The beehiiv Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about beehiiv in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
beehiiv
The Insider’s Guide
Newsletter platform with paid subscriptions, ads, website and podcast
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among email marketing and newsletter tools, read from beehiiv’s own pages.
Made by beehiiv · checked Oct 17, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from beehiiv’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on beehiiv’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 17, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 5 of the 24 other email marketing and newsletter tools we grade
beehiiv is a newsletter platform for writers, creators and media companies. Alongside the email editor it hosts a website, podcast, community and digital product store, and lets publishers earn through paid subscriptions, its ad network and paid recommendations. Every plan includes unlimited sends; paid plans are priced by subscriber count.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about beehiiv, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It's a web app where you build the newsletter, the site and the automations yourself, so there's some setting up before your first send.
- 1
Best for newsletters you plan to make money from
beehiiv is a newsletter platform for writers who want to earn from it: paid subscriptions where beehiiv takes 0%, an ad network, a website and a podcast in one place.
- 2
Paid plans start at $49 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $49 per month for up to 1,000 subscribers, billed yearly ($59 monthly).
- 3
There is a free plan
Up to 2,500 subscribers with unlimited sends, 1 seat, 1 publication, a website, a podcast and 30 days of analytics. No paid subscriptions or automations.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Newsletter editor
A custom block editor with templates and unlimited sends on every plan. Lite adds A/B tests, polls, custom HTML and publishing to segments.
- 6
Paid subscriptions and ads
From Lite: paid tiers, metered paywalls, coupons and the beehiiv ad network. beehiiv takes 0% of subscription revenue; Stripe's fees still apply.
- 7
Website, podcast and community
Every plan hosts a website, a podcast feed and a member community. Custom pages, shows and private podcast feeds grow with the plan.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 5 of 24
That is against the other email marketing and newsletter tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace beehiiv you would be making newsletters sent to thousands of people that still reach the inbox. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
beehiiv at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $49 per month for up to 1,000 subscribers, billed yearly ($59 monthly)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- Free trial of Lite and Pro, no credit card required
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- beehiiv, since 2021
- Category
- Email Marketing & Newsletters
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for newsletters you plan to make money from
beehiiv is a newsletter platform for writers who want to earn from it: paid subscriptions where beehiiv takes 0%, an ad network, a website and a podcast in one place. The free plan is generous, up to 2,500 subscribers with unlimited sends. Paying is where it gets steep, at $49 a month for the first paid plan.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D | Lite is $49 a month for 1,000 subscribers on yearly billing, or $59 monthly. That's in the dearest tenth of email tools, nearly four times the middle. Taking the beehiiv branding off needs Pro at $95. |
| Free plan and trial | B | Up to 2,500 subscribers with unlimited sends, a website, a podcast and a welcome email, free for good. One writer could live on that for a while. The wall is money: no paid subscriptions, no ad network and no custom automations. |
| Features | B | A block editor, paid tiers and paywalls, an ad network, recommendations, a website, a podcast and digital products, plus automations from Lite. It covers the newsletter job end to end. Lite caps you at 10 live automations, though; Pro lifts the cap. |
| Ease of use | C | No App Store rating on record. It's a web app where you build the newsletter, the site and the automations yourself, so there's some setting up before your first send. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web only, with Stripe, Zapier, Make, Shopify and Luma connections and an API. No desktop or phone app is listed. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who beehiiv is for
- Great if you want to charge for your newsletter and keep all of it, minus Stripe's fee
- Handy when you'd like ads in your newsletter without hunting for sponsors yourself
- Good for writers who want the newsletter, a website and a podcast in one place
Who it is not for
- Pricey if you only need a paid plan for automations, at $49 a month to start
- Tight if you want your own branding, as removing beehiiv's needs the $95 Pro plan
- Skip it if your list will pass 2,500 before you're ready to pay, as the free plan stops there
Good to know
Good for
- Writers building a newsletter they plan to charge for
- Publishers who want to earn from ads in their newsletter
- Creators who want newsletter, website and podcast in one place
Worth knowing
- The Free plan stops at 2,500 subscribers and has no paid subscriptions, ad network or custom automations.
