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Free beehiiv alternatives

Top Email Marketing & Newsletters like beehiiv

The most popular alternative to beehiiv is Substack, which has a free version. Other great alternatives to beehiiv are Kit, Ghost, MailerLite, and Buttondown.

Most alternatives to beehiiv are in the Email Marketing & Newsletters category, compared here by price, platform and features.

beehiiv alternatives
AllFreeOpen source
6 apps

All beehiiv alternatives

  1. Substack

    4.9(549.5K) · App Store

    Substack lets writers start a newsletter with a web archive, podcast and video hosting, and turn on paid subscriptions when they are ready. Publishing is free: Substack takes a share of subscription revenue instead of charging for a plan. Its reader app, Notes feed and cross-recommendations connect publications into a network that helps writers find readers.

    7 Substack alternatives

    Pros

    • Free to publish, with no setup or hosting to manage
    • Built-in paid subscriptions, podcasts and video
    • Notes and cross-recommendations help writers find readers

    Cons

    • Takes a share of revenue from paid subscriptions
    • Limited design and branding customization
    • Your audience lives inside Substack’s network rather than your own brand
    Cost / License
    FreeProprietary
    Categories
    Email Marketing & Newsletters
    Platforms
    WebiPhoneAndroid
    Features
    AnalyticsCustom domainsMobile appPaid newsletters
    Visit websiteMore about Substack

  2. Kit

    Kit, previously called ConvertKit, is an email marketing platform designed for creators such as writers, podcasters and course authors. It combines landing pages and forms, visual automations, subscriber tagging and paid newsletters, and lets you sell digital products directly to your list. A recommendations network helps creators grow by promoting each other's newsletters.

    12 Kit alternatives

    Pros

    • Tag-based subscriber management suited to creators
    • Sell digital products and paid newsletters to your list
    • Recommendations network helps newsletters grow

    Cons

    • Email design options are deliberately simple
    • Gets expensive as the subscriber count grows
    • Advanced automations are reserved for paid plans
    Cost / License
    FreemiumProprietary
    Categories
    Email Marketing & Newsletters
    Platforms
    WebiPhoneAndroid
    Features
    Audience segmentationDigital productsEmail automationIntegrationsLanding pagesPaid newsletters
    Visit websiteMore about Kit

  3. Ghost

    55.5Kstars

    Ghost is an open source platform for independent publishers that combines a website, a newsletter and paid memberships in one product. Writers publish in a clean editor, send posts by email and charge for subscriptions through Stripe, with no revenue share taken by Ghost. It can be self-hosted for free or run on the managed Ghost(Pro) service, and is maintained by a non-profit foundation.

    9 Ghost alternatives

    Pros

    • Website, newsletter and paid memberships in one product
    • No revenue share taken on subscriptions
    • Open source and free to self-host

    Cons

    • Fewer themes and integrations than WordPress
    • Self-hosting needs technical skills and an email delivery service
    • Ghost(Pro) gets expensive as your member list grows
    Cost / License
    FreemiumOpen source
    Categories
    Website BuildersEmail Marketing & Newsletters
    Platforms
    WebSelf-hosted
    Features
    BloggingContent management (CMS)Custom domainsPaid newslettersSEO settingsSubscriptions
    Visit websiteMore about Ghost

  4. MailerLite

    MailerLite is an email marketing tool with an uncluttered drag-and-drop editor and an approachable automation builder. Besides campaigns, it can create landing pages, signup forms and simple websites, sell digital products and paid newsletter subscriptions, and run A/B tests. Small businesses and creators often choose it as a lighter alternative to larger marketing suites.

    11 MailerLite alternatives

    Pros

    • Clean drag-and-drop editor that is easy to learn
    • Landing pages, websites and paid newsletters included
    • Approachable automation builder for small businesses

    Cons

    • Account approval process can delay your first campaigns
    • Fewer advanced automation and reporting options than larger suites
    Cost / License
    FreemiumProprietary
    Categories
    Email Marketing & Newsletters
    Platforms
    Web
    Features
    A/B testingAudience segmentationEmail automationLanding pagesPaid newslettersTemplates
    Visit websiteMore about MailerLite

  5. Buttondown

    Buttondown is a small, independent newsletter service for writers and developers who prefer a lightweight tool. You write in Markdown or a rich text editor, publish an archive on the web and can charge for subscriptions through Stripe. It offers a complete API, custom domains and RSS-to-email, and is built by a very small team.

    6 Buttondown alternatives

    Pros

    • Write in Markdown or a rich text editor
    • Complete API and RSS-to-email for developers
    • Paid subscriptions through Stripe and custom domains

    Cons

    • Templates and design options are minimal
    • Few audience growth tools compared with beehiiv or Substack
    Cost / License
    FreemiumProprietary
    Categories
    Email Marketing & Newsletters
    Platforms
    Web
    Features
    API accessCustom domainsMarkdown supportPaid newsletters
    Visit websiteMore about Buttondown

  6. Mailchimp

    4.9(51.7K) · App Store

    Mailchimp, owned by Intuit, is an email marketing platform for designing campaigns, building automated customer journeys and organizing an audience with tags and segments. It also offers landing pages, signup forms, SMS in some countries and AI tools for content and send times. Its many integrations, including e-commerce platforms, make it easy to connect to an existing stack.

    10 Mailchimp alternatives

    Pros

    • Familiar, well-documented platform with many templates
    • Large integration library, including e-commerce platforms
    • Free plan for getting started with a small list

    Cons

    • Prices rise steeply as your audience grows
    • Unsubscribed contacts can still count toward billing
    • Free plan is restrictive, and key features require paid tiers
    Cost / License
    FreemiumProprietary
    Categories
    Email Marketing & Newsletters
    Platforms
    WebiPhoneAndroid
    Features
    A/B testingAI assistantAudience segmentationEmail automationIntegrationsLanding pages
    Visit websiteMore about Mailchimp

beehiiv vs its alternatives at a glance

Pricing, platforms and the key features of beehiiv, compared with its most popular alternatives.

beehiiv vs its alternatives at a glance
AppPricingPlatformsA/B testingAI assistantAnalyticsAudience segmentationCustom domains
beehiivFreemiumWeb
SubstackFreeWeb, iPhone, Android
KitFreemiumWeb, iPhone, Android
GhostFreemiumOpen sourceWeb, Self-hosted
MailerLiteFreemiumWeb
ButtondownFreemiumWeb

beehiiv alternatives: frequently asked questions

What is the best alternative to beehiiv?

The most popular alternative to beehiiv is Substack: Publish a newsletter and podcast, with optional paid subscriptions. Other great alternatives are Kit, Ghost, MailerLite, and Buttondown.

Is there a free alternative to beehiiv?

Yes, 6 alternatives are free or have a free plan, including Substack, Kit, Ghost, and MailerLite.

Is there an open source alternative to beehiiv?

Yes, one open source alternative is listed: Ghost.

Is beehiiv free?

beehiiv has a free plan, with paid plans that unlock more features.

Compare beehiiv with its alternatives

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