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Beehiiv vs Kit · newsletter business vs creator commerce
You're here because Beehiiv and Kit keep getting pitched as the same creator email tool. They are not. Kit is the product formerly called ConvertKit. It leans creator commerce and visual automations. Beehiiv leans newsletter-as-business with ads, paid subscriptions, and a 0% platform cut on paid-sub revenue. Pick by the job. Substack is a third path when discovery from zero matters more than SaaS tools. Fee detail versus Substack lives on Beehiiv vs Substack. A wider shortlist lives on newsletter platforms.
who wins
Who wins
Default Beehiiv when the newsletter is a B2B growth channel and you want owned loops with a 0% paid-sub cut. Default Kit when course creators need commerce and visual automations more than newsletter growth products.
- Beehiiv = newsletter-as-business + 0% paid-sub cut. Kit = creator commerce + automations.
- Beehiiv's Free plan costs nothing up to 2,500 subscribers. Lite is from $49 a month billed yearly.
- Kit free Newsletter tier often cited to about 10,000. Confirm live Kit pricing for paid dollars.
- Stripe about 2.9% plus $0.30 still applies on Beehiiv paid subs.
- Substack is the discovery third path. See Beehiiv vs Substack.
- Pick by RFP, not by creator vibes.
The tools
Scorecard
| Beehiiv | Kit · newsletter business vs creator commerce | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary job | Newsletter-as-business. Referrals, ad network, paid recommendations, paid subscriptions with 0% platform cut. | Creator commerce and visual automations. Courses, digital goods, and email journeys for creators. |
| Best for | B2B and GTM newsletters that want owned growth loops and SaaS fee shape. | Creators who need commerce tooling and automation maps more than newsletter growth products. |
| Entry pricing (Sep 2026) | Free $0 up to 2,500 active subscribers. Paid plans start at $49 a month. Confirm live slider for mid-tier list sizes. | Free Newsletter tier often cited up to about 10,000 subscribers. Paid Creator dollars move. Confirm on kit.com before you forecast. |
| Fee on paid subs | Beehiiv takes 0% of paid subscription revenue. Stripe about 2.9% plus $0.30 still applies. | Kit packages creator commerce. Confirm current paid-sub and commerce fees on kit.com. Do not assume Beehiiv's 0% framing. |
| Growth products | Referrals, ad network, paid recommendations. Growth loops are the product once the list is a business. | Visual automations and commerce flows. Stronger when the offer is a course or product ladder. |
| Free tier shape | Free caps at 2,500 active subscribers. Good to validate. Not forever free past the cap. | Free Newsletter tier often cited higher on subscriber count. Confirm live limits before you promise leadership a free forever plan. |
| When Substack still wins | Not the discovery default. Switch when owned loops and 0% cut matter more. | Same. Substack wins cold network starts. See Beehiiv vs Substack for that fee fight. |
| Former name | Beehiiv stays Beehiiv. | Kit is the product formerly called ConvertKit. Same company lineage. New public name. |
Who for
pick Beehiiv
- The newsletter is a B2B growth channel, not a course funnel.
- You want 0% platform cut on paid subs and will pay SaaS instead.
- Referrals, ad network, or paid recommendations are on the roadmap.
- You already passed or expect to pass the 2,500 cap on Free with a real publishing schedule.
pick Kit · newsletter business vs creator commerce
- Creator commerce and visual automations matter more than newsletter growth products.
- Your offer is courses or digital goods with email journeys around them.
- You want Kit's free Newsletter tier shape and will confirm live limits.
- You may keep Beehiiv later if the newsletter becomes the business.
FAQ
Beehiiv or Kit for a B2B GTM newsletter?▾
Beehiiv when the list is a business and you want owned growth loops with a 0% paid-sub cut. Kit when creator commerce and automations are the stuck job. Fee shape and RFP decide more than vibes.
Does Kit take a cut of paid subs?▾
Confirm on kit.com before you publish a fee claim. This compare does not invent Kit commerce or paid-sub cuts. Beehiiv FAQ states 0% of paid subscription revenue, with Stripe still taking about 2.9% plus $0.30.
Free tier limits. Beehiiv Free vs Kit Newsletter?▾
Beehiiv Free is $0 up to 2,500 active subscribers. Kit's free Newsletter tier is often cited up to about 10,000. Confirm live Kit limits before you promise a free forever plan.
When is Substack the third option?▾
When discovery from zero and network effects matter more than either SaaS toolkit. Writers keep 90% of revenue. The platform keeps 10%. See Beehiiv vs Substack for that fee fight.
Is Kit the same as ConvertKit?▾
Yes. Kit is the product formerly called ConvertKit. Same lineage. New public name.
Where does a wider newsletter shortlist live?▾
See newsletter platforms for the wider table. This compare stays Beehiiv versus Kit.
next step
Closing
If the newsletter is a B2B business and you want 0% of paid subs as a platform cut, open Beehiiv. If creator commerce and visual automations are the stuck job, stay with Kit and confirm live pricing. If discovery from zero is the real job, read Beehiiv vs Substack before you lock a fee shape. Pick by the RFP. Try Beehiiv