Beehiiv Pricing 2026: Plans, Costs, and Fees Explained
Beehiiv pricing uses four plans in 2026: Launch (free up to 2,500 subscribers), Scale (starts at $43/month billed annually for up to 1,000 subscribers and scales up to $290/month at 100,000 subscribers), Max (starts at $96/month billed annually and scales to $404/month at 100,000 subscribers), and Enterprise (custom pricing above 100,000 subscribers). Scale unlocks automated drip sequences and 0% platform fees on paid subscriptions. Max is required for full white-label branding removal and managing up to 10 publications under one account.
Choosing an email newsletter platform requires knowing exactly how software costs will grow as your reader base expands. The Beehiiv Pricing model offers flat rate monthly billing based on active subscriber tiers rather than total email send volumes. This guide explains every Beehiiv plan, subscriber step-up threshold, hidden processing fee, and feature limit for 2026. Whether you are launching a new publication or moving thousands of contacts, this cost analysis will help you pick the right plan for your budget.
How Does Beehiiv Pricing Work in 2026?
Beehiiv uses a flat subscriber-tier pricing model structured across four main plans: Launch, Scale, Max, and Enterprise. The basic Launch plan is free for up to 2,500 subscribers. Paid tiers charge monthly or annual flat rates that increase automatically when your email list crosses specific subscriber milestones up to 100,000 readers.
Beehiiv prices its software based on how many active subscribers you have on your list. You can send as many emails as you want each month without paying extra per message.
Publishers can choose between monthly billing or annual billing. Choosing annual billing gives you an annual billing discount of about 12% to 15% across all paid plans.
Understanding freemium software pricing models helps creators budget as their readership expands over time.
Plan Tier | Entry Monthly Billing | Entry Annual Billing | Subscriber Limit | Key Purpose |
Launch Plan | Free ($0/mo) | Free ($0/mo) | Up to 2,500 | Simple newsletter sending |
Scale Plan | $49/mo | $43/mo | Up to 100,000 | Growth and monetization |
Max Plan | $109/mo | $96/mo | Up to 100,000 | White-labeling and multi-pub |
Enterprise Plan | Custom Quote | Custom Quote | 100,000+ | Large media networks |
What Are the Exact Beehiiv Pricing Tiers and Subscriber Step-Ups?
Beehiiv pricing plans scale automatically as your email list crosses specific list size milestones. Scale plan cost ranges from $43 to $290 per month on annual billing, while Max plan cost ranges from $96 to $404 per month. Tier price jumps occur at 1k, 2.5k, 5k, 10k, 25k, 50k, 75k, and 100k subscribers.
When you upgrade to a paid account, your monthly cost depends on your exact active subscriber count. Beehiiv does not charge per individual subscriber. Instead, your account moves up to a higher pricing bracket when you cross a subscriber threshold step-up milestone.
Here is the complete subscriber step-up pricing table for both the Scale and Max plans in 2026:
Active Subscriber Count | Scale Plan (Monthly) | Scale Plan (Annual) | Max Plan (Monthly) | Max Plan (Annual) |
Up to 1,000 | $49/mo | $43/mo | $109/mo | $96/mo |
1,001 to 2,500 | $69/mo | $61/mo | $149/mo | $131/mo |
2,501 to 5,000 | $89/mo | $78/mo | $169/mo | $149/mo |
5,001 to 10,000 | $109/mo | $96/mo | $219/mo | $193/mo |
10,001 to 25,000 | $169/mo | $149/mo | $289/mo | $254/mo |
25,001 to 50,000 | $249/mo | $219/mo | $379/mo | $334/mo |
50,001 to 75,000 | $289/mo | $254/mo | $419/mo | $369/mo |
75,001 to 100,000 | $329/mo | $290/mo | $459/mo | $404/mo |
Understanding Small List Costs (Under 10,000 Subscribers)
For lists under 10,000 subscribers, the Scale plan stays under $100 per month when billed annually. This offers new creators an affordable way to access professional tools like API Access, recommendation networks, and ad revenue options.
