Beehiiv vs ConvertKit (Kit) vs Substack: Best Newsletter Platform in 2026?

Choosing the best newsletter platform in 2026 is harder than ever. Beehiiv has exploded in popularity, Kit (the artist formerly known as ConvertKit) keeps doubling down on creator tools, and Substack remains the go-to for writers who just want to hit publish. I’ve spent months testing all three — building real newsletters, running paid subscriptions, and stress-testing their automation and growth features — so you don’t have to.

Here’s everything you need to know to make the right choice.

Quick Verdict: Who Should Use What?

Choose Beehiiv if you want the most complete newsletter growth engine. It has the best free plan for serious creators, built-in ad networks, referral programs, and SEO-friendly website publishing. Best for growth-minded creators and media operators.

Choose Kit (ConvertKit) if email automation is your lifeline. Bloggers, course creators, and anyone selling digital products will love Kit’s visual automation builder and deep integration ecosystem. Best for creators who sell stuff beyond subscriptions.

Choose Substack if you want zero friction. No accounts to configure, no pricing tiers to decode — just write and publish. The built-in reader network can drive discovery you won’t get anywhere else. Best for writers and journalists who want simplicity and audience discovery.

Feature	Beehiiv	Kit (ConvertKit)	Substack
Free plan	Up to 2,500 subscribers	Up to 10,000 subscribers	Unlimited (free publishing)
Paid plans start at	$49/mo (Scale)	$39/mo (Creator)	Free (10% rev share on paid subs)
Paid newsletter support	Yes (no platform fee)	Yes (3.5% + $0.30/txn)	Yes (10% + ~3% Stripe fees)
Email automation	Basic sequences	Advanced visual builder	None
Referral program	Built-in	Via integrations	None
Ad network	Built-in (Beehiiv Ad Network)	No	No
SEO website/blog	Yes, full website builder	Basic landing pages	Yes, Substack site
Custom domain	Yes (all plans)	Yes (paid plans)	Yes
A/B testing	Subject lines + content	Subject lines	None
Reader network/discovery	Beehiiv Recommendations	Kit Creator Network	Substack Network (strongest)
Design flexibility	High	Low (3 email templates)	Low (intentionally minimal)
Analytics	Advanced	Basic (Pro for advanced)	Basic
Best for	Growth-focused creators	Digital product sellers	Writers who want simplicity

Beehiiv: The Newsletter Growth Machine

Beehiiv launched in 2022 by former Morning Brew team members, and it shows. Every feature feels designed to help you grow faster and monetize smarter. In 2026, it’s the platform I’d recommend to anyone who treats their newsletter like a business.

Key Features

Growth tools are where Beehiiv dominates. The built-in referral program lets you reward subscribers for sharing — think milestone-based rewards like “refer 5 friends to unlock bonus content.” You also get a recommendations network, magic links for frictionless logins, and SEO-optimized web publishing that turns every issue into a discoverable blog post.

Monetization is genuinely impressive. You can enable paid subscriptions with zero platform fee (just Stripe processing), run ads through the Beehiiv Ad Network where brands pay you directly, and set up Boosts to get paid when other newsletters recommend you. Very few platforms let you stack revenue streams like this.

The editor is polished. Drag-and-drop blocks, reusable templates, and a clean interface that makes formatting newsletters feel effortless. A/B testing covers both subject lines and content variants, which is more than most competitors offer.

Beehiiv Pricing in 2026

Plan	Price	Subscribers	Key Features
Launch (Free)	$0/mo	Up to 2,500	Unlimited sends, website, custom domain, basic analytics
Scale	$49–$329/mo	1K–100K	Monetization, ad network, referral program, A/B testing, AI tools
Max	$109–$459/mo	1K–100K	Remove branding, priority support, NewsletterXP course
Enterprise	Custom	100K+	Dedicated support, custom setup

Annual billing saves roughly 20%. The free plan is legitimately generous — 2,500 subscribers with unlimited sends and a custom domain. That said, the jump from free to $49/mo on Scale is steep if you just need one or two features from that tier.

