Is beehiiv worth it in 2026?
Yes, for anyone who wants a newsletter to earn. beehiiv is free up to 2,500 subscribers, takes 0% of paid subscriptions and builds in an ad network and paid recommendations. Lite starts at $49 a month on yearly billing, and https://honestcodes.co.uk/go/beehiiv adds a 14-day trial plus 20% off the first 3 months.
Key takeaways
- Offer: a 14-day trial plus 20% off your first 3 months on Lite or Pro through https://honestcodes.co.uk/go/beehiiv. No code to type.
- Free plan for up to 2,500 subscribers, with unlimited email sends, a website and a podcast.
- Lite $49 and Pro $95 a month on yearly billing at up to 1,000 subscribers ($59 and $109 paid monthly).
- 0% of paid subscription and digital product revenue; only Stripe's 2.9% + $0.30 per payment.
- beehiiv's worked example: 2,000 paid readers at $5 a month keep $11,652 more a year than on Substack.
| beehiiv | |
|---|---|
| Offer | 14-day trial + 20% off the first 3 months |
| Link | https://honestcodes.co.uk/go/beehiiv |
| Free plan | Up to 2,500 subscribers, unlimited sends |
| Lite | $49 a month yearly, $59 monthly (to 1,000 subscribers) |
| Pro | $95 a month yearly, $109 monthly (to 1,000 subscribers) |
| Cut of paid subscriptions | 0% |
| Ad Network | Every paid plan |
The case for beehiiv
A newsletter platform earns its fee in two ways: it helps the list grow, and it helps the list pay. beehiiv was built for both by early Morning Brew staff, and it shows in what comes as standard. The recommendation network trades subscribers with other publications, the Ad Network sells placements in your issues for you, and paid subscriptions cost you nothing beyond Stripe's processing fee.
It also starts free. Up to 2,500 subscribers, you get the newsletter editor, a website, a podcast feed, custom domains and unlimited sends without paying, which makes beehiiv an easy first platform as well as a destination for writers moving across.
What it costs as you grow
beehiiv prices in US dollars by list size. Lite is the tier that unlocks earning (paid subscriptions, the Ad Network, automations, digital products); Pro adds unbranded emails and site, a sponsorship storefront, up to 10 publications and priority support. Yearly billing saves up to 20%, and the link takes another 20% off the first three months.
| Lite (yearly) | Pro (yearly) | |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 1,000 | $49 a month | $95 a month |
| Up to 10,000 | $119 a month | $199 a month |
| Up to 50,000 | $249 a month | $399 a month |
| Up to 100,000 | $399 a month | $599 a month |
From beehiiv.com/pricing.md, read 2 October 2026. Monthly billing costs more; Pro runs to 250,000 subscribers.
beehiiv against Substack
The decisive number is the revenue share. Substack takes 10% of every paid subscription; beehiiv takes 0%. On beehiiv's own calculator, 2,000 paid subscribers at $5 a month gross $120,000 a year, and the writer keeps $109,320 on beehiiv against $97,668 on Substack: $11,652 more. beehiiv puts the move itself at about 42 minutes.
Against Kit and Mailchimp, beehiiv's comparison pages put it at $119 a month for 10,000 subscribers (Mailchimp $350) and $399 for 100,000 (Kit $679, Mailchimp $800).
The verdict
Worth it: free while you build, 0% on what you earn, and the cheapest way in is https://honestcodes.co.uk/go/beehiiv, with 14 days to try the paid tools and 20% off the first three months. Every figure here was read on beehiiv's own site on 2 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a beehiiv promo code?
No code is needed: https://honestcodes.co.uk/go/beehiiv gives a 14-day trial and 20% off your first 3 months on a paid plan.
Is beehiiv free?
Yes, for up to 2,500 subscribers, with unlimited email sends and no credit card.
How much is beehiiv Lite?
$49 a month on yearly billing or $59 monthly, for up to 1,000 subscribers; the price rises with your list.
Is beehiiv better than Substack?
For a paid newsletter, yes on cost: beehiiv takes 0% of subscriptions against Substack's 10%, and adds an ad network and paid recommendations.
Can I make money on beehiiv?
Yes, through paid subscriptions, the Ad Network, paid recommendations and digital products, all from the Lite plan up.
Keep reading
Verified against each brand's own terms · 2 October 2026 · Checked by Behzad Hosseini, Editor-in-Chief