beehiiv vs Substack: a flat fee against 10% of revenue
Substack is free to publish and keeps 10% of paid subscription revenue. beehiiv takes 0% but charges a plan fee by list size. Where the two cost the same, read October 5, 2026.
About this guide
Published by StackOnSale. Publisher: Emmanuel Grenier. Guide updated: 2026-10-05.
Research based on official vendor pages, not a hands-on review.
StackOnSale may earn a commission through disclosed affiliate links on the site. This does not decide which tool fits your needs.
The offer we list
US dollars, before tax and Stripe fees. We list no Substack offer.
Sources reviewed 2026-10-05. These are dated plan details, not a live checkout quote. Confirm current pricing and eligibility on the official pages.
Some vendor links on offer pages are disclosed affiliate links; this is not a paid ranking.
| Plan | Recorded price | Billing and limits | Before choosing |
|---|---|---|---|
| beehiiv Lite | $588/year | 1,000 subscribers, $49 a month billed yearly; $59 billed monthly | Paid subscriptions and automations start on Lite. The Free plan covers up to 2,500 subscribers. |
The short answer
Substack is free to publish at any list size and keeps 10% of each paid subscription payment. beehiiv charges a plan fee that follows your subscriber count and takes 0% of paid subscription revenue, but paid subscriptions start on its Lite plan: $59 a month at 1,000 subscribers billed monthly, or $49 a month billed yearly.
For a free newsletter, Substack costs nothing at any size, and beehiiv's Free plan stops at 2,500 subscribers. For a paid newsletter, beehiiv costs less once your monthly paid revenue passes ten times its monthly price: $590 a month at 1,000 subscribers on monthly billing, or $490 on yearly billing.
Stripe's card fees apply on both. Substack's help center and beehiiv's pricing page were read on October 5, 2026. StackOnSale has not tested either product.
What each one charges
Substack: "Publishing on Substack is free, no matter how many subscribers you have." With paid subscriptions turned on, Substack keeps 10% of subscription revenue. Its help center lists Stripe's fees on top: 2.9% + $0.30 per payment for US cards, and a Stripe Billing fee of 0.7% on recurring payments.
beehiiv: the price follows your subscriber count. Free is $0 up to 2,500 subscribers, without paid subscriptions. Lite, the first plan with paid subscriptions, is $59 a month at 1,000 subscribers billed monthly, or $49 a month billed yearly. beehiiv takes 0% of subscription revenue, and its pricing FAQ lists Stripe at 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction.
Where the two cost the same
Substack's fee grows with your paid revenue; beehiiv's grows with your list. The table shows, for each list size, the monthly paid revenue at which Substack's 10% equals beehiiv Lite. Below that revenue, Substack's fee is lower. Above it, beehiiv Lite is lower.
| Subscribers | beehiiv Lite, monthly billing | Substack's 10% equals it at | beehiiv Lite, yearly billing | Substack's 10% equals it at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | $59 a month | $590 a month in paid revenue | $49 a month | $490 a month in paid revenue |
| 2,500 | $79 a month | $790 a month in paid revenue | $69 a month | $690 a month in paid revenue |
| 5,000 | $109 a month | $1,090 a month in paid revenue | $95 a month | $950 a month in paid revenue |
| 10,000 | $139 a month | $1,390 a month in paid revenue | $119 a month | $1,190 a month in paid revenue |
| 25,000 | $199 a month | $1,990 a month in paid revenue | $169 a month | $1,690 a month in paid revenue |
StackOnSale arithmetic: 10 times beehiiv's monthly price. Stripe fees are left out because both use Stripe. beehiiv prices from its subscriber slider, read October 5, 2026.
One paid newsletter, priced
The example has 1,000 subscribers, 100 of whom pay $8 a month. Change the numbers to yours: the platform fee on Substack is 10% of the revenue line, and on beehiiv it is the plan price for your list size.
| Item | Substack | beehiiv Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Paid revenue a month | $800 | $800 |
| Platform fee a month | $80, which is 10% | $59 billed monthly, or $49 a month billed yearly |
| Platform fee for a year | $960 | $708 billed monthly (12 x $59), or $588 billed yearly (12 x $49) |
| Stripe fees | 2.9% + $0.30 per card payment, plus 0.7% on recurring payments | 2.9% + $0.30 per payment, as beehiiv's FAQ lists |
StackOnSale arithmetic on the fees each vendor states, with every paying subscriber on monthly billing.
What we could not verify
Whether Stripe's 0.7% billing fee also applies to beehiiv's recurring payments: beehiiv's FAQ lists 2.9% + $0.30 only. beehiiv prices between its slider positions. Whether beehiiv's yearly price holds at renewal.
StackOnSale earns a commission if you buy beehiiv through our link. We have no relationship with Substack.
Questions
Is beehiiv or Substack cheaper?
For a free newsletter, Substack is free at any size and beehiiv is free up to 2,500 subscribers. For a paid newsletter, beehiiv Lite costs less once monthly paid revenue passes 10 times its monthly price: $590 a month at 1,000 subscribers on monthly billing, $490 on yearly billing. Read October 5, 2026.
What does Substack charge?
Nothing to publish. With paid subscriptions, 10% of each subscription payment, plus Stripe's 2.9% + $0.30 per payment for US cards and a 0.7% billing fee on recurring payments, according to its help center.
Does beehiiv take a cut of paid subscriptions?
No. beehiiv takes 0% of subscription revenue and lists Stripe at 2.9% + $0.30. Paid subscriptions require Lite or a higher plan.
Can I start free on beehiiv?
Yes. Free covers up to 2,500 subscribers, without paid subscriptions, automations or A/B testing.
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Sources
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