Best beehiiv alternatives in 2026
The best beehiiv alternatives in 2026 are Ghost, Substack, Mailchimp. Ghost is the strongest free option. Brevo costs less, from $9/mo versus $59/mo for beehiiv.
Why people look for beehiiv alternatives
beehiiv is used by newsletter publishers and media operators who want writing, growth tools and an ad network in one platform. There is a free plan, but most growth and monetization features need paid plans, which start at $59 a month.
Others leave because beehiiv is not built for e-commerce or lifecycle marketing, has fewer integrations than mature email platforms, and only removes its branding on the Pro plan. When choosing a replacement, weigh how you earn money (ads, paid subscriptions or products), whether you need an owned website, list-based pricing as you grow, and automation depth.
- Paid plans needed for most growth and monetization features
- Not an e-commerce or lifecycle marketing tool
- Fewer integrations than mature email platforms
- Branding removal requires the Pro plan
- beehiiv starts at $59/mo (Freemium).
Best beehiiv alternative by need
| # | Tool | Pricing | Starts at | Best for | Platforms | Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ghost Open-source publishing with memberships | Open source | $18/mo | Creators, Small businesses | web | 0 |
| 2 | Substack Newsletters, podcasts and paid subscriptions | Free | $0 | Creators | web, ios, android | 0 |
| 3 | Mailchimp The best-known email marketing platform | Freemium | $13/mo | Small businesses, Creators | web, ios, android | 0 |
| 4 | MailerLite Simple, affordable email marketing | Freemium | $12/mo | Small businesses, Creators, Freelancers | web, ios | 0 |
| 5 | Systeme.io All-in-one funnels, email and course platform with a free plan | Freemium | $17/mo | Creators, Freelancers, Small businesses | web | 0 |
| 6 | HubSpot CRM platform with free core and paid hubs | Freemium | $20/mo | Small businesses, Enterprise, Agencies | web, ios, android | 0 |
| 7 | Brevo Email, SMS and CRM priced by emails sent | Freemium | $9/mo | Small businesses | web, ios, android | 0 |
| 8 | Klaviyo Email, SMS and customer data platform built for ecommerce brands | Freemium | $20/mo | E-commerce, Small businesses, Agencies | web, ios, android | 0 |
| 9 | Omnisend Email and SMS marketing automation built for online stores | Freemium | $16/mo | E-commerce, Small businesses | web | 0 |
| 10 | Loops Email for SaaS: marketing and transactional in one | Freemium | $49/mo | Small businesses, Developers | web | 0 |
10 beehiiv alternatives compared
- 1
Ghost
Open-source publishing with memberships
Why pick it over beehiiv: Ghost is open source, can be self-hosted, and its paid hosting starts at $18 a month versus beehiiv's $59. It suits publishers who want an owned, SEO-friendly website with memberships rather than a newsletter-first platform.
- 2
Substack
Newsletters, podcasts and paid subscriptions
Why pick it over beehiiv: Substack costs nothing to start and takes a share only when readers pay, with discovery through its own network. It fits writers starting out who value simplicity and reach over beehiiv's growth and ad tools.
- 3
Mailchimp
The best-known email marketing platform
Why pick it over beehiiv: Mailchimp starts at $13 a month and integrates with many e-commerce platforms and apps. It fits small businesses and stores that send campaigns to customers, a use beehiiv's newsletter focus does not target.
- 4
MailerLite
Simple, affordable email marketing
Why pick it over beehiiv: MailerLite starts at $12 a month versus beehiiv's $59, with automations, landing pages and a clean editor. It suits small businesses, bloggers and nonprofits that want a polished email tool without paying for an ad network.
- 5
Systeme.io
All-in-one funnels, email and course platform with a free plan
Why pick it over beehiiv: Systeme.io starts at $17 a month and combines email with sales funnels, online courses and affiliates. It fits coaches and creators who sell their own products, which beehiiv is not designed for.
- 6
HubSpot
CRM platform with free core and paid hubs
Why pick it over beehiiv: HubSpot starts at $20 a month and ties email to a full CRM with sales and support. It fits companies whose newsletter is part of a sales funnel, not a standalone media product like on beehiiv.
- 7
Brevo
Email, SMS and CRM priced by emails sent
Why pick it over beehiiv: Brevo starts at $9 a month and prices by emails sent, with SMS and transactional email included. It suits businesses with large lists that send a few campaigns a month and would pay more on beehiiv's subscriber tiers.
- 8
Klaviyo
Email, SMS and customer data platform built for ecommerce brands
Why pick it over beehiiv: Klaviyo starts at $20 a month and uses store data for email and SMS flows with revenue attribution. It suits e-commerce brands, especially on Shopify, that need the lifecycle marketing beehiiv does not offer.
- 9
Omnisend
Email and SMS marketing automation built for online stores
Best for: Small and mid-sized Shopify, WooCommerce and BigCommerce stores that want email and SMS automation without Klaviyo prices.
- 10
Loops
Email for SaaS: marketing and transactional in one
Why pick it over beehiiv: Loops starts at $49 a month and handles both marketing and transactional email for SaaS products. It fits software teams that need onboarding and product emails triggered by user events, not a newsletter publishing tool like beehiiv.
beehiiv alternatives: FAQ
What is the best alternative to beehiiv?
Based on features, audience and market presence, the strongest beehiiv alternatives are Ghost, Substack, Mailchimp. Ghost is the closest match for most teams.
Is there a free alternative to beehiiv?
Yes. Ghost can be used for free. Other free or freemium alternatives to beehiiv include Substack, Mailchimp, MailerLite.
What is cheaper than beehiiv?
Brevo starts at $9/mo, while beehiiv starts at $59/mo. Prices are checked on each vendor's own pricing page.
Is there an open-source alternative to beehiiv?
Yes. Ghost is open source, so you can self-host it or inspect the code.