Understanding Large List Costs (10,000 to 100,000 Subscribers)
As your newsletter grows toward 100,000 subscribers, the cost per 1,000 contacts drops significantly. At 100,000 subscribers on Scale annual billing ($290/month), you pay less than $3.00 per 1,000 readers each month.
What Is Included in the Beehiiv Launch Free Plan (and What Are the Limits)?
The Beehiiv free plan limits active subscribers to 2,500 contacts while offering unlimited email sends, basic analytics, and custom domain support. However, it excludes automated drip sequences, paid subscriptions, and ad monetization while requiring Beehiiv footer branding on all sent emails.
The free Launch plan is a great starting place for beginner writers. Unlike temporary free trials, this plan remains free as long as your list stays under 2,500 contacts.
Creators looking into free writing tools and platform branding restrictions will find the Launch plan ideal for early testing before upgrading.
What Is Included on Launch:
Up to 2,500 active subscribers.
Unlimited monthly email sends.
Web hosting for your newsletter archive and landing pages.
Custom Domains support at no added cost.
Basic subscriber analytics and click tracking.
Access to the growth recommendation network.
Key Limits on Launch:
No automated drip sequences or welcome email series.
Mandatory "Powered by Beehiiv" footer branding.
No paid newsletter monetization.
No access to the Beehiiv Ad Network.
Restricted to 1 publication and 1 team seat.
Beehiiv Scale vs Max: Which Paid Plan Fits Your Needs?
Beehiiv Scale ($43+/mo annual) provides automated drip sequences, referral systems, and 0% platform fee monetization for growing newsletters. Beehiiv Max ($96+/mo annual) is built for publishers requiring complete white-label branding removal, up to 10 separate publications, and priority support.
Both paid plans offer full access to core newsletter monetization tools. Choosing between them comes down to your need for white-label branding and multiple publication management.
Key Feature | Scale Plan | Max Plan |
0% Platform Cut on Paid Tiers | Included | Included |
Automated Drip Sequences | Included | Included |
Custom Domains & API Access | Included | Included |
Beehiiv Ad Network & Boosts Network | Included | Included |
White-Label Branding Removal | Not Included (Beehiiv footer remains) | Fully Included (Clean emails) |
Number of Publications | Up to 3 publications | Up to 10 publications |
Team Member Seats | Up to 3 team seats | Unlimited team seats |
Podcast Hosting & Storefront | Not Included | Included |
Customer Support Level | Standard Support | Priority Support |
If you run a single newsletter and do not mind a small Beehiiv logo in your email footer, the Scale plan delivers the best value. If you run an agency or demand a fully white-labeled email experience, you must select Max.
Are There Hidden Costs or Extra Fees on Beehiiv?
Beehiiv hidden costs include standard Stripe credit card processing fees (2.9% + $0.30) on paid reader subscriptions, automatic tier step-up cost increases as your list grows, and gating complete white-label branding removal behind the higher cost Max plan.
Beehiiv is transparent about its monthly plan rates, but creators should watch for extra operational expenses.
Learning how to optimize digital writing and publishing workflows helps keep administrative expenses low as your publication scales.
Stripe Processing Fees
While Beehiiv charges a 0% platform cut percentage on paid subscriptions, payment processing is handled through Stripe. Stripe charges standard processing fees of 2.9% plus $0.30 per successful charge. For example, on a $10 monthly paid subscription, Stripe takes $0.59, leaving you with $9.41 net revenue.
Automatic Subscriber Threshold Jumps
As soon as your subscriber list crosses a pricing milestone (like 2,500 or 10,000 subscribers), Beehiiv automatically adjusts your monthly rate on your next billing cycle. Performing regular list hygiene to remove inactive or unengaged contacts prevents unnecessary plan price jumps.
Branding Removal Paywall
To completely remove Beehiiv branding from your email footer and website, you cannot remain on the Scale plan. White-label branding is locked behind the Max plan, which starts at $96 per month on annual billing.
How Does Beehiiv Pricing Compare to Substack and Kit?
Beehiiv vs Substack pricing comes down to flat fees versus percentage revenue cuts. Beehiiv charges flat subscriber-tier monthly rates with a 0% platform cut, while Substack takes a mandatory 10% fee. Kit costs 29/moentrybutbecomesmuchmoreexpensive(566/mo at 100k subs) than Beehiiv ($290/mo at 100k subs).
