Quick verdict
At a glance
Best for newsletter growth
Beehiiv
Best automation
ConvertKit
Best monetization features
Beehiiv
Best creator workflows
ConvertKit
Feature comparison
Beehiiv vs ConvertKit, side by side
| Feature | Beehiiv | ConvertKit |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of use | Modern, fast editor | Clean, mature editor |
| Newsletter growth tools | Boosts, recommendations, SEO web pages | Basic referral & forms |
| Automation | Solid essentials | Visual automations with deep logic |
| Monetization | Boosts, paid subs, ads network | Tip jar, paid newsletters |
| Landing pages | Built-in, indexable | Built-in templates |
| Referral systems | Native referral program | Add-on / manual setup |
| Analytics | Strong growth dashboard | Subscriber-centric reports |
| Pricing | Free → $42/mo | Free → $29/mo |
| Deliverability | Excellent | Excellent |
| Best for | Newsletter operators chasing growth | Creators monetizing an audience |
Pricing
What each plan actually costs
| Plan | Beehiiv | ConvertKit |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Up to 2,500 subscribers | Up to 10,000 subscribers (limited) |
| Starter | $42/mo — 1k subs | $29/mo — 1k subs, automations |
| Growth | $84/mo — premium features | $59/mo — advanced reporting |
| Scale | Custom for large lists | Custom for large lists |
Beehiiv screenshot
ConvertKit screenshot
Ease of use
How each tool feels in practice
First send
Both ship a polished first email in under 15 minutes.
Editor
Beehiiv's editor feels more modern; ConvertKit's is mature and stable.
Building an automation
ConvertKit's visual automations are deeper and clearer.
Growing the list
Beehiiv ships growth primitives (recommendations, boosts) by default.
Monetizing
Beehiiv has built-in ads and paid tiers; ConvertKit relies on commerce add-ons.
Pros & cons
Where each tool wins and loses
Beehiiv
Pros
- Excellent growth tools
- Built-in referral systems
- Modern creator features
- Strong monetization (ads + paid tiers)
Cons
- Newer ecosystem of integrations
- Less depth in automation
ConvertKit
Pros
- Excellent email automation
- Creator-friendly workflows
- Mature, trusted ecosystem
Cons
- Higher pricing at scale
- Less aggressive growth tooling
Founder perspective
A real founder workflow
Founders launching a new newsletter typically grow faster on Beehiiv — recommendations, boosts, and web-indexable post pages compound subscribers without extra tooling. Creators with an existing audience and a product to sell often prefer ConvertKit, where tagging, segmentation, and visual automations let you nurture and convert subscribers across multiple offers. If growth is the bottleneck, pick Beehiiv. If conversion and lifecycle email is the bottleneck, pick ConvertKit.
Best use cases
When to pick each tool
Pick Beehiiv for
- B2B and media newsletters
- Newsletter operators monetizing via ads
- Communities scaling subscribers fast
- Paid newsletter businesses
Pick ConvertKit for
- Course creators and coaches
- Authors with lifecycle email flows
- Creators with multiple products
Final word
Our recommendation
Choose Beehiiv if growth and monetization are your top priorities. Choose ConvertKit if automation and creator workflows matter most.
Affiliate disclosure: Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you sign up we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend tools we'd use ourselves.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can I move my list between them?
Yes — both let you export and import CSV subscriber lists, but you'll lose engagement history and active automations during the move.
Which has better deliverability?
Both are excellent. Deliverability depends more on your sending habits, list hygiene, and authentication than the platform.
Can I monetize on the free plan?
Beehiiv enables monetization features earlier in lower tiers; ConvertKit's commerce features unlock as you upgrade.
Which is better for SEO?
Beehiiv publishes web-indexable post pages with strong defaults out of the box, giving newsletters an SEO surface ConvertKit doesn't match.