- Removing beehiiv branding, dynamic content, webinars and the Send API all need Pro.
- Lite tops out at 100,000 subscribers and Pro at 250,000; larger lists go to Enterprise through sales.
- beehiiv takes no cut of paid subscriptions, but Stripe charges 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$49
A month to start. There is a free plan too
beehiiv has a free plan. Paid plans start at $49 per month for up to 1,000 subscribers, billed yearly ($59 monthly).
That's in the dearest tenth of email tools, nearly four times the middle.
Free
$0
Up to 2,500 subscribers, unlimited sends, 1 seat, 1 publication, website and podcast, beehiiv branding.
Lite
$49
per month for up to 1,000 subscribers, billed yearly ($59 monthly)
Paid subscriptions, ad network, 10 automations, 2 seats, 3 publications, up to 100,000 subscribers. $119 a month at 10,000 subscribers, billed yearly.
Pro
$95
per month for up to 1,000 subscribers, billed yearly ($109 monthly)
No beehiiv branding, unlimited automations, webinars, dynamic content, Send API, 10 seats, up to 250,000 subscribers. $199 a month at 10,000, billed yearly.
Enterprise
Custom
Custom subscriber volume, SSO and SAML, dedicated IPs, concierge onboarding and a customer success manager, through sales.
The free plan
Up to 2,500 subscribers with unlimited sends, 1 seat, 1 publication, a website, a podcast and 30 days of analytics. No paid subscriptions or automations.
Trying it first
Free trial of Lite and Pro, no credit card required
Read from beehiiv.com on Oct 17, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Save up to 20% with yearly billing
beehiiv's pricing page says yearly billing saves up to 20%: at 1,000 subscribers Lite is $49 a month billed yearly against $59 monthly.
Stated on beehiiv.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Newsletter platform with paid subscriptions, ads, website and podcast. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, AI features, marketing automation, forms, email campaigns, paid newsletters.
It covers the newsletter job end to end.
- Newsletter editor
- A custom block editor with templates and unlimited sends on every plan. Lite adds A/B tests, polls, custom HTML and publishing to segments.
- Paid subscriptions and ads
- From Lite: paid tiers, metered paywalls, coupons and the beehiiv ad network. beehiiv takes 0% of subscription revenue; Stripe's fees still apply.
- Website, podcast and community
- Every plan hosts a website, a podcast feed and a member community. Custom pages, shows and private podcast feeds grow with the plan.
- Digital products
- Sell downloads and other one-time products from every plan; Lite raises the product limit to 3 and Pro removes it and adds webinars and coaching.
- Growth tools
- A recommendation network on all plans, plus a referral program, surveys and paid recommendations from Lite.
- Automations
- Welcome emails on Free. Lite allows 10 live automations triggered by sign-ups, tags, segments or purchases; Pro has no limit and adds click triggers.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Stripe
- Zapier
- Make
- Shopify
- Luma
beehiiv is made by beehiiv, and has been around since 2021.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
5/24
Other email marketing and newsletter tools it is graded above
beehiiv's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 5 of the 24 other email marketing and newsletter tools we grade, and level with 9.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 20 of 24) and worst on value for money (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $49 a month, against a middle price of $13 for the category: 21 of the 22 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 3 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 25 email marketing and newsletter tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. beehiiv’s own letter is outlined.
- DValue for moneyAbove 0 of 24
- BFree plan and trialAbove 20 of 24
- BFeaturesAbove 3 of 24
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 24
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 24
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 23 email marketing and newsletter tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. beehiiv is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace beehiiv you would be making newsletters sent to thousands of people that still reach the inbox. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 10 of the 24 other email marketing and newsletter tools grade higher. It costs $588 a year.
What you could make
- Paid newsletters and forms: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Newsletters sent to thousands of people that still reach the inbox.