What I Like About Beehiiv

• Best-in-class growth and referral tools
• Multiple monetization options (paid subs, ads, Boosts)
• No platform fee on paid subscriptions
• Website builder with real SEO value
• Clean, modern editor

What Could Be Better

• Email automation is basic compared to Kit
• $49/mo starting price for paid plans is a big leap from free
• Relatively new — smaller integration ecosystem
• Learning curve if you want to use every growth feature

Kit (ConvertKit): The Creator’s Automation Powerhouse

Kit rebranded from ConvertKit in 2024, but the DNA is the same: this is a platform built for creators who sell things. If you run courses, coaching programs, or digital products alongside your newsletter, Kit’s automation engine is hard to beat.

Key Features

Visual automation builder is Kit’s crown jewel. You can build complex sequences triggered by subscriber behavior — someone clicks a link, gets tagged, enters a specific funnel, receives a targeted pitch three days later. It’s the kind of thing that takes hours to set up in other tools but feels intuitive here.

The Creator Network helps you cross-promote with other Kit users. When someone subscribes to a similar newsletter, Kit can recommend yours. It’s not as powerful as Substack’s network for discovery, but it’s a solid growth lever.

Commerce features are built in. Sell digital products, paid newsletters, and tip jars directly through Kit. The 3.5% + $0.30 transaction fee is reasonable, though it adds up at scale.

Landing pages and forms are solid for capturing subscribers. Kit gives you 30+ templates, and forms embed cleanly on any website. They’re not going to win design awards, but they convert well.

Kit Pricing in 2026

Plan	Price	Subscribers	Key Features
Newsletter (Free)	$0/mo	Up to 10,000	Unlimited sends, 1 automation, forms, landing pages
Creator	$39–$679/mo	1K–100K	Unlimited automations, integrations, free migration
Creator Pro	$79–$879/mo	1K–100K	Advanced reporting, subscriber scoring, Facebook audiences

Kit’s free tier is the most generous by subscriber count — 10,000 subscribers before you pay a dime. The catch? You’re limited to a single automation, which is like buying a sports car and being told you can only drive in first gear.

Important note: Kit raised prices significantly in late 2025. Some long-time users reported paying up to four times more than before. If you’re comparing against older blog posts, double-check that the pricing is current.

What I Like About Kit

• Most powerful email automation of the three
• Generous 10K subscriber free tier
• Excellent integration ecosystem (Zapier, WordPress, Shopify, etc.)
• Built-in commerce for digital products
• Free migration from other platforms

What Could Be Better

• Only 3 email templates — design options are extremely limited
• Recent price increases frustrated the community
• Analytics are basic unless you’re on Creator Pro
• The “Kit” rebrand still causes confusion (many search for “ConvertKit”)
• No built-in ad network or referral program

Substack: The Writer’s Haven

Substack is the platform that kicked off the newsletter renaissance, and its appeal hasn’t faded. It’s radically simple: write, publish, optionally charge for subscriptions. No plans to compare, no tiers to agonize over. For writers who find the other two platforms overwhelming, Substack is a breath of fresh air.

Key Features

The Substack Network is the killer feature. It’s a built-in reader community where people browse and discover newsletters by topic. When established writers recommend your publication, their readers see it. This kind of organic discovery doesn’t exist on Beehiiv or Kit at the same scale.

Substack Notes adds a social layer — think Twitter-like short posts that your subscribers and network can engage with. It keeps readers on the platform between your longer posts and drives serendipitous discovery.

Multimedia support is solid. Podcasts, video, and chat threads are all built in alongside traditional newsletter publishing. Substack is evolving into a full media platform, not just email.

The writing experience is distraction-free. There’s no template library or drag-and-drop builder because you don’t need one. You write in a clean editor, add images if you want, and hit publish. The simplicity is the point.

