Here’s 13 ultra-successful newsletters that run on Beehiiv, ranging from million-dollar enterprises to up-and-coming brands and creators
- 13 Newsletters That Use Beehiiv
- There’s Multiple Reasons Why Beehiiv is So Popular With Creators
- How Much Do Creators Make on Beehiiv?
- What Features Make Beehiiv an Attractive Platform for Content Creators
- How Has The Beehiiv Platform Evolved: New Features, New Capabilities
- How Does Beehiiv Compare in Terms of Pricing and Features with Other Platforms Like Substack or MailChimp?
Beehiiv is rewriting the newsletter playbook with its array of growth-focussed tools, ease of use, and full stack monetization tools. It’s part blog, part newsletter and it is beloved by VC investors; it recently scored $33 million in funding (based on the above KPIs).
The platform grew 10x between 2022 and 2023, reaching a $6.5 million ARR. In July 2022, it was valued at $65 million. Two years later, it is worth between $100 and $150 million.
This rapid growth was, of course, driven by mass adoption of the platform by creators.
In 2022, some 402 million emails were sent using Beehiiv. In 2024, the figure reached 4.5 billion.
Add in some of the best average open-rates in the industry (5.49%) and it is easy to see why both VC investors and content creators are flocking to this platform.
To get you even more inspired to start creating, here’s some of the most successful newsletters that run on Beehiiv.
13 Newsletters That Use Beehiiv
There’s Multiple Reasons Why Beehiiv is So Popular With Creators
Newsletter platforms are not anything new or revolutionary, the first ever, The Boston News-Letter, was printed and distributed in 1704. And with digital newsletters, there are innumerable options on the market for the budding content creator.
You have ConvertKit (now rebranded as Kit), MailChimp, and GetResponse which are established, trusted platforms aimed at bloggers, brands, and ecommerce businesses.
Newer players like Beehiiv and Substack, however, are shaking things up, hybridising things by merging traditional blogging / publishing in with the personal-nature of newsletters.
Substack is kind of in its own, unique world. It’s an email platform, sure, but it is more focussed on less commercially-focussed endeavors – think authors, artists, and researchers. Creators make money via paid subscriptions but other methods are limited, and affiliate marketing is generally frowned upon.
And this is where Beehiiv comes into play with its unique, VC-baiting take on the humble newsletter. But how is Beehiiv different from, say, ConvertKit or Substack? Let’s unpack this for a second…
Key differentiators include advanced analytics, a dynamic referral system, and integrated monetization options. Beehiiv main MO is on ease of use and it provides a full-stack solution for creators looking to scale their content distribution and revenue streams without needing additional third-party tools.
How Much Do Creators Make on Beehiiv?
When it comes to monetizing an audience, Beehiiv is built with this in mind. This is the main reason why it has grown so rapidly and has so many $50K and $100K a month newsletters on its books.
Not everybody that sets up a newsletter on Beehiiv is going to make six figures a month – or even ever. Quality matters, niche too. You need to pick a good niche to cover, something that isn’t too saturated, and deliver reliable, consistent and, most importantly, engaging content.
And doing this is a whole other matter. It takes skill, time, and a broad knowledge of your subject matter. And if you have all of that, you’ve still got to A) market it to grow your audience, and B) once they’re subscribed, keep them engaged.
If you can grow an audience, Beehiiv has the tools and capabilities to help you quickly monetize it. Here’s some of its core features which are aimed squarely at monetisation:
- Subscription Tiers: Creators can offer free and paid subscription tiers, providing exclusive content to paying subscribers.
- Sponsorship Management: The platform allows for seamless integration of sponsorships, enabling creators to partner with brands and include sponsored content in their newsletters.
- Affiliate Marketing: Beehiiv supports affiliate links, allowing creators to earn commissions from promoting products or services.
- Direct Sales: Users can also sell digital products or services directly through their newsletters, utilizing Beehiiv’s integrated payment processing capabilities.
