beehiiv

Publish the newsletter. Grow the list.

Write the issue, send it, and attach a simple download. The first product can be the newsletter itself.

Start free

Free plan to start publishing.

Some links are affiliate links; I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

What you get

  • The issue is the screen Writing and sending is the center of the product.
  • A list that can grow Recommendations are the reason people switch.
  • Charge the readers A paid subscription can be the product, on a paid plan.
  • A simple download Sell a file without beehiiv taking a commission. Stripe still charges.

Ship the first issue

  • Open the free publication.
  • Write one issue.
  • Turn on the recommendation network when you want readers.
The limits, in their words

You can start free. Charging for the newsletter itself sits on a paid plan.

A download can be sold without a platform commission. Stripe’s fee still applies.

Recommendations grow a list. They also bring people who never wanted what you sell. This is not a course host.

Who should skip it

Best when the first product is the newsletter, or a small file sold to readers.

Skip it if you are teaching a course next month, or if you want checkout and email in one cheap funnel. That’s systeme.io. The editor and the site are narrow on purpose.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Writing and sending the issue is the center of the product
  • A paid subscription can be the product, with a paywall and tiers
  • Downloads sell without a platform commission
  • The recommendation network is a real growth lever

Cons

  • Not a course host — no student login, modules, or quizzes
  • Recommendations can fill the list with the wrong readers
  • The useful monetization tools sit above the free plan
  • The site and the emails don’t go far past the template
Screenshot walkthrough
The post editor — one issue, in progress.
Paid tiers — what a reader can pay for, if you charge.
A digital product — a download attached to the publication.