Beehiiv is a newsletter platform built for publishers who treat the newsletter as the business rather than as marketing for something else. It bundles the editor, the website, subscriber growth tools, paid subscriptions and an ad network into one product.

It was founded in 2021 by Tyler Denk, Benjamin Hargett and Jake Hurd. Denk had previously worked on growth at Morning Brew, which is where much of the product thinking comes from.

There is a free tier that covers a first list and basic sending. Paid plans unlock custom domains, paid subscriptions, deeper analytics and the referral program. Pricing scales with subscriber count.

It skews toward media style newsletters and creators publishing at volume. On this list that includes The Rundown AI, Superhuman AI, Future Tools, Publish Press and The Breakdown.

Is Beehiiv better than Substack?

They solve different problems. Substack gives you a built in audience and a network that recommends you to readers. Beehiiv gives you more control over growth, design and monetization but expects you to bring your own traffic.

How does Beehiiv make money?

Subscription fees on paid plans, a cut of paid newsletter subscriptions, and its ad network which places sponsors into participating newsletters.

Does Beehiiv have a referral program?

Yes, and it is one of the reasons publishers choose it. Readers earn rewards for referring others, which is the mechanic behind a lot of the fast growth you see on the platform.

Can you make money on Beehiiv?

Through paid subscriptions, the built in ad network, or sponsorships you sell yourself. The ad network is the differentiator, since it fills inventory without you having to pitch advertisers.

Can you move an existing newsletter to Beehiiv?

Yes. Subscriber imports are standard, and most platforms export a CSV. What does not transfer cleanly is automation logic, which usually has to be rebuilt.

Does Beehiiv host a website?

Yes. Every publication gets a hosted site with an archive of past issues, which is what makes newsletter content findable in search rather than trapped in inboxes.

Is Beehiiv good for beginners?

The editor is straightforward and the free tier lets you start without a card. The growth and monetization features are the reason to stay, and most of those matter more once you have an audience.