Beehiiv vs WordPress.com
Which is better for newsletters?
WordPress.com has a built-in audience network of millions of readers, fair pricing, and a real website when you’re ready for one.
How they compare
For most newsletter creators, WordPress.com is the better choice. It’s free to start with unlimited subscribers, includes paid subscriptions on every plan, and comes with a built-in audience network. Beehiiv caps its free plan at 2,500 subscribers and charges $43–$219/month based on your list size before you can sell paid subscriptions.
 | Beehiiv | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Best forCreators who want to grow beyond a newsletter | Best forNewsletter-only creators focused on growth tactics |
| G2 rating | G2 rating4.4/5 (2,669 reviews) ↗ | G2 rating4.5/5 (35 reviews) ↗ |
| Subscriber limits | Subscriber limitsUnlimited on every plan, including free | Subscriber limitsCapped: 2,500 on free, 100,000 on paid plans |
| Free plan | Free planYes, with unlimited subscribers and paid subscriptions | Free planYes, capped at 2,500 subscribers, no paid subscriptions |
| Monthly plan cost | Monthly plan cost$0–$45/mo | Monthly plan cost$0–$219/mo (scales with subscribers) |
| Transaction fees | Transaction fees0–10% (depends on plan, 0% on Commerce) | Transaction fees0% on Scale ($43–$219/mo based on subscriber count) |
| Paid subscriptions | Paid subscriptionsBuilt-in on every plan, including free | Paid subscriptionsRequires Scale plan ($43/mo+, scales with subscribers) |
| Full website | Full websiteBlog, store, podcasts, custom pages, landing pages | Full websiteNewsletter landing page only |
| Discovery | DiscoveryBuilt-in network with millions of readers | DiscoveryRecommendation network between Beehiiv newsletters |
| Open source | Open sourceYes | Open sourceNo |
| Track record | Track recordFounded 2003 | Track recordFounded 2021 |
| Ecosystem | Ecosystem59,000+ plugins, thousands of themes | EcosystemLimited integrations |
Sending a newsletter
For free newsletters, WordPress.com always charges the same price, no matter how many subscribers you have. Beehiiv charges more as your list grows—at 50,000 subscribers, it’s 55 times more expensive than WordPress.com.
| Subscribers | | Beehiiv |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | 1,000 subscribers$0/mo | 1,000 subscribers$0/mo |
| 2,500 | 2,500 subscribers$0/mo | 2,500 subscribers$61/mo |
| 10,000 | 10,000 subscribers$0/mo | 10,000 subscribers$96/mo |
| 25,000 | 25,000 subscribers$0/mo | 25,000 subscribers$149/mo |
| 50,000 | 50,000 subscribers$0/mo | 50,000 subscribers$219/mo |
Monetizing a newsletter
WordPress.com includes paid subscriptions on every plan, including free. Beehiiv doesn’t offer paid subscriptions at all until you pay $43/month or more.
| Paid subscribers | | Beehiiv |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 10 paid subscribers$10 | 10 paid subscribers$43 |
| 500 | 500 paid subscribers$45 | 500 paid subscribers$43 |
| 2,500 | 2,500 paid subscribers$45 | 2,500 paid subscribers$61 |
| 5,000 | 5,000 paid subscribers$45 | 5,000 paid subscribers$78 |
| 10,000 | 10,000 paid subscribers$45 | 10,000 paid subscribers$96 |
Both platforms use Stripe for payment processing (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction). Pricing as of March 2026.
Choose WordPress.com, and get:
Everything in one place
Get a newsletter, website, and even a store on one platform.
Access to millions of readers
Reach millions of new readers through the WordPress.com Reader and the Fediverse.
Flat pricing
If you plan to grow your subscribers, flat pricing saves money at scale.
Visual design tools
Access easy to use visual design tools instead of coding themes.
A stable platform
WordPress offers a stable platform that powers 43% of the web.
Thousands of themes & plugins
Access to an ecosystem with 59,000+ plugins and themes.
