ConvertKit and Beehiiv both call themselves newsletter platforms, but they’re built for fundamentally different operators. One is a creator-focused email marketing tool that happens to support newsletters. The other is a media company in a box.
If you’re trying to choose between them, the feature lists won’t help much. What matters is how you plan to grow, what you’re selling, and how much control you need over your reader experience.
What each platform is actually optimised for
ConvertKit was built for course creators, coaches, and small product businesses who use email as part of a broader funnel. It excels at segmentation, tagging, and automation sequences. You can build complex subscriber journeys based on behaviour, purchases, and custom fields. The landing page builder is serviceable. The forms are flexible. The visual automation builder is genuinely good.
Beehiiv is a publishing platform first. It’s optimised for ad-supported or subscription-based newsletters that feel like media properties. The editor is purpose-built for newsletter writing, with built-in polls, referral programmes, and recommendation networks. Monetisation tools—ad network, premium subscriptions, boosts—are baked into the core product, not bolted on.
If your business model is “grow an audience, sell them a thing,” ConvertKit makes more sense. If it’s “publish regularly, monetise attention,” Beehiiv is the better fit.
Pricing and what you actually get
ConvertKit starts at $25/month for up to 1,000 subscribers on the Creator plan, which includes landing pages, forms, and basic automation. The Creator Pro plan is $50/month and adds the visual automation builder, subscriber scoring, and advanced reporting. Pricing scales with list size—10,000 subscribers costs $119/month on Creator Pro.
Beehiiv’s free tier is surprisingly generous: up to 2,500 subscribers, unlimited sends, and access to the referral programme and basic analytics. The Scale plan is $42/month for up to 10,000 subscribers and unlocks the ad network, custom domains, and audience segmentation. The Max plan at $84/month adds premium subscriptions, priority support, and no Beehiiv branding.
Beehiiv is cheaper if you’re just publishing and growing. ConvertKit costs more, but you’re paying for automation depth and integration flexibility.
Monetisation: built-in vs. bring-your-own
Beehiiv’s monetisation stack is its clearest differentiator. The ad network connects you with sponsors once you hit 2,500 subscribers. Premium subscriptions (paywalled content, member-only issues) are native. The boost feature lets you pay to get recommended to other Beehiiv newsletters. It’s all designed to work without leaving the platform.
ConvertKit has a tipping feature (one-off payments via Stripe) and supports paid newsletters through Commerce, but it’s not the core experience. Most ConvertKit users monetise by selling courses, memberships, or services outside the platform and using email to drive conversions. Integrations with Gumroad, Teachable, Circle, and Stripe are solid.
If you’re building a subscription newsletter or want sponsorship revenue, Beehiiv’s infrastructure saves you months of setup. If you’re selling products or services, ConvertKit gives you more control over the funnel.
Migration, design control, and lock-in
ConvertKit exports are clean. You own your subscriber data, and you can leave with a CSV and your sending domain intact. The template system is flexible but not beautiful—you’ll need custom HTML if you care about design.
Beehiiv’s editor is opinionated. You get a polished, mobile-friendly design out of the box, but customisation is limited. Exporting is straightforward (subscriber list, post archive), but if you’ve built revenue through Beehiiv’s ad network or boost ecosystem, that doesn’t port anywhere.
Neither platform holds your list hostage, but Beehiiv’s monetisation tools create stickiness that ConvertKit’s automation doesn’t.
Who should pick which
Choose ConvertKit if you’re selling digital products, running a service business, or need complex automation. It’s the better tool for operators who think in funnels, lifecycle stages, and multi-step sequences. You’ll outgrow the design limitations, but the automation won’t let you down.
Choose Beehiiv if you’re publishing content on a schedule, building a media brand, or monetising through ads and subscriptions. It’s faster to set up, cheaper at scale, and the built-in growth tools (referral programme, recommendations, boosts) are legitimately useful if you’re trying to grow without paid ads.
Both platforms are competent. The wrong choice isn’t about features—it’s about picking a tool that doesn’t match how you actually plan to make money.
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