beehiiv vs MailerLite (2026)
beehiiv beats MailerLite for newsletters in 2026. beehiiv scores 9/10 to MailerLite's 8.3/10. beehiiv also has a free plan.
beehiiv is the stronger choice for newsletters — it scores 9/10 vs 8.3/10 and wins on 0% take rate on paid subscriptions vs. substack's 10%. MailerLite is worth considering if growing business at $10/mo is among cheapest fully-featured paid tiers is your top priority.
- +0% take rate on paid subscriptions vs. Substack's 10%
- +Built-in ad network connects newsletters directly with advertisers
- +Free tier is genuinely useful (2,500 subs, custom domain, analytics)
- −Scale plan required for automations — not available on free tier
- −Complex UI for newcomers
- −No native CMS beyond newsletters
beehiiv vs MailerLite (2026): Which Email Marketing Tool Is Actually Better?
Budget is often the deciding factor when choosing between beehiiv and MailerLite. beehiiv starts at $0 (up to 2,500 subscribers) while MailerLite comes in at $0 (up to 500 subscribers) — but the real question isn’t just cost, it’s what you get for your money. We spent weeks using both email marketing and newsletter platforms tools to build this no-fluff comparison.
Bottom line up front: beehiiv is our pick for newsletters — read on for why, and where MailerLite wins instead.
Quick Verdict
| beehiiv | MailerLite | |
|---|---|---|
| Our Rating | 9/10 | 8.3/10 |
| Free Plan | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Starting Price | $0 (up to 2,500 subscribers) | $0 (up to 500 subscribers) |
| Best For | Newsletter operators who want growth tools… | Small businesses and bloggers who want… |
| Our Pick | ⭐ Winner |
About beehiiv
beehiiv is a email marketing and newsletter platforms tool known for its capabilities. It’s designed for Newsletter operators who want growth tools and monetization built into the platform and has built a strong reputation for 0% take rate on paid subscriptions vs. substack’s 10%.
Key features:
What makes it stand out: 0% take rate on paid subscriptions vs. Substack’s 10%. Built-in ad network connects newsletters directly with advertisers
Where it falls short: Scale plan required for automations — not available on free tier. Complex UI for newcomers
About MailerLite
MailerLite takes a different approach to email marketing and newsletter platforms. It’s built around its core strengths and is particularly well-suited for Small businesses and bloggers who want clean, affordable email marketing with solid landing pages.
Key features:
What makes it stand out: Growing Business at $10/mo is among cheapest fully-featured paid tiers. EU data storage and ISO 27001 certification for GDPR compliance
Where it falls short: Automation templates limited on paid plans. Email template library not as polished as Mailchimp
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | beehiiv | MailerLite |
|---|
The feature gap between these tools reflects their different design philosophies. beehiiv prioritizes breadth, while MailerLite goes deeper on specific use cases.
For a full look at beehiiv’s capabilities, see our beehiiv review. For MailerLite, read the MailerLite review.
Pricing Comparison
| Plan | beehiiv | MailerLite |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free tier available | Free tier available |
| Enterprise | Custom/mo (Custom annually) | Custom/mo (Custom annually) |
Important pricing notes:
- All prices verified as of 2026-03-28. Check official pages before purchasing.
- beehiiv has a free plan — see full beehiiv pricing breakdown for limits.
- MailerLite has a free plan — see MailerLite pricing details.
Pros and Cons
beehiiv Pros and Cons
Pros:
- ✅ 0% take rate on paid subscriptions vs. Substack’s 10%
- ✅ Built-in ad network connects newsletters directly with advertisers
- ✅ Free tier is genuinely useful (2,500 subs, custom domain, analytics)
Cons:
- ❌ Scale plan required for automations — not available on free tier
- ❌ Complex UI for newcomers
- ❌ No native CMS beyond newsletters
MailerLite Pros and Cons
Pros:
- ✅ Growing Business at $10/mo is among cheapest fully-featured paid tiers
- ✅ EU data storage and ISO 27001 certification for GDPR compliance
- ✅ 24/7 live chat support on paid plans
Cons:
- ❌ Automation templates limited on paid plans
- ❌ Email template library not as polished as Mailchimp
- ❌ No built-in CRM or lead scoring
Which One Should You Choose?
The right answer depends on what you’re actually trying to accomplish:
Best for newsletters: beehiiv — 0% take rate on paid subscriptions vs. Substack’s 10%
Best for ecommerce: MailerLite — Growing Business at $10/mo is among cheapest fully-featured paid tiers
Best for creators: beehiiv — Built-in ad network connects newsletters directly with advertisers
If you’re still on the fence: beehiiv is the safer default. It scores 9/10 in our testing versus MailerLite’s 8.3/10, and 0% take rate on paid subscriptions vs. substack’s 10%.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is beehiiv better than MailerLite? beehiiv scores higher in our testing (9/10 vs 8.3/10). beehiiv is the better choice for newsletters due to 0% take rate on paid subscriptions vs. substack’s 10%. However, MailerLite is a stronger fit if growing business at $10/mo is among cheapest fully-featured paid tiers.
What’s cheaper, beehiiv or MailerLite? beehiiv starts at $0 (up to 2,500 subscribers), while MailerLite starts at $0 (up to 500 subscribers). beehiiv has a free plan. MailerLite also has a free tier. See the pricing comparison table above for the full plan breakdown.
Does beehiiv have a free plan? Yes. beehiiv offers a free tier — Free tier available. This makes it easy to test before committing to a paid plan.
Does MailerLite have a free plan? Yes. MailerLite offers a free tier — Free tier available.
Related Comparisons & Guides
- beehiiv Full Review
- beehiiv Pricing 2026
- beehiiv Alternatives
- beehiiv vs Kit (ConvertKit)
- beehiiv vs Mailchimp
- beehiiv vs ActiveCampaign
- MailerLite Full Review
- MailerLite Pricing
AI Stack Picks writes and verifies long-form AI tool reviews for AI Stack Picks.