended after a first campaign due to bounce rate. We followed the required self-service steps and successfully revalidated the account ourselves. After this, support took ages to respond.”

Larry Chin · Trustpilot

“Brevo is a solid service for handling your marketing emails and much more. The tech support is fast and good. Making a marketing email is fast and easy. I have used SendinBlue, now Brevo, for many years now.”

#15

4.3avg rating

ActiveCampaign

AutomationCRMAdvanced

The automation powerhouse. If your newsletter strategy requires complex subscriber journeys, conditional logic, and CRM-level tracking, ActiveCampaign runs circles around Beehiiv's basic automation.

The visual workflow builder supports branching, lead scoring, site tracking, and CRM pipeline management. You can trigger different sequences based on which links someone clicks, what pages they visit, or how they score against your engagement model. At $79/month for 10,000 contacts, it's cheaper than Beehiiv's Max plan. The downside is clear: ActiveCampaign has zero newsletter-specific features. No ad network, no referral programs, no SEO-optimized newsletter website. It's a marketing automation platform that sends emails, not a newsletter tool. For creators who need sophisticated subscriber segmentation and multi-step automations, it's unmatched.

Visit

Best for

Marketers who need deep automation

Pricing

$79/month for 10,000 contacts (Plus)

Pros

Best-in-class automation
Built-in CRM
Lead scoring and site tracking
Conditional branching
Huge integration ecosystem

Cons

No newsletter-specific features
No ad network or referrals
Steep learning curve
Overkill for simple newsletters
Not creator-focused

What users say

View source reviews

Giovanni Pizza · Trustpilot

“I've been using ActiveCampaign for years, but the recent experience has been extremely frustrating. Since early November, a critical bug has been blocking one of our core automations. I opened a ticket immediately, provided all the details, logs, and examples requested — and after that? Weeks of silence and runaround.”

Eric S. · Trustpilot

“ActiveCampaign has a steep learning curve, and I was a little intimidated. But I found all the training videos and support really helpful. I was able to become effective with the platform pretty quickly. I think the capabilities of the platform are awesome once you put in the time to learn the system.”

#16

4.4avg rating

Klaviyo

E-commerceShopifySMS

The e-commerce email heavyweight. If you're a newsletter creator who also runs an online store, Klaviyo combines product-aware email with SMS in ways Beehiiv can't touch.

Deep Shopify integration means your emails can include real-time product recommendations, abandoned cart items, and purchase-triggered sequences. Predictive analytics estimate customer lifetime value and churn risk. At $150/month for 10,000 profiles, it's the most expensive option here and completely irrelevant if you don't sell products. But for newsletter-driven e-commerce businesses where the newsletter drives purchases, Klaviyo's revenue attribution shows exactly which emails make money — something Beehiiv's analytics can't do.

Visit

Best for

Newsletter creators with e-commerce stores

Pricing

$150/month for 10,000 profiles

Pros

Best Shopify integration
SMS + email unified
Revenue attribution
Predictive analytics
Product recommendations in emails

Cons

Very expensive
Useless without e-commerce
No newsletter-specific features
Steep learning curve
No ad network or referrals

What users say

View source reviews

Zaido Rivers · Trustpilot

“Basically a scam at this point. They are doomed with the rise of people building their own solutions.”

Mike L · Trustpilot

“Signed up with them to use their texting campaign feature. Keeps throwing me an error, tried a couple times to work it out with them and was not able to get anywhere. Finally requested a refund, it's been 2 plus weeks and not even a response.”

#17

4.3avg rating

EmailOctopus

Budget-friendlySimpleFree tier

Simple, affordable email that strips away the complexity. If Beehiiv feels like too much platform for your needs, EmailOctopus does the basics well at a fraction of the cost.

Built on Amazon SES for reliable deliverability, it offers a drag-and-drop editor, landing pages, and basic automation at $36/month for 10,000 subscribers. The free tier supports 2,500 subscribers — matching Beehiiv's free Launch plan but without the feature limitations. No ad network, no referral programs, no newsletter monetization beyond basic paid subscriptions. EmailOctopus is for creators who want to send a newsletter without the full newsletter-business platform that Beehiiv provides. Simple, cheap, and deliberately limited.

Visit

Best for

Budget-conscious newsletter senders

Pricing

$36/month for 10,000 subscribers

Pros

Very affordable
Generous free tier (2,500 subs)
Simple to learn
Landing pages included
Reliable deliverability

Cons

No ad network
No referral or growth tools
Basic automation only
Limited integrations
No newsletter monetization features

What users say

View source reviews

Ali · Trustpilot

“EmailOctopus is very likely your best and most affordable option because it is designed specifically to be cheaper and simpler for beginners and small businesses.”

Konstantin Kitmanov · Trustpilot

“The email layout tool is powerful, flexible and convenient. The sign-up form is unobtrusive and easily customizable. Free automation on the free tier is exactly what I need.”

Constant Contact landing page screenshot

#18

3.9avg rating

Constant Contact

EventsSMBSocial media

The old-guard email platform for small businesses and nonprofits. Constant Contact has been around since 1995 and serves a completely different audience than Beehiiv — local businesses, nonprofits, and organizations that need event marketing, social media scheduling, and basic email campaigns.

