There have been a lot of new email newsletter software launched in the past few years trying to make it cheaper and easier to use for beginners. In this article, I’ll be comparing two popular options: Beehiiv and Substack.
Both Beehiiv and Substack are well-known in the industry(with Beehiiv being much newer!) and offer a variety of features to help writers create and send engaging email newsletters. In my opinion, Beehiiv is a better email newsletter software as it is easier to use and you don’t have to pay 10% of your membership fee which you have to do with Substack
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Overview of Beehiiv vs Substack
In this section, I will provide an overview of two popular email newsletter platforms: Beehiiv and Substack. Both platforms have their unique features and advantages, so let’s dive in and explore them.
Beehiiv
Beehiiv is a newsletter platform built for growth, offering tools and features that cater to the needs of successful newsletters. One of the main advantages of Beehiiv is its affordable and predictable pricing, which allows users to know their monthly rate without any surprises or overage charges. Beehiiv also charges no platform fees on revenue generated from subscribers.
This platform is trusted by some of the top newsletters and provides an all-in-one solution that includes simple campaign creation, list building, and analytics. Beehiiv’s simplicity makes it an excellent choice for writers and content creators who just want to get started writing.
The beehiiv dashboard above makes it easy to see your signups and write your emails in the “write” section.
One of my favorite things about beehiiv is that they are adding new features that writers can really use to improve their writing. Beehiiv has just launched its A.I tools that can help you with your writing and also the boost feature allows you to make money by recommending other newsletters.
Substack
Substack is a digital publishing platform that provides writers and publishers with the tools they need to create and distribute newsletters. It was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in San Francisco. The platform allows writers to create their own publications, set subscription fees, and distribute their content directly to subscribers. Substack has become a popular alternative to traditional publishing platforms, offering a simple and user-friendly interface that makes it easy for anyone to start their own publication.
One of the key features of Substack is its payment system, which allows writers to monetize their content by charging subscribers directly. This has made it an attractive option for writers and publishers who are looking for new ways to earn money from their work. Substack takes a 10% cut of subscription fees, which while relatively low compared to other publishing platforms can add up. If you want to run a paid newsletter with Beehiiv, then you will need to upgrade to the “grow level” which costs $42 a month but you don’t pay any subscription fees.
Substack has also become known for its emphasis on independent journalism and commentary. Many of the platform’s most successful publications are run by individual writers who use the platform to distribute their work directly to readers. This has led to a growing community of writers and readers who are passionate about independent journalism and the power of the written word. You can find out more about Substack analytics from their website here.
Substack has become a popular platform for writers and publishers who are looking for a simple and effective way to distribute their content and monetize their work. Its emphasis on independent journalism and commentary has made it a popular choice for writers who are looking for an alternative to traditional publishing platforms. With its user-friendly interface and powerful payment system, Substack is likely to continue to be a major player in the world of digital publishing for years to come.
Pricing Comparison
In this section, I will compare the pricing of Beehiiv and Substack to help you decide which email newsletter software is best suited for your needs.
Beehiiv Pricing
.Beehiiv offers three plans, each with a flat monthly price, dedicated features, and capabilities. Each plan has a maximum subscriber count but allows unlimited sends.
The plans are as follows:
- Launch Plan – Free
- Growth Plan -$42 a month
- Scale Plan – $84 a month
Substack Pricing/Fees
Substack is free to use if you just want to write and publish content. If you upgrade to a paid newsletter, then you will have to pay 10% of your subscription fees to substack and any charges that may occur from their payment processor Stripe.
Features and Functionality
The features of Substack include:
- Email marketing list building
- Newsletter creation
- Subscription management and payments
- Customizable publication design
- Integration with third-party tools like Google Analytics and Stripe
- Mailing list management
- Built-in podcast distribution
- Custom domains for publications
- Auto-formatted bulleted and numbered lists
- Customer support for subscribers
- Featured writer program for undiscovered writers
- Emphasis on independent journalism and commentary
Meanwhile, some of the features of Beehiiv include:
- Easy-to-use email editor with customizable templates
- Advanced automation workflows with triggers and conditions
- Landing pages and popups for lead generation
- Integrations with popular tools like Zapier and Google Analytics
- Detailed reporting and analytics on email performance
Top Beehive Newsletters
Some of the best beehiiv newsletters that I read are:
- Ben’s bites
- The Rundown
- Big Brain
- Not a Bot
Final Verdict
After extensively researching and comparing Beehiiv and Substack for email newsletter software, I have made some observations. Beehiiv is for you if you intend on building a very big newsletter and if you care more about SEO and analytics. Substack is for you if you are a journalist and just want to get writing.
Beehiiv is an excellent option for content-focused newsletters and publications, as it offers an all-in-one solution for website, email, data analytics, and growth tools.It is the best platform for you if you just want to get started and write emails. Beehiiv provides ownership of your audience and custom aesthetics. The platform is free for lists with 2,000 subscribers or fewer and becomes more predictable in terms of costs as you grow.
In summary, if you are a content creator or publisher looking for an all-in-one solution with affordable pricing and predictable costs, Beehiiv is to be the better choice.