- Email sent in volume that still reaches the inbox.
- It plugs into other products, Stripe, Zapier and Make among them, and has an API.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- People on the other end: coaches and a community of other users. No app builder makes those.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. beehiiv’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Kit, MailerLite, Mailchimp, Flodesk and AWeber
The 5 tools beehiiv is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
Kit
Free plan · from $33/mo
- 2.6GPA
MailerLite
Free plan · from $12/mo
Email newsletters, automations, sites and paid subscriptions.
- Only MailerLite lists an iOS app.
- 2.8GPA
Mailchimp
Free plan · from $13/mo
Email and SMS marketing with automations, priced by contact count.
- Only Mailchimp lists iOS and Android apps.
- beehiiv also covers paid newsletters.
- Mailchimp also covers reports.
- 2.4GPA
Flodesk
Free plan · from $19/mo
Design-led email marketing and checkout for creators.
- beehiiv also covers paid newsletters.
- 2.4GPA
AWeber
Free plan · from $12.50/mo
Email marketing for small businesses, with landing pages and a store.
- beehiiv also covers paid newsletters.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
15
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is beehiiv free?
beehiiv has a free plan. Up to 2,500 subscribers with unlimited sends, 1 seat, 1 publication, a website, a podcast and 30 days of analytics.
How much does beehiiv cost?
beehiiv lists 4 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does beehiiv work on?
beehiiv is available on Web.
Does beehiiv offer any discounts?
beehiiv publicly lists the following: Save up to 20% with yearly billing.
Does beehiiv have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. beehiiv is listed for Web.
Does beehiiv have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. beehiiv is listed for Web.
Is beehiiv open source?
beehiiv is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 17, 2026.
Does beehiiv have an API?
Yes. beehiiv offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does beehiiv integrate with?
beehiiv's listing names Stripe, Zapier, Make, Shopify and Luma. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Does beehiiv have a free trial?
Yes. Free trial of Lite and Pro, no credit card required.
Who makes beehiiv?
beehiiv is made by beehiiv. It dates from 2021.
What are the alternatives to beehiiv?
The closest alternatives to beehiiv in our directory are Kit, MailerLite, Mailchimp, Flodesk and AWeber.
How does beehiiv compare with other email marketing and newsletter tools?
beehiiv's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 5 of the 24 other email marketing and newsletter tools we grade, and level with 9.
Is beehiiv good value for money?
ToolGPA grades beehiiv D for value for money. Its paid plans start at $49 a month, against a middle price of $13 for the category: 21 of the 22 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of beehiiv?
To replace beehiiv you would be making newsletters sent to thousands of people that still reach the inbox.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from beehiiv’s own pages on Oct 17, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 17, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from beehiiv's own pages on 17 October 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by beehiiv. Prices change, so check beehiiv.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
1,858
Tools graded, in 46 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
ToolGPA is free to read. It may earn a commission from affiliate links and it works with sponsors, but anything paid for is labelled and no one can pay for a grade. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
1,858
tools graded
46
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- beehiiv, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/beehiiv
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "beehiiv: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 17, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/beehiiv
Know someone choosing between email marketing and newsletter tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/beehiiv/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded email marketing and newsletter tools after beehiiv, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Email Marketing & Newsletters Insider's GuideEvery one of the 25 email marketing and newsletter tools we grade, compared
- Zoho Campaigns Insider's GuideEmail, SMS and WhatsApp campaigns that tie into Zoho's apps3.0 GPA
- EmailOctopus Insider's GuideSimple, low-cost email marketing with a free plan for 2,5002.8 GPA
- Mailchimp Insider's GuideEmail and SMS marketing with automations, priced by contact count2.8 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what beehiiv’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. ToolGPA uses affiliate links and may earn a commission from them, and it works with sponsors; anything paid for is labelled, and no one can pay for a grade. beehiiv is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by beehiiv. Prices and plans change: check beehiiv.com before you buy.