Beehiiv vs Substack Pricing Calculator
Rates Verified: June 2026 · Based on Published Beehiiv and Substack PricingWhat is the core cost difference between Beehiiv and Substack for paid newsletters? Substack charges no monthly software fee but permanently deducts 10% from every dollar of paid subscription revenue, before Stripe’s 2.9% + $0.30 processing fee applies. Beehiiv charges flat monthly plan fees starting at $39/month and takes 0% of revenue regardless of how much you earn. The break-even point is Beehiiv plan cost ÷ 0.10 — at $99/month (Scale plan), Substack costs more once you cross $990 MRR.
Already past the break-even point?
If your MRR is above $990, every month on Substack is leaving money on the table.
Platform fee structure determines how much of your revenue you keep as your newsletter scales. On Substack, every new paid subscriber you add increases the dollar amount leaving your account each month — the 10% cut is permanent and grows with you. On Beehiiv, platform costs stay flat while your income grows. This calculator shows the exact monthly and annual cash difference at your specific subscriber volume and price point.
1. Your Newsletter Numbers
2. Monthly Profit Comparison
Switching to Beehiiv keeps an additional $4,812.00 per year in your account.
How This Calculator Works
The formula runs three deductions against your gross MRR and compares what remains on each platform.
Gross MRR = Active Paid Subscribers × Monthly Price
Stripe fees = (Gross MRR × 2.9%) + (Subscribers × $0.30 fixed fee)
Substack net = Gross MRR − (Gross MRR × 10%) − Stripe fees
Beehiiv net = Gross MRR − Beehiiv plan cost − Stripe fees
Monthly savings = Beehiiv net − Substack net
Break-even MRR = Beehiiv plan cost ÷ 0.10
Stripe fees apply on both platforms because Substack uses Stripe as its payment processor. The only variable between them is the platform layer: a fixed percentage on Substack, a fixed dollar amount on Beehiiv.
Revenue Milestone Comparison
The table below shows how much each platform costs in real dollar terms at common MRR levels, using the Beehiiv $99 Scale plan as the comparison point.
| Gross MRR | Substack Fee (10%) | Beehiiv Fee ($99 flat) | Monthly Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| $500 | $50.00 | $99.00 | Substack saves $49.00 |
| $990 | $99.00 | $99.00 | Break-even |
| $2,500 | $250.00 | $99.00 | Substack costs $151.00 more |
| $5,000 | $500.00 | $99.00 | Substack costs $401.00 more |
| $15,000 | $1,500.00 | $99.00 | Substack costs $1,401.00 more |
| $50,000 | $5,000.00 | $99.00 | Substack costs $4,901.00 more |
Platform Feature Comparison: What the Price Difference Buys
The fee gap between platforms is only part of the decision. The table below covers the functional differences that affect how you run and grow a newsletter business.
| Feature | Beehiiv | Substack |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue share on paid subscriptions | 0% | 10% permanently |
| Monthly platform fee | $0 – $199 flat | $0 (no monthly fee) |
| Public API access | Yes (Scale plan+) | No |
| Custom domain with full DNS control | Yes (paid plans) | Custom domain only |
| Subscriber segmentation and tags | Advanced | Basic (free/paid only) |
| Paid subscriber acquisition (boosts) | Yes | No |
| Native newsletter ad network | Yes | No |
| Referral program (built-in) | Yes | No |
| Built-in audience / discovery network | Beehiiv network | Substack network (larger) |
| Stripe payment token portability | Yes | Yes |
| Podcast hosting | No | Yes |
| Native comment section | Limited | Full (with chat) |
When Substack Still Makes Sense
Substack’s zero-upfront-cost model is the right choice in two specific situations. First, if your newsletter is pre-revenue — meaning you have not yet launched paid subscriptions or your MRR sits below the break-even threshold for your target Beehiiv plan — you pay nothing on Substack versus a fixed monthly software cost on Beehiiv. Second, Substack’s built-in reader discovery network is meaningfully larger than Beehiiv’s, which gives early-stage newsletters an organic reach advantage that can offset the revenue cut during the growth phase.
Once your MRR clears the break-even threshold and your paid audience is established enough that you are not relying on platform-level discovery to acquire new subscribers, the fee structure argument shifts decisively toward a flat-rate model.
