Disclosure: I am an investor in beehiiv and in Substack, and my own newsletter runs on beehiiv. If you sign up through a link on this page I earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
A newsletter is still the one channel you own. Social reach changes with every algorithm update and search traffic is being swallowed by AI answers, but an email list goes where you send it. My weekly newsletter, Growth Shuttle Insider, runs on beehiiv. Here is how I would start one today, what it costs, and when beehiiv is the wrong choice.
Start with the promise, not the platform
Before you pick a tool, write one sentence: who it is for, what they get, and how often. “A weekly note for agency owners on pricing and hiring” beats “thoughts on business”. That sentence becomes your signup page headline, your social bio and your filter for every issue you write.
What you need on day one
- A signup page with that one sentence and a single email field.
- A welcome email that sends the moment someone subscribes and tells them what to expect.
- A publishing rhythm you can keep for a year. Weekly is enough. Consistency matters more than length.
- A way to grow without paying for every subscriber: referrals from your readers and recommendations from other newsletters.
- A way to earn later: sponsors, paid subscriptions or your own products. You do not need this on day one, but you should not have to migrate to get it.
Why I use beehiiv
- Free to start. The free plan covers up to 2,500 subscribers with unlimited sends, a website and landing pages.
- Growth is built in. A recommendation network lets other newsletters suggest yours to their readers, and the other way round.
- It does not take a cut. beehiiv takes 0% of paid subscription and digital product revenue; you pay only Stripe’s processing fee.
- Room to grow. Lite is $49 a month on yearly billing for up to 100,000 subscribers, with paid subscriptions, ad monetization and automations. Pro, at $95 a month on yearly billing, removes beehiiv branding and adds advanced analytics.
Start your newsletter on beehiiv for free
When to pick something else
- You mainly want to write and be discovered inside one app. Substack’s network is strong for writers, though it takes 10% of paid subscription revenue.
- You sell courses or coaching first and the newsletter is secondary. An email tool built around your store may fit better.
- You send transactional or product emails for a software company. That is a different job; use a product email tool.
The first 30 days
- Week 1: write the one sentence, set up the signup page and the welcome email, and send issue one to the people you already know.
- Week 2: add the signup link everywhere you already have attention: email signature, social profiles, your website.
- Week 3: turn on reader referrals and join the recommendation network.
- Week 4: look at open and click rates per issue and write more of what people opened.
Questions people ask
How long before a newsletter makes money? Sponsors usually start asking once you have a few thousand engaged readers. Paid subscriptions can start earlier if the content is something people already pay for.
Can I move my list later? Yes. You can export subscribers from every serious platform, so the decision is not permanent.
How often should I send? As often as you can keep up for a year without skipping. For most people that is weekly.
