Beehiiv is the better choice for most newsletter creators in 2026, winning on fees, features and monetization breadth — while Substack wins on ease of use and its built-in reader network, according to a detailed comparison from MailerCloud and pricing research from Omid Saffari, both verified against live pricing in 2026.

The core difference is the fee model. Beehiiv takes 0% of paid subscription revenue (plus Stripe processing) on flat-fee plans starting at $49/month, while Substack takes 10% plus Stripe on free publishing at any list size. For a newsletter earning $5,000/month, that is roughly a $500/month difference before growth.

Beyond fees, Beehiiv includes a custom domain and SEO-ready website free, visual automation builders, segmentation and A/B testing, a referral program, Boosts marketplace and a native ad network. Substack’s advantages are real but narrower: the easiest setup in the category, the Notes feed and reader community for discovery, and zero cost until you monetize.

The decision splits by business model. A creator selling courses should consider Kit instead — moving subscribers from an interest tag into the right sales sequence matters more than an ad network. A publication built around discovery and community, especially one not yet earning enough for the 10% to hurt, fits Substack. A newsletter that earns from audience growth and sponsorships fits Beehiiv.

For creators, the comparison is a reminder that “free” platforms are rarely free at scale. Substack costs nothing at any list size until you charge — and then it costs 10% of everything, forever.

The takeaway for creators: choose the platform whose costs scale with your business, not against it. If you plan to grow past 2,500 subscribers and monetize, price both options at 10,000 subscribers before you commit to either.