EmailOctopusvsBeehiiv

EmailOctopus vs Beehiiv

Budget email marketing vs newsletter growth platform

TL;DR

EmailOctopus is cheaper at $36/month vs Beehiiv's $99/month for 10k subscribers. Beehiiv offers newsletter-specific growth features like referral programs, ad network, and recommendations. Choose EmailOctopus for budget email marketing, Beehiiv for serious newsletter growth.

Key Differences

The main things that set these tools apart

Pricing
EmailOctopus wins

EmailOctopus is significantly cheaper at $36/month vs Beehiiv's $99/month for 10k subscribers. That's 64% savings, or $756/year. But Beehiiv includes newsletter-specific features that EmailOctopus lacks.

Growth Features
Beehiiv wins

Beehiiv offers referral programs, recommendations, boost cross-promotion, and an ad network. These are powerful for newsletter growth. EmailOctopus has none of these.

Monetization
Beehiiv wins

Beehiiv has built-in paid subscriptions, sponsorship tools, and revenue tracking. EmailOctopus requires external tools for monetization.

Simplicity
EmailOctopus wins

EmailOctopus is simpler - just email marketing basics. Beehiiv has more features but remains focused on newsletters. Neither is overwhelming.

Newsletter Focus
Beehiiv wins

Beehiiv is purpose-built for newsletters. Every feature supports newsletter growth and monetization. EmailOctopus is general email marketing that works for newsletters.

Pricing Comparison

At 10,000 subscribers

EmailOctopus
$36/month

Pro plan. Core email features, landing pages, basic automation.

Visit EmailOctopus
Beehiiv
$99/month

Scale plan. Referrals, ad network, recommendations.

Visit Beehiiv
Sequenzy

The SaaS alternative

$49/month

10k contacts, unlimited sends, native Stripe integration.

Feature Comparison

Side-by-side feature breakdown

Feature
EmailOctopus
Beehiiv
Sequenzy
Pricing & Value
10k Contacts Cost
$36/month
$99/month
$49/month
Free Plan
2,500 subscribers
2,500 subscribers
None
Value Proposition
Budget email
Newsletter growth
SaaS email
Price at Scale
Stays affordable
Gets expensive
Moderate
Newsletter Growth
Referral Program
Built-in
Recommendations
Network recommendations
Ad Network
Beehiiv Ad Network
Boost Feature
Cross-promotion
Monetization
Paid Subscriptions
Via Stripe
Sponsorship Tools
Revenue Tracking
Via Stripe
Custom Pricing
Email Features
Email Builder
Good, simple
Modern, clean
Good
Templates
Basic selection
Newsletter focused
Clean
A/B Testing
Segmentation
Basic
Good
Event-based
SaaS Features
Stripe Integration
For subscriptions
Native OAuth
Behavioral Events
Limited
Limited
Native
User Lifecycle
Basic
Basic
Built for this

Best For

When to choose each tool

Choose EmailOctopus if you...
  • Budget-conscious newsletter creators
  • Simple newsletter operations
  • Those not focused on rapid growth
  • Nonprofits with tight budgets
Choose Beehiiv if you...
  • Ambitious newsletter creators
  • Those wanting referral-driven growth
  • Publishers seeking monetization
  • Media companies building audiences
Choose Sequenzy if you...
  • SaaS companies needing behavioral automation
  • Stripe-integrated subscription businesses
  • Teams wanting unified marketing + transactional
  • Companies needing native payment integration

When to Consider Sequenzy Instead

SaaS-Focused Features

Neither EmailOctopus nor Beehiiv is built for SaaS. Sequenzy offers native Stripe integration, behavioral events, and subscription lifecycle automation.

Product Communication

If you're communicating with software users (not newsletter readers), Sequenzy's product-focused approach is more relevant than either newsletter platform.

Transactional + Marketing

Sequenzy handles both transactional and marketing email. Neither EmailOctopus nor Beehiiv offers this combination.

Try Sequenzy Free

Overview

EmailOctopus and Beehiiv serve newsletter creators but with different approaches. EmailOctopus is a budget-friendly general email marketing platform. Beehiiv is purpose-built for newsletter growth with referrals, recommendations, and monetization.

Price vs Features

The pricing gap is significant - $36/month vs $99/month for 10k subscribers. That $756/year difference buys you Beehiiv's newsletter-specific features. Whether they're worth it depends on your growth ambitions.

