Kit (ConvertKit) vs beehiiv

ConvertKit (rebranded to Kit in 2024) and beehiiv are the two leading newsletter platforms built specifically for creators, but they optimize for different things. ConvertKit is a full creator business platform — it handles email automation, sells digital products, processes payments, and manages your audience with a visual automation builder. It is designed for creators who monetize through products and courses. beehiiv is a newsletter growth engine — it was built by the Morning Brew team to replicate their viral growth playbook. Features like the built-in referral program, the Boost recommendation network, and the beehiiv Ad Network are all designed to grow your subscriber count and revenue from the newsletter itself. Both are excellent; the question is whether you sell things (ConvertKit) or grow a newsletter (beehiiv).

ConvertKit wins when your newsletter is one piece of a larger creator business. If you sell courses, digital downloads, coaching packages, or membership access, ConvertKit handles commerce natively — no need for Gumroad, Stripe checkout links, or Shopify. The visual automation builder lets you create sophisticated email sequences: welcome series, abandoned cart emails, course drip sequences, and behavior-triggered campaigns. The Creator Network enables cross-promotion with other ConvertKit creators, and the tagging system is powerful for segmenting your audience. ConvertKit integrates with Teachable, Kajabi, WordPress, and Zapier, making it the hub of a multi-tool creator stack. Course creators, coaches, and creators who sell products should lean ConvertKit.

beehiiv wins when growing your newsletter is the primary goal. The built-in referral program (a la Morning Brew) lets subscribers earn rewards for sharing your newsletter — this single feature can double your growth rate. The Boost network lets you trade recommendations with other beehiiv newsletters, putting your publication in front of thousands of relevant readers. The beehiiv Ad Network connects you with sponsors who pay based on your subscriber count — you do not need to find or negotiate with advertisers. The free tier (up to 2,500 subscribers) is more generous than ConvertKit's (1,000), giving you more runway before paying. The editor is also cleaner and faster for writing newsletter-style content. Newsletter-first creators, media brands, and anyone focused on subscriber growth should lean beehiiv.

ConvertKit's free plan supports up to 1,000 subscribers with basic automation and landing pages. The Creator plan starts at $29/month for up to 1,000 subscribers with full automation, commerce, and the Creator Network. beehiiv's free plan supports up to 2,500 subscribers with the referral program and basic analytics. The Scale plan starts at $39/month for up to 1,000 subscribers with the ad network, Boost, and advanced analytics. At 5,000 subscribers, ConvertKit Creator costs around $49/month and beehiiv Scale costs around $49/month — pricing converges at scale. The key difference is what you get for that price: ConvertKit gives you automation and commerce; beehiiv gives you growth tools and monetization through ads.

If you are starting a newsletter and your goal is to grow as fast as possible, choose beehiiv. The referral program, Boost network, and ad marketplace give you growth tools that ConvertKit simply does not match. You get 2,500 free subscribers before paying a cent. If you already have an audience and sell products, courses, or coaching, choose ConvertKit. The commerce integration and automation builder are purpose-built for creators who monetize beyond just newsletter subscriptions. Many successful creators actually use both: beehiiv for a free growth-focused newsletter and ConvertKit for paid product funnels. But if you must pick one, let your monetization model decide — product sales favor ConvertKit, newsletter growth favors beehiiv.