What Features Make Beehiiv an Attractive Platform for Content Creators
Part of the reason creators (and VC investors) have gone bananas over Beehiiv is that it is designed to be super-simple to use. Anyone, claims the company, can setup a professional-looking newsletter, complete with a blog, and landing pages inside a day.
By utilising things like a markdown editor, drag and drop page and template builders, Beehiiv offers a true, no-code means of creating a publishing platform.
I’ve experimented with it a few times on other projects and, with tools like Figma and Canva, you can create platforms that look not only professional, but actually really, really impressive.
Beyond this, Beehiiv’s customisation and organisation options are a huge boon, especially as your list grows. The analytics function built in is brilliant, giving you daily, actionable data to work with.
And the growth tools? They’re brilliant and allow for rapid growth compared to similar platforms like ConvertKit and Substack.
Key Takeaways
- Ease of Use: The platform’s intuitive interface allows users to easily create and manage newsletters without technical expertise.
- Growth Tools: Beehiiv includes built-in tools for audience growth, such as referral programs and viral marketing strategies.
- Analytics: Detailed analytics help creators understand their audience better, track engagement, and optimize content strategies.
- Customization: Users can customize their newsletters with various templates and design options, ensuring their brand’s aesthetic is maintained.
- Community Engagement: Features like polls and reader feedback systems foster a strong community around the newsletter.
How Has The Beehiiv Platform Evolved: New Features, New Capabilities
Beehiiv Platform Updates & New Features
July 2024
- Mobile App: Launched for a mobile-optimized reading experience, enhancing audience connection.
- New Post Dashboard: Revamped to display more data clearly, improving newsletter performance understanding.
- Comments and Social Share Icons: Integrated into email posts for enhanced engagement.
- Partner Leaderboard: New in-app leaderboard for the Beehiiv Beach Club affiliate competition.
June 2024
- Name Your Price Premium Subscription: Allows loyal subscribers to pay a custom amount for premium content.
- Single Sign-On with Google: Simplifies sign-up and login process through Google SSO.
- Premium Gift Rewards: Automatic award of “premium gifts” as referral rewards upon reaching milestones.
- Comment Threads: Enhanced commenting system now supports multi-level comment threads.
May 2024
- File Attachment: Users can now upload files directly in the email editor.
- Referral Program 2.0: Updated with new UI, digital reward uploads, and single-use promo codes.
- Updated Navigation: Improved site navigation with a new design tab and streamlined access to features.
Additional Features
- One-time Payment: Allows creators to offer lifetime access to premium content via a one-time payment.
- Audio Embeds: Users can now embed audio files in their posts, useful for promoting podcasts or music.
- Multiple Subscription Tiers: Launched in April 2024, allows creators to offer various subscription levels.
How Does Beehiiv Compare in Terms of Pricing and Features with Other Platforms Like Substack or MailChimp?
Beehiiv is tailored specifically for newsletter creators with built-in monetization and growth tools. And it is free up to 2500 subscribers, although you miss out on access to its best features (unsurprisingly).
Beehiiv is cheaper than MailChimp, ConvertKit, Aweber, and GetResponse and, IMHO, it is a much more useful platform as a whole. The growth tools, the ease of use, the fact it can be used as a blogging platform, the cost… it all
I’m currently with ConvertKit for KYM but I am seriously mulling a switch to Beehiiv. I’ll update this post as and when I do.
Substack, while popular for independent writers, offers less flexibility in terms of customization and analytics compared to Beehiiv. Additionally, Beehiiv’s dynamic referral system and audience engagement tools provide more robust options for growing and monetizing a newsletter audience.
If you plan on monetizing your audience, Beehiiv has Substack whipped. And probably ConvertKit and other, legacy email services too (for the right type of user, meaning those that thrive on social media and have little interest in blogging and/or SEO).
If you’re interested in getting started with Beehiiv, it offers a free plan up to 2500 subscribers. To unlock its full potential with things like growth tools, referrals, and monetization, you’ll need to go with a paid plan.
The good news that its paid plans are cheaper than most traditional newsletter platforms.
And if you use my links, we get a commission – it does not affect the cost to you, but it does help us continue to produce content like this.
