Beehiiv
NewsletterNewsletter OS with referrals, ads, paid recommendations, and a 0% platform cut. Unlimited sends on free Launch.
The verdict
Beehiiv is still the B2B newsletter default. Paid recommendations replaced Boosts in the Jul 2026 Recommendation Network. The marketplace takes 20% inside the CPA. Wallet deposits are non-refundable. Auto-Pause stops weak referred cohorts. Launch is free to 2,500 active subscribers.
Paid plans start at $49 a month. Price climbs with the list. The editor fights heavy HTML. The 0% cut still leaves Stripe at 2.9% plus $0.30. For most operator lists that beats a 10% network tax.
Best for
B2B and GTM newsletters treated as owned pipeline. Ads, paid subs, and paid recommendations without a 10% platform tax.
Not for
Skip if you only want network discovery and will accept a 10% cut for it. Skip if you need deep visual automation builders.
Pricing truth
Launch is $0 up to 2,500 active subscribers with unlimited sends. Paid plans start at $49 per month and climb with active subscribers. Scale vs Max mainly changes pub caps, branding removal, dynamic content, and support. Beehiiv takes 0% of paid subscription revenue. Stripe is still 2.9% plus $0.30. Paid recommendations (Boosts renamed Jul 2026) bake a 20% marketplace fee into CPA. Example: advertiser pays $2.50, recommender gets $2.00. Wallet mins are about $20 on the paid-offer flow and $50 on direct deposit. Both are non-refundable. Auto-Pause can stop paid slots when referred open rates fall.
When we use it
- Run a B2B newsletter as owned pipeline instead of renting a discovery network.
- Buy paid recommendations with Wallet, then segment referred cohorts by source.
- Sell paid subscriptions with a 0% platform cut after Stripe fees hit.
- Split Substack for discovery and Beehiiv for owned ads, referrals, and paid subs.
How to wire it
- Start on Launch free up to 2,500 active subscribers and prove cadence first.
- Ship plain text early. Designed emails still fight the editor.
- Fund Wallet before paid recommendations. Confirm the $20 or $50 path in-app.
- Segment referred cohorts by source and watch Auto-Pause on open-rate drops.
- Model Stripe at 2.9% plus $0.30 even though Beehiiv takes 0% of paid subs.
Margin notes
- Boosts renamed to paid recommendations in the Jul 2026 Recommendation Network.
- Gross CPA is not payout. $2.50 advertiser becomes $2.00 to you after the 20% marketplace fee.
- Wallet deposits are non-refundable. Model before you top up.
- Auto-Pause stops paid slots when referred open rates fall.
- 0% platform cut still leaves Stripe at 2.9% plus $0.30.
FAQ
Boosts vs paid recommendations?▾
Same Recommendation Network idea. Boosts were renamed paid recommendations in Jul 2026. Other newsletters recommend yours for a fee.
How does the 20% marketplace fee work?▾
The fee sits inside CPA. If an advertiser pays $2.50, you as recommender get $2.00. Gross CPA is not your payout.
Wallet $20 vs $50 minimums?▾
About $20 on the paid-offer path and about $50 on direct deposit. Confirm in-app. Funds are non-refundable.
0% cut. Do I still pay Stripe?▾
Yes. Beehiiv takes 0% of paid subscription revenue. Stripe still takes 2.9% plus $0.30 per charge.
Is free Launch enough?▾
Yes up to 2,500 active subscribers with unlimited sends. Ads and paid recommendations need a paid plan from $49 a month.
When does Substack still win?▾
When cold-start discovery and Notes matter more than keeping the 10% cut. Move to Beehiiv when ads, referrals, and paid recommendations should grow an owned business.
Can a newsletter help AI-search distribution?▾
HubSpot's Project Lighthouse notes claimed citation share and AI-qualified lead gains from newsletter-led publishing. Treat it as one distribution hint, not a guarantee.
Next step
If the list is owned B2B pipeline, start on Launch or paid Beehiiv and fund Wallet only after you model the 20% fee. Try Beehiiv