Does Substack charge any monthly fees for free newsletters?

No. Substack is completely free to use if you do not have paid subscriptions enabled. They only take a 10% cut when you successfully monetize your readers through paid subscriptions.

Does Beehiiv take a percentage of my paid newsletter subscriptions?

No. Beehiiv charges a predictable flat monthly subscription fee depending on your tier, leaving you with 100% of your paid subscriber revenue (minus standard payment processor fees).

Can I use a custom domain on both Substack and Beehiiv?

Yes. Both platforms allow you to map your own custom domain (e.g., newsletter.yourdomain.com) for both your web archive and email sending infrastructure.

Which platform is better for growing a brand from scratch?

Beehiiv offers more sophisticated growth mechanics, such as built-in referral programs, recommendations, and an ad network. However, Substack offers an existing organic social network effect and discovery engine.

Substack vs. Beehiiv Newsletter Monetization and Growth Platform Comparison

Question: Should a content publisher monetize their email newsletter using 'Substack' or 'Beehiiv', considering platform take rates on paid subscriptions, built-in recommendation network growth tools, and custom domain configuration options?

Prepared by the ChoiceScore Research Desk · Editor-approved for the curated library · Reviewed July 30, 2026

It depends Choice Score: 82/100

Direct answer

Publishers prioritizing pure subscription revenue with zero upfront costs should choose Substack, while those scaling rapidly via advanced growth tools, ad networks, and flat-fee pricing should choose Beehiiv.

Summary

Choosing between Substack and Beehiiv depends heavily on a publisher's current scale, monetization model, and growth strategy. Substack operates on a revenue-share model taking 10% of paid subscription earnings, offering a frictionless setup with built-in community features. Beehiiv operates on a tiered monthly subscription model with zero take rate on paid subscriptions, while providing sophisticated growth tools like automated recommendations, a built-in ad network, and deep customization options. This report breaks down the economics, growth mechanisms, and domain capabilities to guide your publishing business.

Choice Score breakdown

Monetization Economics 80/100 — Substack takes 10% of revenue; Beehiiv charges flat monthly tiers with 0% take rate.
Growth & Network Tools 85/100 — Beehiiv excels with advanced referral programs and ad networks; Substack relies on its organic recommendation network.
Customization & Infrastructure 80/100 — Both offer custom domains, but Beehiiv provides deeper web-blog hybrid structures and API integrations.

Best for / Not best for

Best for

Substack: Writers, journalists, and podcasters looking for a simple, zero-upfront-cost community platform.
Beehiiv: Growth-focused media brands, enterprise publishers, and marketers scaling past 10,000 subscribers who want 0% take rates.

Not best for

Substack: High-volume paid publishers who want to avoid losing 10% of top-line subscription revenue to platform fees.
Beehiiv: Absolute beginners with zero budget who want a completely free tier with advanced features locked behind paid plans.

Scenarios

Bootstrapped Creator (Low Volume) (40% likely)
A new publisher with 500 free subscribers and 20 paid subscribers paying $10/month ($200 monthly revenue).
Scaling Publisher (Medium Volume) (45% likely)
An established publisher with 15,000 subscribers and 500 paid subscribers paying $10/month ($5,000 monthly revenue).
Enterprise Media Brand (High Volume) (15% likely)
A large digital publication with 100,000 subscribers and 2,000 paid subscribers paying $15/month ($30,000 monthly revenue).

Calculations

Metric	Result	Formula
Substack Monthly Take Rate Cost	500 USD/month	monthly_paid_revenue * 0.10
Beehiiv Scale Plan Fixed Cost	99 USD/month	flat_monthly_subscription_fee
Monthly Net Difference (at $5k Revenue)	401 USD/month saved on Beehiiv	substack_fee - beehiiv_fee

Pros & cons

Pros

Substack: Completely free to start with zero monthly fees; you only pay when you make money.
Substack: Robust built-in recommendation network and social discovery features.
Beehiiv: 0% take rate on paid subscriptions means higher profit margins as you scale.
Beehiiv: Advanced growth tools including built-in recommendation network, referral programs, and ad networks.
Both: Full custom domain configuration support to establish brand independence.

Cons

Substack: 10% take rate becomes expensive for high-earning publishers compared to flat-fee models.
Substack: Limited design customization and advanced automation workflows.
Beehiiv: Monthly software fees can be prohibitive for publishers with zero revenue or tiny subscriber lists.
Beehiiv: Steeper learning curve due to advanced segmentation, A/B testing, and automation suites.

Assumptions

Substack Take Rate: 10% — Substack's standard monetization agreement includes a 10% cut of paid subscription transactions.
Beehiiv Pricing Structure: Tiered monthly subscription with 0% take rate — Beehiiv does not take a percentage of publisher subscription revenue on their paid tiers.
Stripe Processing Fees: Standard merchant fees apply to both — Both platforms require third-party payment processing (Stripe), meaning standard credit card processing fees apply independently of platform take rates.

Practical next steps

Audit your current subscriber count, email volume, and projected paid subscription conversion rate.
Calculate your projected monthly revenue to compare Substack's 10% take rate against Beehiiv's flat monthly subscription tiers.
Evaluate your need for advanced marketing automations, custom landing pages, and built-in ad networks.
Set up a test publication or review migration guides to verify custom domain configuration and subscriber list imports.
Deploy your chosen platform and connect your custom domain and payment gateway.

Methodology

This analysis evaluates platform fee structures, take rates, growth features, and technical constraints by cross-referencing official documentation, pricing pages, and independent publisher reviews. Calculations model the financial break-even points between percentage revenue shares and flat-fee software tiers across multiple publication scales.

Sources

Sources support specific claims; they do not replace our analysis. Read the research and source standards.

FAQ

Does Substack charge any monthly fees for free newsletters?: No. Substack is completely free to use if you do not have paid subscriptions enabled. They only take a 10% cut when you successfully monetize your readers through paid subscriptions.
Does Beehiiv take a percentage of my paid newsletter subscriptions?: No. Beehiiv charges a predictable flat monthly subscription fee depending on your tier, leaving you with 100% of your paid subscriber revenue (minus standard payment processor fees).
Can I use a custom domain on both Substack and Beehiiv?: Yes. Both platforms allow you to map your own custom domain (e.g., newsletter.yourdomain.com) for both your web archive and email sending infrastructure.
Which platform is better for growing a brand from scratch?: Beehiiv offers more sophisticated growth mechanics, such as built-in referral programs, recommendations, and an ad network. However, Substack offers an existing organic social network effect and discovery engine.

Related decisions

Disclaimers

Platform pricing structures, features, and take rates are subject to change by Substack and Beehiiv management.

Financial returns and subscription conversion rates vary widely depending on niche, audience engagement, and content quality.