beehiiv vs Kit
Both are newsletter platforms aimed at writers, creators and independent publishers. They differ most on audience growth tools, publication website and free plan.
At a glance
| beehiiv | Kit | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 83/100 Higher | 81/100 |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Paid from | $49/mo monthly; $517/yr billed annually | $33/mo monthly; $390/yr billed annually |
| Positioning | growth platform | specialist email |
| Launched | 2021 | 2013 |
| Best for | Newsletter operators who want growth tools and ad revenue built in, and expect to outgrow a hobby list. | Creators who want to charge for a newsletter from day one without paying a monthly fee first. |
Where each one leads
| Dimension | beehiiv | Kit | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | 4/5 | 5/5 | Kit |
| Paid subscriptions | 4/5 | 5/5 | Kit |
| Value for money | 3/5 | 3/5 | Tie |
| Ease of use | 4/5 | 4/5 | Tie |
| Low transaction fees | 5/5 | 4/5 | beehiiv |
| Audience growth tools | 5/5 | 4/5 | beehiiv |
| Automation | 4/5 | 5/5 | Kit |
| Publication website | 4/5 | 3/5 | beehiiv |
Scores are 1–5 per dimension. beehiiv leads on 3 dimensions, Kit on 3. The overall figure weights these for newsletter platforms generally — see methodology.
Pricing
Plans are listed per tool rather than paired row by row — tiers rarely line up, and putting one vendor's second plan beside another's implies an equivalence that is not there.
| Tool | Plan | Per month | Terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| beehiiv | Launch | Free | — |
| Scale | $49 | monthly; $517/yr billed annually | |
| Max | $109 | monthly; $1,151/yr billed annually | |
| Kit | Free | Free | — |
| Creator | $33 | monthly; $390/yr billed annually | |
| Pro | $66 | monthly; $790/yr billed annually |
Pricing checked 24 September 2026 and 23 September 2026 against each vendor's own pricing page. beehiiv: Billed in USD. Paid prices are for up to 1,000 subscribers and rise with list size; annual billing saves about 12%. Kit: Billed in USD. Paid prices are for 1,000 subscribers and rise with list size; annual billing saves 17%.
Verdict
beehiiv
- +Free for up to 2,500 subscribers with unlimited sends, a website and your own domain.
- +Takes 0% of paid-subscription revenue on paid plans — you pay only Stripe’s processing fee.
- +A recommendation network on every plan, plus a referral programme and ad network from Scale up.
- −Paid subscriptions, automations and the ad network all need the Scale plan, from $49 a month.
- −Prices climb with the list: Scale is $49 a month at 1,000 subscribers and $109 at 10,000.
Kit
- +Free up to 10,000 subscribers, and the free plan can already run a paid newsletter.
- +Unlimited automations and email sequences come with any paid plan.
- +A free recommendations network across Kit creators helps a new list grow.
- −Takes 3.5% + 30¢ of each subscription payment, card processing included — about 0.6% more than processing alone.
- −The free plan is broadcasts only; automations and sequences need a paid plan.
Common questions
Is beehiiv cheaper than Kit?
beehiiv starts at $49/mo (monthly; $517/yr billed annually), and Kit starts at $33/mo (monthly; $390/yr billed annually) — so Kit is the cheaper entry point. Compare what each includes at that tier, and what it renews at, rather than the headline figure alone.
Does beehiiv or Kit have a free plan?
beehiiv has a free plan, and Kit has a free plan.
Which is better, beehiiv or Kit?
On our weighted scoring across the use cases in this category, beehiiv comes out ahead overall. The honest answer is that it depends on the use case — the tables above break the score down by dimension so you can weight it to your own priorities.
Other comparisons
Sources & verification
- kit.com — checked 24 September 2026Paid newsletters and recurring subscriptions on every plan, including free. 3.5% + 30¢ per transaction, inclusive of card processing — Kit says its own share is 0.6%.
- beehiiv.com — checked 24 September 2026
- beehiiv.com — checked 24 September 2026Launch plan: free for up to 2,500 subscribers, with unlimited email sends, a website and custom domains. No card required. Paid subscriptions, automations and the ad network need a paid plan.