Last updated: April 13, 2025
Beehiiv has positioned itself as the newsletter platform specifically built for growth. After spending several weeks testing it, we can confidently say it delivers on that promise.
With its generous free tier allowing up to 2,500 subscribers (compared to Mailchimp’s 500 and Kit.com’s 1,000), intuitive interface, and impressive SEO capabilities.
Beehiiv is a powerful choice for content creators looking to drive free web traffic. Keep reading for our full breakdown and honest assessment.
What is Beehiiv?
Founded in 2021 by former Morning Brew team members, Beehiiv is a newsletter platform. It has quickly gained traction among creators, publishers, and businesses looking to grow their audience.
Traditional email marketing tools try to be everything to everyone. Beehiiv focuses specifically on making newsletters a sustainable growth channel.
As creators ourselves, we’re always on the lookout for tools. These tools can help us (and you) grow without breaking the bank.
We started hearing buzz about Beehiiv in creator circles. We knew we had to put it to the test.
The Free Plan: How Does it Stack Up?
Let’s start with what many of you are probably most interested in – the free tier. Here’s how Beehiiv compares to two popular alternatives:
| Feature | Beehiiv | Mailchimp | Kit.com |
| Free tier subscriber limit | 2,500 | 500 | 1,000 |
| Email sends per month | Unlimited | 2,500 | 10,000 |
| Landing page customization | Basic | Limited | Basic |
| Analytics | Standard | Basic | Basic |
The first thing that jumps out is that Beehiiv’s free plan allows for up to 2,500 subscribers.
This is 5x what Mailchimp offers and 2.5x Kit.com’s limit.
For creators just starting, this shows significant room to grow without instantly hitting a paywall.
But subscriber limits aren’t everything. What matters is whether the platform helps you turn those subscribers into a valuable asset. And that’s where Beehiiv starts to shine.
Getting Free Web Traffic: Beehiiv’s Secret Weapon
If you’re reading this, chances are you’re interested in driving more free traffic to your website. And here’s where Beehiiv has a major advantage over traditional email platforms.
Built-in SEO Infrastructure
Unlike Mailchimp and Kit, which primarily focus on email delivery, Beehiiv treats your newsletter content as web-publishable assets. Each newsletter issue gets its dedicated web page with proper SEO structure. This means:
- Each post becomes discoverable through search engines
- Content stays valuable long after sending, continuing to drive traffic
- Reader referrals become easier with shareable links
During our testing, we saw newsletter issues ranking in Google search results within days of publishing.
This is something that simply doesn’t happen with traditional email platforms. In those platforms, your content remains locked in subscribers’ inboxes.
The Referral Engine
Beehiiv’s built-in referral system is its most powerful growth feature. It gamifies the sharing process by allowing you to reward subscribers who bring in new readers.
We set up a simple 3-tier referral program offering exclusive content to readers who referred 3, 5, and 10 friends. Within two weeks, our test newsletter saw a 14% increase in subscribers – without spending a penny on ads.
Compare this to Mailchimp, where you’d need to use a third-party referral tool (and pay for it), or Kit.com, which offers referrals but with far fewer customization options.
The Network Effect
Another unique aspect of Beehiiv is its growing network of publications.
The platform simplifies the process for publications to recommend one another. It creates cross-promotion opportunities that simply don’t exist on other platforms.
When setting up our test newsletter, we received three recommendations from existing Beehiiv newsletters in similar niches.
These recommendations brought in our first 50 subscribers before we’d even sent an issue.
Ease of Use: Can Anyone Use Beehiiv?
A powerful platform is worthless if it’s too complicated to use. So how does Beehiiv fare in terms of user-friendliness?
Interface & Learning Curve
Beehiiv‘s interface strikes a nice balance between simplicity and functionality. The dashboard is intuitive, with clear navigation and helpful tooltips explaining different features.
Mailchimp’s interface is increasingly cluttered. Each update seems to add new tabs and menus. In comparison, Beehiiv feels refreshingly focused. Everything related to your newsletter is organized logically, without unnecessary distractions.
Kit.com does offer a slightly simpler interface, but this comes at the cost of fewer features. In our view, Beehiiv hits the sweet spot – providing powerful tools without overwhelming complexity.
Content Creation Experience
The writing experience is where Beehiiv truly excels. The editor feels more like a modern blogging platform than a traditional email tool:
- Rich formatting options without getting complicated
- Simple image insertion with automatic optimization
- Easy embedding of videos, tweets, and other media
- Mobile-responsive templates that look good
We spent less time fighting with formatting. We had more time to create quality content. This is a win for both creators and readers.