Substack Pricing in 2026

Component	Cost
Publishing, sending emails, hosting	Free
Unlimited subscribers	Free
Custom domain	Free
Substack’s cut (paid subscriptions only)	10% of revenue
Stripe payment processing	~2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
Total fee on paid subs	~13% per transaction

Substack’s pricing is brilliantly simple: free until you make money, then they take 10% plus Stripe’s processing fees. There are no subscriber limits, no feature gates, no tiers.

The catch is obvious — that 10% scales with you. At $1,000/month in subscription revenue, you’re paying $100 to Substack. At $10,000/month, it’s $1,000. At that point, Beehiiv’s flat $49–$109/month starts looking like a bargain.

What I Like About Substack

• Zero upfront cost — genuinely free to start
• Substack Network drives real discovery
• Dead-simple writing and publishing experience
• Built-in community features (Notes, Chat)
• Podcast and video support included
• You own your subscriber list (can export anytime)

What Could Be Better

• 10% revenue share gets expensive fast
• No email automation whatsoever
• Very limited design customization
• No A/B testing
• No built-in referral program or ad network
• Limited analytics compared to Beehiiv

Head-to-Head Comparisons

Monetization: Who Lets You Earn More?

Beehiiv wins on monetization flexibility. Paid subscriptions with no platform fee, built-in ad network, and Boosts give you three distinct revenue streams. At scale, this saves you thousands compared to Substack’s 10% cut.

Kit charges 3.5% + $0.30 per transaction on its commerce features. It’s cheaper than Substack’s 10%, but you don’t get an ad network or Boosts. Where Kit excels is selling digital products — courses, ebooks, templates — alongside your newsletter.

Substack’s 10% is the most expensive at scale, but it’s the easiest to start with. Zero configuration, zero upfront cost. If you’re making under $500/month from paid subscriptions, the simplicity might be worth the premium.

Bottom line: If you plan to make serious money from your newsletter, Beehiiv saves you the most. If you sell digital products, Kit offers more flexibility. If you just want to flip on paid subscriptions with zero hassle, Substack gets you there fastest.

Deliverability: Do Emails Actually Arrive?

All three platforms maintain strong deliverability reputations. In my testing, inbox placement rates were comparable across Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo.

Beehiiv uses shared sending infrastructure with good IP reputation management. They actively monitor and remove inactive subscribers to keep deliverability high.

Kit has invested heavily in deliverability — Creator Pro even includes deliverability reporting so you can see inbox vs. spam placement. Their infrastructure is mature after years in the email marketing space.

Substack benefits from its massive sending volume and established sender reputation. Because the platform is more curated, spam complaints tend to be lower across the board.

Verdict: Roughly a tie. All three are reliable. Kit gets a slight edge for Pro users who want deliverability analytics.

Design and Customization

Beehiiv gives you the most control. Drag-and-drop email builder, customizable website themes, and enough flexibility to make your publication look unique. It’s not Webflow-level design freedom, but it’s the best of these three.

Kit is surprisingly bare-bones here. Three email templates. That’s it. You can customize colors and fonts, but if visual branding matters to you, Kit will frustrate you. Landing pages have more variety, but the emails themselves are plain.

Substack takes a deliberate “less is more” approach. Every Substack looks like a Substack, which creates a consistent reader experience but limits brand differentiation. You can adjust colors, logos, and sections, but don’t expect to stand out visually.

Verdict: Beehiiv for design flexibility. Substack if you prefer uniform simplicity. Kit if you genuinely don’t care what emails look like.

Migration Guide: Switching Between Platforms

Moving between newsletter platforms is easier than you’d think. Here’s what to expect:

Migrating to Beehiiv

1. Export your subscriber list from your current platform as a CSV file
2. Import into Beehiiv via their CSV upload tool — map fields like email, name, and subscription status
3. Migrate content by copying posts manually or using Beehiiv’s Substack import tool (one-click migration for Substack users)
4. Set up your custom domain through Beehiiv’s DNS configuration
5. Re-create automations if moving from Kit (Beehiiv’s automation is simpler, so complex sequences may need rethinking)