Newsletter Growth Features

Beehiiv excels here. Built-in referral programs let readers earn rewards for sharing. Recommendation networks help you discover and be discovered by other newsletters. The Boost feature enables cross-promotion. EmailOctopus has none of these.

Monetization Options

Beehiiv supports paid subscriptions, sponsorship management, and revenue tracking. EmailOctopus is marketing email only - you'd need external tools for monetization. If revenue is your goal, Beehiiv provides the infrastructure.

Simplicity vs Power

EmailOctopus is simpler with basic email marketing features. Beehiiv has more features but stays focused on newsletters. Neither is overwhelming, but EmailOctopus has a gentler learning curve.

For Different Stages

EmailOctopus works well for starting newsletters on a budget. Beehiiv makes more sense when you're ready to invest in growth. Many publishers start cheap and upgrade when it makes financial sense.

For SaaS Companies

Neither platform is built for SaaS. Both lack behavioral event tracking and subscription lifecycle features. For SaaS product communication, consider Sequenzy instead.

Making the Choice

Choose EmailOctopus for budget-conscious newsletter operation. Choose Beehiiv for serious newsletter growth with referrals and monetization. For SaaS companies, consider Sequenzy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. At 10k subscribers, EmailOctopus is $36/month vs Beehiiv's $99/month. That's $756/year in savings. But Beehiiv includes newsletter growth features EmailOctopus lacks.

Beehiiv offers referral programs, recommendation networks, boost cross-promotion, and an ad network. These are powerful tools for growing a newsletter that EmailOctopus doesn't have.

Not directly. EmailOctopus is email marketing only. For paid newsletters or sponsorships, you'd need external tools. Beehiiv has these built in.

Both offer 2,500 subscribers free. Beehiiv's free plan includes some growth features. EmailOctopus includes basic automation. It's roughly a tie.

If you're serious about newsletter growth and monetization, potentially yes. Beehiiv's referral program alone can justify the cost if it drives subscriber growth. For simple newsletters, probably not.

Both have good deliverability. Beehiiv has optimized specifically for newsletter delivery. EmailOctopus is solid. Neither should be a concern for most users.

Yes. Export subscribers from either platform and import to the other. You'll lose Beehiiv-specific features like referral history when leaving Beehiiv.

EmailOctopus is more cost-effective for small newsletters where growth features aren't critical. Beehiiv's extra cost is harder to justify at small scale.

Beehiiv has newsletter-focused analytics including subscriber growth tracking, referral metrics, and revenue data. EmailOctopus has standard email analytics.

Start with EmailOctopus to save money while building your audience. Move to Beehiiv when you're ready to invest in growth features and monetization.

Not sure which to pick?

If you're a SaaS founder who needs Stripe integration and unified email, try Sequenzy free. No credit card required.

Start Free TrialSee All Features

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Sequenzy - Complete Pricing Guide

Pricing Model

Sequenzy uses subscriber-based pricing. You only pay for subscribers active in sequences (automations). Inactive subscribers are free to store.

All Pricing Tiers

  • 0-100 subscribers: Free (Free annually) - 2k emails/month
  • 101-1,000 subscribers: $19/month ($205/year annually) - 15k emails/month
  • 1,001-5,000 subscribers: $29/month ($313/year annually) - 60k emails/month
  • 5,001-10,000 subscribers: $49/month ($529/year annually) - 120k emails/month
  • 10,001-25,000 subscribers: $99/month ($1069/year annually) - 300k emails/month
  • 25,001-50,000 subscribers: $199/month ($2149/year annually) - 600k emails/month
  • 50,001-100,000 subscribers: $349/month ($3769/year annually) - 1.2M emails/month
  • 100,000+ subscribers: Custom pricing (Custom annually) - Unlimited emails/month

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

Free Plan Features (0-100 subscribers)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Paid Plan Features (1,000 - 100,000 subscribers)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations (Stripe, Paddle, Lemon Squeezy)
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Enterprise Plan Features (100,000+ subscribers)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Important Pricing Notes

  • You only pay for subscribers who are active in automations/sequences
  • Storing inactive subscribers is free
  • No hidden fees - all features included in the price
  • No credit card required for free tier

Contact

  • Pricing Page: https://sequenzy.com/pricing
  • Sales: hello@sequenzy.com