Event management with RSVP tracking and ticketing is something no newsletter platform offers. At $80/month for 5,000 contacts, it's not cheap, and the interface feels dated compared to Beehiiv's modern design. There's no newsletter-specific anything — no ad network, no referrals, no paid subscriptions. If you're running a local business with events and need email alongside that, Constant Contact works. For newsletter creators, it's the wrong tool entirely.

Visit

Best for

Small businesses and nonprofits with events

Pricing

$80/month for 5,000 contacts

Pros

Event marketing tools
Social media scheduling
Website builder included
Reliable deliverability
Phone support

Cons

Not newsletter-focused at all
No monetization features
Interface feels dated
Expensive for what you get
No referral or growth tools

What users say

View source reviews

Cindy · Trustpilot

“Shannon was so helpful and friendly. She was very patient with me as I am new to CC. Thanks for your help!”

Landon · Trustpilot

“Shannon did a great job! Answered all the questions I had and navigated through the website easily! Give her a million dollar raise!”

#19

4.2avg rating

Sender

Budget-friendlyFree tierE-commerce

The budget champion with a remarkably generous free tier. Sender's free plan supports 2,500 subscribers with 15,000 emails per month — more sending volume than Beehiiv's free Launch plan.

Paid plans start at just $15/month with unlimited emails. The drag-and-drop editor and basic automation handle newsletter workflows adequately. At ~$65/month for 10,000 subscribers, Sender is significantly cheaper than Beehiiv's Scale plan. The platform has no newsletter-specific features — no ad network, no referral programs, no paid subscription support, no SEO website. Sender is pure email marketing at rock-bottom prices. For creators who just want to write and send without the full newsletter business platform, Sender's value proposition is hard to argue with.

Visit

Best for

Very budget-conscious newsletter senders

Pricing

$15/month starting, ~$65 for 10,000

Pros

Extremely generous free tier
Very affordable paid plans
Unlimited emails on paid plans
Clean editor
Basic automation included

Cons

No newsletter monetization features
No ad network or referrals
No paid subscription support
Smaller brand
Limited integrations

What users say

View source reviews

Sebastian · Trustpilot

“Honestly, was skeptic at first because the pricing was so low, but the quality of the email services is really good. And if you need support Michael is always able to help you, even on the weekends!”

Robin Metz · Trustpilot

“Michael helped me with my DNS problems in a blink. Lightning fast and super friendly support! Highly appreciated!”

Why Consider Alternatives to Beehiiv

You don't need the ad network

Beehiiv's ad network is a key feature, but it requires significant audience size to be useful. If you're monetizing through other means, simpler platforms work fine.

You want to sell digital products

Beehiiv is built for newsletter monetization, not product sales. ConvertKit and MailerLite let you sell courses, ebooks, and digital products directly.

You want full control and ownership

Ghost is open-source and can be self-hosted. You own everything. Beehiiv is a hosted platform where you're dependent on their infrastructure.

Pricing increased recently

Beehiiv raised prices in 2024 and moved to subscriber-based pricing. While still competitive, alternatives like Buttondown offer simpler, more affordable options.

What Users Say About Beehiiv

Trustpilot

Made it easy to send my newsletter on a weekly basis! Love the platform, and I have tried several. It is awesome that all the published articles live on a website that can be referenced later, like a blog.

Glenn2026-02

Trustpilot

I've had a great experience sending my newsletter using beehiiv. The platform is easy to use and navigate, there are always new features being added, and the new website builder is awesome. Even with improvements, it doesn't feel overwhelming.

Margaret2026-02

Trustpilot

When I first started on beehiiv, I thought I was going to write a newsletter about parenthood. Then realized I know nothing about it, and decided to pivot to music. Changing my title, my design, basically everything, was super easy.

Blake2026-02

Trustpilot

Absolutely loved the platform. I just wish the automation system is a bit more robust like ConvertKit. Other than that, it's perfect!

Shoaib Ahmad2026-02

Trustpilot

I have great experience with the whole team. Very supportive, prompt. I adore customization, ease of use. Highly recommend!

Jelena Simic2026-02

Trustpilot

I've been with Flodesk since their inception, and have been very happy with my experience. It's very easy to use, easy to collect emails, and has helped me grow my list and my business.

Jennifer Costanza2026-02

Feature

Beehiiv

Substack

ConvertKit

Buttondown

Ghost

MailerLite

Price at 10k

$99

Free

$119+

$29

$25

$50

Ad network

Paid subs

Referrals

Digital products

Free tier

2,500 subs

Unlimited

1,000 subs

100 subs

Self-host

1,000 subs

When to Use Each Platform

Choose Substack if...

You want the simplest option
Network discovery matters
You're okay with 10% revenue share
You don't need ads or referrals

Choose Stay with Beehiiv if...

Newsletter monetization is your priority
You want the ad network
Referral programs are important
You're building a media business

Choose ConvertKit if...

