beehiiv vs Substack
Free-plan headroom and true monthly cost as the list grows. Paid columns use Lite vs Revenue-share. At 10k: beehiiv $139 · Substack $0.
Free plans
| Feature | beehiiv | Substack |
|---|---|---|
| Free available | Yes | Yes |
| Contacts | 2500 | unlimited |
| Sends / mo | unlimited | unlimited |
| Automations on free | false | false |
| Remove branding | No | No |
Monthly cost by list size
| Subscribers | beehiiv | Substack | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 | $0 | $0 | Tie |
| 1k | $0 | $0 | Tie |
| 2.5k | $0 | $0 | Tie |
| 5k | $109 | $0 | Substack |
| 10k | $139 | $0 | Substack |
| 25k | $199 | $0 | Substack |
| 50k | $299 | $0 | Substack |
| 100k | $469 | $0 | Substack |
beehiiv gotchas.
- Automations only on Lite+
- Remove branding only on Pro+
- Paid subscriptions / Ad Network need Lite+
- Free capped at 2,500 subscribers
Substack gotchas.
- 10% platform fee on paid subscriptions
- Limited automation vs Kit/beehiiv
- Less control over branding/domain historically improving
beehiiv vs Substack FAQ
Which is cheaper at 10,000 subscribers — beehiiv or Substack?
On the plans we track (Lite vs Revenue-share), the cheaper verified bill at 10k is Substack ($0 vs $139). Unknown cells stay blank.
Which has the better free plan — beehiiv or Substack?
beehiiv: free contacts 2500. Substack: free contacts unlimited.
Should I switch from beehiiv to Substack?
Use free-plan headroom and the cost table on this page — not feature star ratings. Read gotchas on each tool page and confirm live vendor pricing before migrating.