Which platform takes less money from paid subscriptions?

Beehiiv takes 0% platform transaction fees on paid subscriptions on its plans, whereas Substack charges a flat 10% commission on all subscription revenue. However, Beehiiv requires a monthly software subscription fee.

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

Yes. Both platforms allow you to publish your newsletter under your own custom domain, though Beehiiv restricts certain advanced multi-publication and domain features to higher-tier plans.

Which platform is better for audience growth?

Substack excels at organic discovery through its internal social network (Notes) and recommendation graph. Beehiiv excels at systematic growth through built-in recommendation networks, customizable referral programs, and native ad monetization networks.

Is it easy to migrate from Substack to Beehiiv or vice versa?

Yes. Both platforms allow you to easily export your subscriber lists and archives via CSV files, though migrating active paid Stripe subscriptions requires careful coordination with support teams.

Substack vs. Beehiiv: Which Newsletter Platform Should You Choose?

Question: Should a newsletter creator use 'Substack' or 'Beehiiv' for a publication, considering transaction fees on paid subscriptions, built-in recommendation networks, and custom domain publishing limits?

Prepared by the ChoiceScore Research Desk · Editor-approved for the curated library · Reviewed July 25, 2026

It depends Choice Score: 82/100

Direct answer

Choose Substack if you want a frictionless, zero-upfront-cost home with a built-in network and a flat 10% fee on paid subscriptions; choose Beehiiv if you prefer tiered flat monthly pricing with 0% platform transaction fees on standard plans, powerful growth tools, and flexible custom domain publishing limits.

Summary

Deciding between Substack and Beehiiv depends heavily on your monetization model, growth strategy, and technical requirements. Substack operates on a revenue-share model taking 10% of paid subscriptions, offering an integrated discovery network (Substack Notes and Recommendations) completely free of monthly charges. Beehiiv operates on a SaaS subscription model with tiered plans (charging fixed monthly fees) but takes 0% platform transaction fees on paid subscriptions, while featuring advanced referral programs and robust scaling architecture. This report breaks down the economics, platform features, custom domain setups, and operational trade-offs to help newsletter creators make the optimal choice.

Choice Score breakdown

Monetization Economics 85/100 — Substack takes 10% rev share; Beehiiv has 0% platform transaction fee on subscriptions but requires fixed monthly software costs.
Built-in Growth & Network 80/100 — Substack relies on Notes and organic network effects; Beehiiv uses structured recommendation networks and native referral programs.
Custom Domain & Flexibility 78/100 — Beehiiv offers advanced custom domain and publication management across tiers; Substack provides simple custom domain mapping.

Best for / Not best for

Best for

Writers and journalists seeking zero upfront platform costs (Substack)
Growth-focused publishers wanting advanced referral systems and 0% platform fees on subscriptions (Beehiiv)
Creators wanting simple network discovery through community feeds (Substack)

Not best for

High-revenue publishers who will lose more to Substack's 10% fee than they would pay in a flat Beehiiv subscription
Creators who want complete white-label customization without any platform branding on entry-tier plans

Scenarios

Bootstrapped Beginner (55% likely)
You are launching your first newsletter with 0 paid subscribers and modest growth expectations over the first 12 months.
Scaling Creator (1,000+ Paid Subscribers) (30% likely)
You rapidly scale to 1,000 paid subscribers each paying $10 per month ($10,000 MRR / $120,000 ARR).
Ecosystem-Driven Publisher (15% likely)
You rely heavily on internal social discovery, community notes, and direct platform recommendations rather than paid ad acquisition.

Calculations

Metric	Result	Formula
Annual Substack Platform Cost	5000 USD/year	annual_paid_revenue × 0.10
Annual Beehiiv Platform Cost (Scale Plan)	1188 USD/year	monthly_saas_fee × 12
Net Creator Earnings Difference at $50k ARR	3812 USD/year saved on Beehiiv	substack_fee − beehiiv_annual_fee
Break-Even Revenue Point	11880 USD/year	beehiiv_annual_fee ÷ 0.10

Pros & cons

Pros

Substack: Zero upfront monthly costs; you only pay when you make money.
Substack: Exceptional organic network effects via Substack Notes and built-in recommendations.
Beehiiv: 0% platform transaction fees on paid subscriptions across plans.
Beehiiv: Industry-leading referral programs, built-in ad networks, and advanced segmentation.

Cons

Substack: 10% revenue share can become very expensive as your paid subscriber base scales.
Substack: Limited custom design and automation flexibility compared to dedicated email service providers.
Beehiiv: Requires upfront monthly subscription investment for advanced growth and monetization tools.
Beehiiv: Steeper learning curve for creators transitioning from simple blogging platforms.

Assumptions

Substack Take Rate: 10% — Substack charges 10% of subscription revenue plus standard Stripe processing fees.
Beehiiv Scale Plan Pricing: $99/month (illustrative) — Assumes a mid-to-high tier plan for advanced automations and referral features.
Payment Processing Fees: Standard Stripe rates apply to both — Stripe or processor fees apply equally to both platforms and are excluded from net platform comparisons.

Practical next steps

Audit your current audience size, projected annual paid subscription revenue, and growth budget.
If your projected annual paid revenue is under $11,880 and you want zero fixed overhead, test your concept on Substack.
If you have an existing audience, require advanced custom domain publishing controls, or expect high revenue, select an appropriate Beehiiv tier.
Connect your custom domain (following each platform's CNAME and DNS configuration guidelines).
Set up your Stripe account to handle seamless reader checkouts and payouts.
Configure your welcome sequence, recommendation widgets, and referral loops to accelerate subscriber acquisition.

Methodology

This comparative decision report evaluates Substack and Beehiiv across financial cost models (rev-share vs. SaaS subscription), growth infrastructure, custom domain flexibility, and scaling economics. Calculations are derived from explicit fee comparisons and break-even thresholds to provide an objective, data-driven recommendation.

Sources

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

FAQ

Which platform takes less money from paid subscriptions?: Beehiiv takes 0% platform transaction fees on paid subscriptions on its plans, whereas Substack charges a flat 10% commission on all subscription revenue. However, Beehiiv requires a monthly software subscription fee.
Can I use a custom domain on both Substack and Beehiiv?: Yes. Both platforms allow you to publish your newsletter under your own custom domain, though Beehiiv restricts certain advanced multi-publication and domain features to higher-tier plans.
Which platform is better for audience growth?: Substack excels at organic discovery through its internal social network (Notes) and recommendation graph. Beehiiv excels at systematic growth through built-in recommendation networks, customizable referral programs, and native ad monetization networks.
Is it easy to migrate from Substack to Beehiiv or vice versa?: Yes. Both platforms allow you to easily export your subscriber lists and archives via CSV files, though migrating active paid Stripe subscriptions requires careful coordination with support teams.

Related decisions

Disclaimers

Financial projections and platform fee structures are subject to change based on current vendor pricing updates.

Creator revenue outcomes depend heavily on niche, content quality, and conversion rates, which vary widely.