Frequently asked questions
Beehiiv vs WordPress.com, explained.
What’s the relationship between WordPress.com and Jetpack Newsletter?
WordPress.com and Jetpack are both made by Automattic. WordPress.com hosts your website. Jetpack provides the newsletter functionality: sending emails to subscribers, managing paid subscriptions, and providing audience analytics.
When you create a newsletter on WordPress.com, you’re using Jetpack Newsletter on a site hosted by WordPress.com. You don’t need to install or configure anything separately. Jetpack Newsletter is also available as a plugin for self-hosted WordPress.org sites.
Is Beehiiv better than WordPress.com for newsletters?
Beehiiv is a newsletter-only platform with growth tools like referral programs and an ad network. WordPress.com is a full publishing platform with newsletters, a website, and a store. For creators who only need email, Beehiiv works. For creators who want to build something bigger, WordPress.com is the better long-term choice.
Is WordPress.com cheaper than Beehiiv?
Yes, especially as you grow. WordPress.com has unlimited subscribers on every plan, including free. Beehiiv’s free plan caps at 2,500 subscribers, then charges $43/month at 1,000 subs, $96/month at 10,000 subs, and $219/month at 50,000 subs. WordPress.com stays at $4/month regardless. For paid subscriptions, WordPress.com lets you start for free (with a 10% fee) or pay $45/month for 0% fees. Beehiiv requires its Scale plan just to turn on paid subscriptions.
WordPress.com pricing also compares favorably to Substack and Ghost.
How much does Beehiiv cost?
Beehiiv has four plans: Launch (free, up to 2,500 subscribers), Scale (starts at $43/month, rises to $219/month at 50,000 subscribers), Max (starts at $96/month, rises to $334/month at 50,000 subscribers), and Enterprise (custom pricing). Paid subscriptions, automations, and ad monetization all require Scale or higher. WordPress.com starts free with unlimited subscribers and paid subscriptions on every plan, maxing out at $45/month for 0% transaction fees.
Can I move from Beehiiv to WordPress.com?
Yes. Beehiiv lets you export your posts and subscriber list as CSV files. Import your content through WordPress.com’s standard importer and upload your subscriber list separately. If you use a custom domain, you can point it to WordPress.com with no downtime for your readers.
Does Beehiiv have a free plan?
Yes, Beehiiv’s Launch plan is free for up to 2,500 subscribers. It includes basic newsletter sending and a landing page, but no paid subscriptions, automations, or ad monetization. WordPress.com is also free to start, but with unlimited subscribers and paid subscriptions included from day one.
Does WordPress.com have a discovery network?
Yes. WordPress.com has Reader, an integrated feed for millions of WordPress.com users, and Fediverse distribution via ActivityPub that pushes your posts to Mastodon (15M+ users), Threads (170M+ users), and Flipboard. Beehiiv has a recommendation network where newsletters can cross-promote each other, and a Boosts marketplace where you pay to acquire subscribers from other Beehiiv newsletters. WordPress.com’s discovery reaches readers outside the platform. Beehiiv’s stays within its own network.
Is Beehiiv open source?
No. Beehiiv is a closed-source, venture-backed company that has raised roughly $50 million. If Beehiiv changes direction, raises prices, or shuts down, your options are limited. WordPress is open source, which means your content is always portable and you’re never locked in.
Does Beehiiv have an ad network?
Yes. Beehiiv’s ad network connects newsletter creators with advertisers directly within the platform. This is one of Beehiiv’s genuine strengths. WordPress.com doesn’t have a built-in ad marketplace for newsletters, though creators can sell sponsorships directly or use the WordAds program for website advertising.
Which is easier to use, WordPress.com or Beehiiv?
Both platforms are easy to start with. Beehiiv is focused on newsletters, so its interface has fewer options. WordPress.com has more features, but its guided setup and visual editor make it straightforward even for beginners. If you only want email, Beehiiv is simpler. If you want a newsletter that can grow into a full website, WordPress.com handles both without switching platforms.
