For the past few years, the word "newsletter" has been buzzing around the creator economy like, well, a bee. We've all seen the tweets, the success stories, the think pieces declaring email is the only channel you truly own. And they're not wrong. I’ve been in the SEO and traffic game for years, and I’ve seen social media platforms rise and fall, algorithms change on a whim, and entire audiences disappear overnight. Your email list? That’s your digital real estate.
But choosing the right platform to build your house on... that's the tricky part. You've got your Substack, your Ghost, your Mailchimps. And then there's beehiiv. It's been making some serious waves, and if you’ve been browsing newsletter directories like ExampleEmails, you've definitely seen their name pop up. A lot. The question is, does it live up to the hype? Is it just another platform, or is it genuinely built different? I’ve spent some time in the trenches with it, and I've got some thoughts.
What Exactly Is beehiiv?
On the surface, beehiiv is a newsletter platform. Duh. But that’s like calling a smartphone a device that makes calls. It’s technically true but misses the entire point. beehiiv is positioned as a growth engine, an all-in-one toolkit designed not just to send emails, but to build a media business from the ground up.
Think of it this way. Some platforms give you a microphone and a stage. beehiiv gives you the microphone, the stage, the lighting rig, a promotions team, a ticket booth, and a merch stand. It’s built around the idea that you want to grow your audience and eventually monetize it. A novel concept, I know.
Visit beehiiv
The Core Features That Actually Move the Needle
Okay, let's get into the nuts and bolts. What can you actually do with this thing? I'm not going to list every single feature, because we'd be here all day. Instead, I want to focus on the things that I, as a traffic-obsessed SEO nerd, find genuinely compelling.
The Writing and Publishing Experience
The editor is clean. It’s modern, it’s fast, and it gets out of your way so you can just write. But the real magic is the integration of a website. beehiiv doesn’t just send emails; it creates a beautiful, SEO-friendly web version of every post, giving you a full-blown blog and website. This is huge for discoverability beyond your subscriber list. And yes, they’ve woven in an AI assistant. I'm usually skeptical of these, but it's pretty decent for busting through writer's block, checking your spelling and grammer, or even generating a few ideas for your next piece.
Let's Talk About Growth and Getting More Eyeballs
This is where beehiiv really starts to pull away from the pack. They have a whole suite of tools dedicated to subscriber acquisition. You get referral programs baked right in, so you can turn your loyal readers into your best marketers. They have a recommendation feature where you can partner with other newsletters to cross-promote. And their subscribe forms and landing pages are top-notch. They understand that getting that first email address is the hardest part, and they've built tools to make it easier. This isn't just an afterthought; it feels like the core philosophy of the platform.
Monetization: Making Money From Your Words
For so many creators, this is the end goal. How do you turn this passion project into a paycheck? beehiiv offers multiple paths. The most obvious is premium subscriptions. You can lock certain posts behind a paywall and charge a monthly or yearly fee. Simple. But they also have an integrated Ad Network. If you hit a certain scale (I believe it’s 1,000 subscribers), you can apply to have high-quality sponsors placed in your newsletter, and beehiiv handles all the logistics. It's a fantastic way to generate revenue without having to go out and hustle for your own sponsors, at least in the beginning.
The Good, The Bad, and The Honest Truth
No tool is perfect, right? Here’s my no-fluff breakdown.
What I Genuinely Love About beehiiv
The focus on growth is just chef's kiss. They aren't just giving you a tool; they're giving you a strategy. The all-in-one nature means I'm not duct-taping five different services together to run my newsletter. The website, the emails, the analytics, the monetization... it's all in one dashboard. And frankly, the analytics are powerful. You can see who your most engaged readers are, where your new subscribers are coming from, and what content is performing best. It’s the kind of data you need to make smart decisions.
Where It Could Stand to Improve
With great power comes a bit of a learning curve. If you're coming from a super-simple platform, beehiiv can feel a little overwhelming at first. There are a lot of menus and options. It's not hard, but you'll need to set aside an afternoon to really explore everything it can do. My other hang-up isn't really a beehiiv problem but an email marketing problem in general: deliverability. You're still at the mercy of spam filters. beehiiv does a great job with providing the tools (like setting up custom domains with proper authentication) to maximize your chances of hitting the inbox, but you still need to write good, engaging content that people want to open. The platform can't save you from boring content.
So, How Much Does beehiiv Cost?
This is always the big question. Beehiiv runs on a freemium model, which I'm a huge fan of. Here's a quick rundown of their main plans (prices and features can change, so always double-check their site!):
- Launch Plan: This is their free plan, and it's incredibly generous. You can have up to 2,500 subscribers, send unlimited emails, and get your own web page. It’s perfect for getting started without any financial commitment.
- Grow Plan: This is the first paid tier, currently sitting at $49/month (or less if you pay annually). It unlocks premium subscriptions, custom domains, referral programs, and a bunch of other growth tools. This is the sweet spot for creators who are getting serious.
- Scale Plan: At $99/month, this is for the power users. You get the Ad Network, more advanced automation, and deeper analytics. This is for people running a full-fledged media operation.
The fact that you can start for free and grow into the paid features as your newsletter becomes profitable is a massive advantage.
beehiiv vs. The Others (Like Substack)
The most common comparison is with Substack. And it's a fair one. My take? Substack is for writers who just want to write. It’s beautifully simple. beehiiv is for creators who want to build a business. It's for people who are thinking about SEO, lead magnets, referral loops, and multiple revenue streams from day one. There's no right or wrong answer, it just depends on your goals. If your goal is simplicity above all else, Substack is great. If your goal is growth and control, I think beehiiv has a clear edge.
Final Verdict: Is beehiiv the Right Hive for You?
After spending quality time with the platform, I'm genuinely bullish on beehiiv. It's a powerful, well-designed platform that gives creators the tools they actually need to succeed, not just the tools to send an email. It’s built for the modern creator who understands that you need more than just good content—you need good marketing, good analytics, and a clear path to revenue.
It's not for the completely tech-phobic person who wants a single button to press. But if you're willing to learn a little and you're serious about turning your newsletter into a cornerstone of your brand or business, I think beehiiv is one of the best, if not the best, options on the market right now. It gives you room to grow, and in this game, that’s everything.
Frequently Asked Questions about beehiiv
Is beehiiv good for beginners?
Yes, absolutely. The free 'Launch' plan is one of the best starting points for any new creator. It lets you grow to 2,500 subscribers without paying a dime, giving you plenty of time to find your voice and build an initial audience before you need to consider paid features.
Can I migrate to beehiiv from Substack or another platform?
You bet. beehiiv has a straightforward process for importing your subscribers and even your past content from other platforms like Substack, ConvertKit, and Mailchimp. They make it pretty painless to switch over.
What's the AI writer really like? Is it any good?
It's surprisingly useful. It's not going to write a masterpiece for you, but for tasks like auto-correcting, generating headlines, rephrasing a clunky paragraph, or even brainstorming ideas, it's a solid assistant to have built directly into the editor.
Does beehiiv take a percentage of my premium subscription revenue?
Nope. This is a big differentiator from platforms like Substack. beehiiv charges a flat monthly fee for its 'Grow' and 'Scale' plans. They don't take a 10% (or any percent) cut of your subscriber revenue. You only pay standard processing fees to Stripe, their payment partner.
What is the beehiiv Ad Network?
It's a program for larger newsletters on the 'Scale' plan. beehiiv partners with brands and automatically places relevant, high-quality ads in your newsletter. They handle the sales, placement, and payments, and you get a cut of the revenue. It’s a way to monetize with ads without doing the manual outreach yourself.