You sell digital products and courses
Landing pages are important
You're part of the creator community
Paid newsletter is secondary to products

Choose Buttondown if...

You're a developer or technical writer
Markdown support matters
You want simple, fair pricing
You don't need monetization features

Choose Ghost if...

You want full control and ownership
Publishing/blogging is as important as email
You can self-host or want open source
You prefer independence

Honest take: Is Beehiiv right for you?

Beehiiv is genuinely excellent for newsletter monetization. The ad network, referral programs, and paid subscription support are purpose-built for creators who want to make money from their newsletter. Check our guide on email design and email campaigns for newsletter best practices. The 2024 price increase and shift to subscriber-based pricing changed the value equation for some creators, especially those with larger lists who aren't heavily using the monetization features. If you're primarily writing and sending — without leveraging the ad network or referral system — you may be paying for capabilities you don't use.

But not everyone needs those features. Here's when alternatives make more sense:

If you want simplicity: Substack

Substack is free and simple. No complex features, no ad networks, just write and publish. They take 10% of paid subscriptions, which is steep if you're making real money, but the simplicity is unmatched.

The Substack network also helps with discovery — readers can find you through recommendations. Read our guide to email marketing tools to compare different approaches. If you're curious about how different newsletter formats perform, our glossary breaks it down.

If you sell products: ConvertKit

ConvertKit lets you sell digital products, courses, and ebooks directly. If your business model is products with newsletter as marketing, ConvertKit makes more sense than Beehiiv. See our ConvertKit comparison and learn about email marketing for creators.

If you're technical: Buttondown

Buttondown is what newsletter software looks like without the bloat. Markdown support, clean API, $29/month for 10k subscribers. No fancy monetization features, just email that works. Check our open rate glossary to understand newsletter metrics and see how transactional emails differ from newsletters.

If you want full control: Ghost

Ghost is open-source and can be self-hosted. You own everything. Built-in membership support, beautiful themes, and independence from any platform. Explore analytics tools to track your newsletter performance. Read our versus comparison for a detailed breakdown.

If you need deep automation: ActiveCampaign

Beehiiv's automation is functional but basic. If you need conditional workflows, lead scoring, and CRM integration alongside your newsletter, ActiveCampaign offers significantly more power. Learn about AI-powered sequences and how automation can transform your subscriber journeys.

If you're actually a SaaS: Sequenzy

If you're running a software company and ended up on Beehiiv, you need a different tool entirely. Sequenzy handles transactional emails, Stripe integration, and AI-generated sequences — purpose-built for email marketing for SaaS.

The pricing comparison

At 10,000 subscribers:

Beehiiv: $99/month (Max plan)
Substack: Free (10% of paid subs)
ConvertKit: $119+/month
Buttondown: $29/month
Ghost: $25/month (managed)
MailerLite: $50/month
EmailOctopus: $36/month
Brevo: $25/month (unlimited contacts)

See our full pricing comparison page for more options.

When Beehiiv is still the right choice

Stick with Beehiiv if:

Newsletter monetization is your primary goal
You want the ad network (requires audience size)
Referral programs are part of your growth strategy
You're building a media business, not a product business

Beehiiv was built by the Morning Brew team after growing to 4 million subscribers. If your goal is similar — building a monetized newsletter business — it's purpose-built for that. Use our email validator to ensure list quality, check our A/B test calculator to optimize your newsletter performance, and read our bounce rate guide to keep your sender reputation healthy before deciding to switch.

Frequently Asked Questions

All Pricing Tiers

2.5k emails/month: Free (Free annually)

15k emails/month: $19/month ($205/year annually)

60k emails/month: $29/month ($313/year annually)

120k emails/month: $49/month ($529/year annually)

300k emails/month: $99/month ($1069/year annually)

600k emails/month: $199/month ($2149/year annually)

1.2M emails/month: $349/month ($3769/year annually)

Unlimited emails/month: Custom pricing (Custom annually)

Yearly billing: All plans offer a 10% discount when billed annually.

19 Beehiiv Alternatives for Newsletter Creators

TL;DR

19 Best Beehiiv Alternatives

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Why Consider Alternatives to Beehiiv

What Users Say About Beehiiv

Feature Comparison

When to Use Each Platform

Honest take: Is Beehiiv right for you?

If you want simplicity: Substack

If you sell products: ConvertKit

If you're technical: Buttondown

If you want full control: Ghost

If you need deep automation: ActiveCampaign

If you're actually a SaaS: Sequenzy

The pricing comparison

When Beehiiv is still the right choice

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best Beehiiv alternative for free?

Is Substack better than Beehiiv?

Does Beehiiv have the best ad network?

What's cheaper than Beehiiv?

Can I sell products on Beehiiv?

Beehiiv vs ConvertKit: Which is better for creators?

Is Ghost a good Beehiiv alternative?

Does Buttondown have monetization features?

Can I migrate from Beehiiv easily?

What newsletter platform has the best deliverability?

How do I cancel my Beehiiv subscription?

What is Beehiiv's pricing structure?

How do I export my subscribers from Beehiiv?