Beehiiv

Overview

Beehiiv is a newsletter platform purpose-built for creators who want to grow and monetize their audience through email. Founded by former Morning Brew team members who built one of the world's fastest-growing newsletters, the platform emerged from direct experience with scaling email audiences. Unlike general email marketing tools adapted for newsletters, beehiiv was designed specifically around the needs of independent publishers, offering integrated monetization features and growth tools that work together within a single interface.

The platform distinguishes itself through its monetization infrastructure, particularly its native ad network and recommendation system. Newsletter publishers on beehiiv collectively earned over $1.2 million in ad revenue in a single recent month , reflecting the platform's focus on helping creators generate income from their writing. This emphasis on revenue generation combined with growth tools makes beehiiv different from platforms that treat monetization as an afterthought or require complex third-party integrations.

Beehiiv is designed as a comprehensive solution for modern-day creators, allowing them to build, grow, and monetize their newsletters . The platform includes everything from a drag-and-drop editor and automation tools to audience analytics and website hosting, consolidating the tech stack that newsletter creators typically need into one service. This integrated approach means creators spend less time managing multiple tools and more time creating content.

Best For

Beehiiv works best for serious newsletter creators who plan to treat their publication as a business and prioritize audience growth alongside monetization. This includes independent journalists building media brands, content creators transitioning from social media to owned channels, entrepreneurs using newsletters to build businesses, and writers who want to earn money through ads rather than only subscriptions. The platform particularly suits creators who value growth features like referral programs and cross-promotion networks, as these tools are baked into the core experience rather than added as optional extras.

Key Features

• Integrated Ad Network: Beehiiv operates its own ad network that connects newsletter publishers with premium brand advertisers . Scale plan users receive guaranteed ad placements, ensuring consistent monetization opportunities . Creators can review weekly ad opportunities, choose which campaigns align with their audience, and insert approved ads directly into their newsletters through the editor. The network supports both CPM (payment per 1,000 opens) and CPC (payment per click) pricing models , giving creators predictable income based on their audience size and engagement.

• Recommendation Network and Boosts: The recommendation system helps creators grow by having related newsletters suggest their publication to new subscribers through an opt-in process . Through Boosts, creators earn money when new subscribers to their own newsletter opt into recommended publications , creating a revenue stream from day one without requiring an established audience. One creator with approximately 1,000 subscribers earned over $940 from boosts and ads in 2024 , demonstrating monetization potential even at smaller audience sizes.

• Built-In Referral Program: The referral program turns existing subscribers into advocates by offering rewards as incentives for referring new readers . The system runs automatically once configured, tracking referrals and distributing rewards without manual intervention. This gives creators an organic growth channel that leverages their most engaged readers to expand reach, similar to how viral products grow through word of mouth.

• 3D Analytics and Segmentation: The 3D analytics feature provides deeper insights beyond basic open and click rates , helping creators understand audience behavior patterns and content performance over time. The platform includes audience segmentation tools that let you send targeted content to specific subscriber groups based on engagement, interests, or custom fields, improving relevance and reducing unsubscribes from irrelevant content.

• Website Builder and Custom Domains: All plans include custom website hosting with unlimited posts , letting creators build a web presence around their newsletter without needing separate hosting. Even the free Launch plan includes a custom website and newsletter hosting with custom domains , making it straightforward to establish a professional brand from the start without additional technical setup or monthly hosting fees.

Pricing

Beehiiv offers a free Launch plan supporting up to 2,500 subscribers with unlimited email sends, custom website, and access to the recommendation network . The Scale plan costs $43 monthly (or $34.40 with annual billing) and includes the ad network, boosts for monetization, paid subscriptions, email automations, and three team seats . The Max plan at $96 monthly ($76.80 annually) adds beehiiv AI, removes platform branding, supports podcasts and RSS campaigns, allows up to 10 publications, and provides unlimited team seats . Enterprise plans offer custom pricing for publications exceeding 100,000 subscribers and include dedicated account management, dedicated IP addresses, and priority support. All paid plans include the monetization features that set beehiiv apart, making the investment potentially self-funding for creators who actively use the ad network and boosts.