Automation Capabilities
For beginners, Beehiiv offers simple automation tools that are easy to set up:
- Welcome sequences for new subscribers
- Time-based drip campaigns
- Basic segmentation based on reader behavior
Beehiiv covers the essentials that most newsletter creators need. It is not as robust as Mailchimp’s automation capabilities. Yet, it avoids the complexity that often comes with advanced automation tools.
Real Results: What Users Are Saying
We didn’t just test Beehiiv ourselves. We also reached out to several creators. These creators have been using the platform for their newsletters. Here’s what they had to say:
I switched from Mailchimp to Beehiiv six months ago, and my open rates jumped from 22% to 38%. But the real game-changer has been the SEO traffic. Each month, I’m getting 3,000+ new visitors. They find my old newsletter issues through Google.
— Sarah Chen, Tech Trends Weekly (17,000 subscribers)
As someone who’s fairly non-technical, I was worried about switching platforms. But Beehiiv’s onboarding process was surprisingly smooth, and I had my first newsletter sent within hours. The growth tools have helped me add about 200 new subscribers per week without spending anything on ads.
— Marcus Johnson, Finance Simplified (8,500 subscribers)
The referral system paid for my annual subscription within the first month. I set up a simple challenge for readers to refer friends in exchange for an exclusive guide. This initiative brought in over 500 new subscribers in three weeks. Try getting that ROI from paid ads!
— Jamie Wilson, Fitness for Busy People (32,000 subscribers)
Limitations: Where Beehiiv Falls Short
No platform is perfect, and Beehiiv does have some limitations you should be aware of:
Limited Integration Options
While Beehiiv offers the essential integrations (Zapier, WordPress, etc.), it doesn’t have the extensive ecosystem of direct integrations that Mailchimp boasts. This is a limitation if your workflow relies heavily on niche tools.
E-commerce Features
If selling products directly through your newsletter is a priority, turn to Mailchimp. It still has the edge with its more robust e-commerce features.
Beehiiv offers basic sales functionality, but it’s not (yet) a full-fledged e-commerce solution.
Advanced Segmentation
For marketers who need highly sophisticated subscriber segmentation, Beehiiv’s options feel somewhat limited compared to enterprise-level tools.
Yet, for most creators, the available segmentation options will be more than enough.
Pricing: Beyond the Free Tier
While the free plan is generous, growing newsletters will eventually need to consider paid options:
- Growth Plan: $42/month for up to 10,000 subscribers
- Scale Plan: $84/month for up to 40,000 subscribers
- Enterprise: Custom pricing for larger audiences
Compared to Mailchimp (which can reach $350+ monthly for 10,000 subscribers) and Kit.com (around $99/month for the same size), Beehiiv offers strong value, especially considering the growth features included in each tier.
Our Verdict: Is Beehiiv Worth It?
After weeks of testing and comparing Beehiiv to alternatives, here’s our honest assessment:
The combination of generous free limits, powerful growth tools, and creator-friendly features makes it our top recommendation for:
- Content creators looking to monetize their skill
- Businesses using content marketing to drive inbound leads
- Publishers building audience-first business models
- Anyone looking to grow their online presence through valuable content
The platform seems purpose-built for the modern creator economy, where audience ownership and sustainable growth are paramount.
Getting Started with Beehiiv
If you’re convinced Beehiiv might be right for you, here’s how to get started:
- Sign up for the free plan at Beehiiv
- Import your existing subscribers (if applicable)
- Set up your newsletter branding and landing page
- Create your welcome sequence
- Publish your first issue
The platform’s onboarding process will guide you through each step, making it surprisingly easy to get up and running.
For Your Information.
In a landscape filled with marketing tools, many promise the world. Beehiiv stands out by doing one thing exceptionally well. It helps you grow your newsletter audience.
It focuses on sustainable growth rather than flashy features. This makes it a refreshing alternative for creators who value substance over style.
- You are just starting your newsletter journey.
- You are looking to migrate from a platform that’s no longer serving your needs.
In either case, Beehiiv deserves a go. You should consider it for your newsletter platform.
The generous free tier means there’s virtually no risk in giving it a try. Based on our experience, you just find it’s the newsletter platform you’ve been looking for.
Have you tried Beehiiv or have questions about the platform?
Drop a comment below or reach out to us directly.
We’re always happy to help fellow creators find the tools that work best for their unique needs.