How to Migrate from Substack to Beehiiv
- 1Connect the same Stripe account to Beehiiv In Beehiiv, go to Settings > Monetization and connect the Stripe account already linked to your Substack. The paid subscriber payment tokens live in this Stripe account — connecting it is the foundation of a zero-disruption migration.
- 2Export your subscriber CSV from Substack In Substack Settings > Exports, download the full subscriber list. The file includes email addresses, subscription status (free or paid), and start dates. Keep this file — you will import it into Beehiiv in the next step.
- 3Import subscribers into Beehiiv and run the migration match Use Beehiiv’s Audience > Import tool to upload the CSV. Beehiiv cross-references imported email addresses against your Stripe account to match paid subscribers to their active payment tokens. Review the match report before confirming — unmatched emails indicate subscribers who paid via a different email address.
- 4Notify subscribers before switching Send a migration announcement email from your current Substack account explaining the move, confirming that paid access carries over, and sharing your new Beehiiv publication URL. Give subscribers at least 72 hours’ notice before the switch date.
- 5Disable paid subscriptions on Substack Once migration is confirmed and your first send from Beehiiv has gone out successfully, turn off new paid subscriptions in Substack settings. Do not delete your Substack archive immediately — keep the old posts accessible for 30 days to give readers time to bookmark content before you redirect the domain.
FAQ – Beehiiv vs Substack Pricing Calculator
How does Beehiiv pricing compare to Substack for paid newsletters?
Substack charges no monthly software fee but permanently deducts 10% from all paid subscription revenue before Stripe’s processing fee applies. Beehiiv charges flat monthly plans ($39 Launch, $99 Scale, $199 Max) based on list size and takes 0% of subscription revenue at any tier. On the $99 Scale plan, Substack costs more once monthly subscription revenue crosses $990. Below that threshold, Substack’s zero monthly fee is cheaper.
At what monthly revenue does Beehiiv become cheaper than Substack?
The break-even point is your Beehiiv plan cost divided by 0.10. On the $99 Scale plan, the crossover is $990 MRR. On the $39 Launch plan (which includes paid subscriptions), the crossover is $390 MRR. On the $199 Max plan, the crossover is $1,990 MRR. Above these thresholds, every additional dollar of MRR widens the savings gap in Beehiiv’s favour.
Does Substack charge Stripe fees on top of the 10% platform fee?
Yes. Substack deducts its 10% platform fee from gross subscription revenue first, then Stripe processes the payment at its standard US rate of 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction. A newsletter generating $5,000 MRR on Substack loses $500 to the platform fee and approximately $295 to Stripe processing, netting $4,205 before any other costs. The same $5,000 MRR on Beehiiv’s Scale plan nets $4,606 — a $401 monthly difference, or $4,812 per year.
Can I migrate paid subscribers from Substack to Beehiiv without losing them?
Yes. Both platforms process payments through Stripe, and the payment tokens tied to each subscriber live in your Stripe account rather than on Substack’s servers. Connecting the same Stripe account to Beehiiv lets Beehiiv claim those payment tokens during import. Existing paid subscribers keep their access and are not asked to re-enter payment details. The migration process takes 1–3 days depending on list size and match quality.
What does Beehiiv offer that Substack does not?
Beyond the 0% revenue split, Beehiiv includes a public API for connecting external tools (CRMs, automation platforms, data pipelines), advanced subscriber segmentation and tagging, a paid subscriber acquisition network (Boosts), a native sponsorship ad network, a built-in referral program, and custom website DNS control. Substack operates as a closed platform — no public API, limited segmentation, no ad network, and no referral tools. Substack’s advantages are its larger reader discovery network and native podcast hosting, which Beehiiv does not offer.
Is Beehiiv free to start?
Beehiiv’s free plan supports up to 2,500 subscribers with unlimited email sends and basic analytics, but it does not include paid subscriptions, custom domains, the API, Boosts, or the ad network. The $39 Launch plan unlocks paid subscriptions with 0% revenue share for lists up to 2,500 subscribers. The $99 Scale plan adds the API, advanced segmentation, and support for up to 100,000 subscribers. All paid plans bill month-to-month with no long-term contract required.
Start Your Newsletter on Beehiiv
If this calculator shows your current MRR is above the break-even threshold, the platform fee difference compounds every month you stay on Substack. Beehiiv’s migration tool handles the subscriber import and Stripe token transfer. You can be live on the new platform within 48 hours.