Selecting the right tool requires evaluating competing platform fee models. Comparing evaluating digital communication channels reveals distinct pricing tradeoffs across the major newsletter platforms.
Platform | Free Plan Cap | Entry Paid Price | ~10,000 Subs Cost | Revenue Cut | Best For |
Beehiiv | 2,500 subscribers | $43/mo (annual) | $96/mo (Scale) | 0% (Stripe fees only) | Monetized newsletters |
Substack | Unlimited subscribers | $0/mo fixed | $0/mo fixed | Mandatory 10% cut | Free, zero upfront cost writers |
Kit (ConvertKit) | 10,000 subscribers | $29/mo | Free under 10k (basic) | 0% (Stripe fees only) | Creators selling courses |
MailerLite | 250 subscribers | $12/mo | ~$80/mo (annual) | 0% (Stripe fees only) | Budget general email sending |
Beehiiv vs Substack Revenue Breakeven Math
Substack charges no monthly fee, but it takes 10% of your paid reader revenue forever. On Beehiiv Scale ($96/mo at 10,000 subs), you pay a fixed fee.
If you have 100 paid subscribers paying 10permonth(1,000 gross monthly revenue):
Substack Fee: $100 per month (10% of $1,000).
Beehiiv Scale Cost: $61 to $96 per month flat fee.
Once your paid subscription revenue exceeds $1,000 per month, Beehiiv becomes significantly cheaper than Substack.
How to Calculate Your Newsletter ROI on Beehiiv
Calculating newsletter ROI on Beehiiv requires balancing your fixed plan cost against paid subscriptions, Boosts network referral payouts, and Beehiiv Ad Network revenue. At scale, subscription and ad income quickly surpass fixed monthly platform expenses.
Because Beehiiv uses flat subscriber tiers, software expenses become a smaller percentage of your total income as readership grows.
Real-World Monetization Example (10,000 Subscribers on Scale):
Monthly Platform Cost: $96 per month (billed annually).
Paid Subscription Income (200 readers at $8/mo): $1,600 gross revenue.
Beehiiv Ad Network Income (2 sponsored sends/mo): $600 gross ad revenue.
Boosts Growth Referral Earnings: $150 referral revenue.
Total Monthly Income: $2,350 gross.
Net Profit After Platform & Stripe Fees: ~$2,120 per month.
In this scenario, your Beehiiv software fee represents less than 5% of your gross monthly earnings.
Frequently Asked Questions About Beehiiv Pricing
Is Beehiiv completely free for small newsletters?
Yes, the Launch plan is completely free for up to 2,500 active subscribers with unlimited email sends. It includes custom domain support and landing pages, but it excludes automated drip sequences and displays Beehiiv branding.
Does Beehiiv take a percentage cut of paid subscription revenue?
No, Beehiiv charges a 0% platform fee on paid reader subscriptions across Scale and Max plans. You keep 100% of subscription earnings minus standard Stripe credit card processing fees (2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction).
How much does Beehiiv cost for 10,000 subscribers?
For 10,000 active subscribers, Beehiiv costs $96 per month on the Scale plan or $193 per month on the Max plan when billed annually. On monthly billing, the cost is $109 per month for Scale or $219 per month for Max.
Can you remove Beehiiv branding on the Scale plan?
No, removing Beehiiv footer branding requires upgrading to the Max plan, which starts at $96 per month on annual billing. Emails sent on Launch and Scale retain minor Beehiiv branding.
What happens when your subscriber list crosses a pricing threshold?
When your active list crosses a pricing milestone (like 2,500 or 10,000 contacts), Beehiiv automatically moves your account to the higher pricing bracket on your next billing cycle. Pruning inactive contacts before billing dates helps keep you in lower tiers.
Selecting the right email platform comes down to matching feature needs with your current list size. Beginners can safely launch on the free plan, while monetized publications gain significant financial advantage from Beehiiv's flat-rate 0% platform cut model. Exploring detailed software comparisons and creator publishing insights on Unsent Message Project will help you build an efficient, privacy-focused workflow as your digital newsletter grows.
