Substack vs beehiiv

Substack is the OG creator newsletter with built-in network effects and a reader app, while beehiiv is the growth-focused platform with better monetization tools and no revenue cut on free plans. This is the defining newsletter platform debate.

Verdict

Start with Substack if you want the simplest path to publishing and value the built-in discovery network. Switch to beehiiv when you're ready to grow seriously — the referral program, ad network, and zero revenue cut (on Scale plan) make it the better business platform. Substack's 10% cut becomes painful at scale.