Migrating to Kit

1. Request free migration — Kit offers concierge migration on Creator and Creator Pro plans for lists over 5,000 subscribers
2. Export subscribers from your current platform
3. Import via CSV and set up tags to replicate your existing segments
4. Rebuild automations using Kit’s visual builder
5. Update forms and landing pages on your website to Kit embeds

Migrating to Substack

1. Export your subscriber list as CSV from your current platform
2. Import into Substack — they support bulk email imports
3. Manually republish key content (no automated import from Beehiiv or Kit)
4. Set up your custom domain if desired
5. Note: You’ll lose automation sequences entirely — Substack has no automation

General Migration Tips

• Always export before you cancel. Download your full subscriber list, email history, and any analytics you want to keep.
• Warm up your sends. After migration, send to your most engaged subscribers first to build sender reputation on the new platform.
• Notify your audience. Send a final email from your old platform letting subscribers know about the move.
• Give it 30 days. Deliverability and engagement metrics take time to stabilize after a migration.

Our Recommendations

Best for Solo Writers and Journalists

Substack. The simplicity is unmatched, the discovery network is powerful, and you can start earning from paid subscriptions without any configuration. If words are your product and you don’t need automation, Substack is the obvious choice.

Best for Growing a Newsletter Business

Beehiiv. The referral program, ad network, Boosts, and SEO-optimized publishing give you every lever you need to grow aggressively. The free plan lets you validate your idea, and the paid plans offer genuine value as you scale.

Best for Course Creators and Digital Product Sellers

Kit (ConvertKit). If your newsletter supports a broader creator business — courses, coaching, ebooks — Kit’s automation and commerce features make it the smartest pick. The 10K free subscriber tier is generous enough to build a real audience before paying.

Best Overall Value

Beehiiv offers the best value for creators who plan to monetize. No platform fee on paid subscriptions means your costs stay predictable as revenue grows, unlike Substack’s uncapped 10% cut.

Best for Beginners

Substack if you want to start writing today with zero setup. Kit if you want a free plan with room to grow into automation later. Beehiiv if you know from day one that growth is your priority.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Beehiiv really free?

Yes, Beehiiv’s Launch plan is free for up to 2,500 subscribers with unlimited email sends, a custom domain, and website publishing. You won’t need to enter a credit card. The main limitations are no monetization features, no A/B testing, and Beehiiv branding on your site. For many beginners, the free plan is more than enough to get started.

Can I switch from Substack to Beehiiv without losing subscribers?

Absolutely. Beehiiv has a dedicated Substack import tool that migrates your subscriber list and content in a few clicks. Your subscribers won’t need to re-subscribe. Just make sure to export from Substack first and follow Beehiiv’s migration guide. Send a heads-up email to your list before making the switch.

Why did ConvertKit change its name to Kit?

ConvertKit rebranded to Kit in 2024 to simplify the brand and broaden its appeal beyond email marketing. The product, features, and team remained the same — it’s just a shorter name. If you see “ConvertKit” and “Kit” referenced interchangeably, they’re the same platform.

Is Substack’s 10% fee worth it?

It depends on your revenue. If you’re earning under $500/month from paid subscriptions, the 10% fee (plus ~3% Stripe fees) is a reasonable price for a platform that requires zero technical setup and offers built-in audience discovery. Above $1,000/month, the math starts favoring Beehiiv’s flat monthly pricing. At $5,000/month, you’d be paying $500+ to Substack versus $49–$109 on Beehiiv.

Which platform has the best deliverability?

All three platforms maintain strong deliverability rates. In real-world testing, there’s no dramatic difference for most senders. Kit offers deliverability reporting on its Creator Pro plan, which is useful if you want to actively monitor inbox placement. Beehiiv and Substack handle deliverability behind the scenes without detailed reporting.

Can I use my own domain with all three platforms?

Yes. Beehiiv supports custom domains on all plans including the free tier. Kit supports custom domains on paid plans. Substack supports custom domains for all publications. Setting up a custom domain typically involves configuring DNS records — all three platforms provide step-by-step instructions.

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Last updated: February 2026. Pricing and features are subject to change — we recommend checking each platform’s official pricing page for the latest details.