beehiiv pros
- Free plan covers up to 2,500 subscribers with unlimited email sends
- 0% take rate on paid subscriptions and digital products (Stripe fees still apply)
- Website, podcast, community and digital products listed on every plan
- Recommendation network and API included even on the free plan
- Lite lists up to 100,000 subscribers, a large allowance for the price
beehiiv cons
- Automations, paid subscriptions and the ad network start on Lite, not Free
- Removing beehiiv branding needs Pro at $95 a month billed yearly
- Only yearly-billing prices were shown; monthly billing costs up to 20% more
- Free plan keeps just 30 days of analytics
beehiiv is a newsletter platform. Where many email tools are designed for shops sending promotions, beehiiv is designed for publishers: people whose newsletter is the product, who want to grow a large audience and earn from it through ads, paid subscriptions and recommendations.
This review is built from beehiiv’s pricing and features pages, read on 13 October 2026. We have not run a publication on beehiiv for this page, so it is labeled as researched. See how we test for what that means.
What beehiiv includes
Writing and sending. Every plan lists unlimited email sends and email templates. That is unusual: many tools cap monthly sends on free and low plans. You can post as often as you like without watching a counter.
A website included. beehiiv says a website, podcast, community and digital products are included on every plan. Your newsletter gets a web archive and landing pages, so you do not need a separate site to start.
Growth tools. The features page lists a recommendation network, where newsletters suggest each other to new subscribers, and referral programs, where readers earn rewards for bringing friends. The recommendation network is listed on the free plan.
Ways to earn. beehiiv lists three main routes: paid subscriptions, its ad network (which it describes as the largest native ad network for newsletters), and paid recommendations. The pricing page shows ad monetization on Lite with an “average” of $39 a month, which tells you that ads are a small extra for most publications, not an income on their own.
Automations and testing. Automations, A/B testing and audience polls start on Lite. Pro adds dynamic content, webhooks and AI credits.
beehiiv pricing and plans (2026)
| Plan | Price (yearly billing) | Subscribers | Publications | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Up to 2,500 | 1 | 1 |
| Lite | $49 a month | Up to 100,000 | 3 | 2 |
| Pro | $95 a month | Up to 250,000 | 10 | 10 |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | Custom | Unlimited |
The pricing page showed only yearly-billing prices. Its FAQ says yearly billing saves up to 20% compared with paying month to month, so expect a higher figure if you pay monthly.
Other differences by plan: analytics go back 30 days on Free, 12 months on Lite and unlimited on Pro. Lite caps guest authors at 3. Removing beehiiv branding, webinars and coaching tools, and 24/7 priority support all come with Pro.
beehiiv fees: the 0% take rate on paid subscriptions
beehiiv lists a 0% take rate on paid subscriptions and digital products. You pay Stripe’s standard 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction, and nothing extra to beehiiv. Some newsletter platforms take a share of paid subscription revenue, so if you plan to charge readers, this is a real saving as income grows. Paid subscriptions need the Lite plan.
Who beehiiv is best for
beehiiv suits writers who treat their newsletter as a media business: a niche publication, a local news letter, an industry roundup. The large subscriber allowance on Lite and the built-in ad network and recommendations are aimed squarely at them.
It is a weaker fit for a shop or service business whose email is mostly automated customer messages. For that, tools like MailerLite are built around automations and forms. If you mainly sell courses or coaching, compare it with our Kit review. Our best email marketing software list covers the wider field.
beehiiv drawbacks to weigh
The free plan is generous on sending but leaves out automations, paid subscriptions and ads, so most serious publishers will move to Lite fairly soon. Branding removal costs $95 a month on yearly billing. And because only yearly prices were shown, you need to check the monthly figure at checkout if you do not want to commit for a year.
Is beehiiv worth it? Our verdict
beehiiv is one of the strongest choices for someone building a newsletter as a publication. Unlimited sends, a 0% take rate and growth tools on the free plan make it easy to start. Begin on beehiiv’s free plan, and move to Lite when you want automations, paid subscriptions or ad income. Plans and prices change often, so confirm them on beehiiv’s pricing page before you pay.
beehiiv: frequently asked questions
Is beehiiv free?
Yes. The free plan, as listed on 13 October 2026, allows up to 2,500 subscribers, unlimited email sends, 1 publication and 1 team seat. It includes templates, landing pages, the recommendation network, API access and 30 days of analytics. beehiiv branding stays on.
How much does beehiiv cost?
The pricing page listed Lite at $49 a month and Pro at $95 a month, both on yearly billing. It did not show monthly-billing prices, but its FAQ said yearly billing saves up to 20% compared with month-to-month. Enterprise is custom.
Does beehiiv take a cut of paid subscriptions?
No. beehiiv lists a 0% take rate on paid subscriptions and digital products. Stripe’s standard fee of 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction still applies. Paid subscriptions start on the Lite plan.
beehiiv or Kit: which is better?
beehiiv is built around growing and monetizing a newsletter, with an ad network and recommendations. Kit is built around selling your own products, with a digital store and sequences. Kit’s free plan allows up to 10,000 subscribers; beehiiv’s allows 2,500 but with unlimited sends. See our Kit review for the details.
