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beehiiv Review: Free Plan Caps, Lite vs Pro and the Branding Catch

beehiiv is a newsletter platform that suits writers starting from zero who want unlimited sends, landing pages and a recommendation network on a free plan, with paid subscriptions later. The catch, as of Oct 2026, is that the listed prices are for a list of 1,000 and climb as you grow, and only Pro removes beehiiv branding.

Most people searching for a beehiiv review have a newsletter idea and one question: can I start here for nothing and stay here once it grows? I read beehiiv's own pricing page line by line, plan table included, so everything below comes from what beehiiv says about itself. I haven't added anything it doesn't state.

beehiiv plans and the caps on each

PlanPrice (US dollars, 1,000-subscriber view)What's includedThe limit that bites
Free0 dollars, free foreverUnlimited email sends, email templates, landing pages, the recommendation network, API accessList capped at 2,500; 1 team seat; 1 publication; 30-day analytics lookback
Lite49 dollars a month, yearly billingEverything in Free, plus paid subscriptions at a 0% take rate, ad monetization, automations, beehiiv MCP, audience polls, A/B testingList up to 100,000; 2 team seats; 3 guest authors; 3 publications; 12-month analytics lookback
Pro95 dollars a month, yearly billingEverything in Lite, plus removal of beehiiv branding, webinars and coaching, advanced analyticsList up to 250,000; 10 team seats; unlimited guest authors; 10 publications; unlimited analytics lookback
EnterpriseNot priced on the pageUnlimited team seats and unlimited guest authorsList limit is custom, so you'll need to talk to beehiiv

Plans and prices are as of Oct 2026, read from the 1,000-subscriber view with yearly billing selected. The monthly-billed figures weren't in the text I read, so check the vendor's pricing page before you buy.

Why the beehiiv price isn't one number

Here's the part a quick glance misses. The figures you see on beehiiv's pricing page aren't flat fees. The page carries a selector that sets how big your list is, and the default view prices a list of 1,000 people. The selector runs up to 250,000+, and the price you pay depends on where your list sits on it. So 49 dollars a month for Lite and 95 dollars a month for Pro are the starting point for a small list on yearly billing, not a promise of what you'll pay a year from now.

That matters because the whole point of a newsletter is that the list grows. If you're planning a paid newsletter, work out what the plan would look like at the size you're aiming for, not the size you are today. The selector is right there on the page, and it's the first thing I'd move before signing up.

The second thing people miss is branding. Lite gives you paid subscriptions and ad monetization, but it doesn't remove beehiiv branding. That's a Pro feature. If a clean, unbranded look is part of how you want your newsletter to feel, the plan you're really comparing against Free is Pro, not Lite.

The third is the analytics window. Free shows you 30 days of history. Lite stretches that to 12 months, and Pro makes it unlimited. If you like to look back at how an issue did against one from last spring, Free won't let you.

What beehiiv gives a newsletter writer

On the Free plan, beehiiv's page lists unlimited email sends, email templates, landing pages, a recommendation network and API access. That's a lot to start a newsletter with, and beehiiv says you can upgrade anytime. You get one publication and one team seat, so it's built for a solo writer with one newsletter.

Lite is where the money tools start. It adds paid subscriptions with a 0% take rate, ad monetization, automations, audience polls and A/B testing, plus beehiiv MCP. It also lets you run up to 3 publications with 2 team seats and 3 guest authors. If you're thinking about a premium tier for readers, this is the first plan that lets you charge for it.

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Pro adds webinars and coaching, advanced analytics and the branding removal, and it lifts the limits to 10 team seats, 10 publications and unlimited guest authors. Both Lite and Pro show a Try for free button with no credit card required. If you're still choosing where to host a newsletter, I've written a wider look at picking a newsletter platform for a small business.

Who should start on beehiiv, and who shouldn't

  • It suits you if you're starting a newsletter from scratch and want a free plan with unlimited sends, a site and a recommendation network.
  • It suits you if you expect to add paid subscriptions later and want to keep the take rate at 0% on Lite.
  • It suits a small team running a few newsletters, as long as the seat and publication counts on Lite or Pro fit.
  • Skip it if you want beehiiv branding gone without paying for Pro.
  • Skip it if you want one flat monthly price that won't move as your list grows.
  • Skip it if you need more than 30 days of analytics history but don't want to upgrade from Free.

My verdict on beehiiv

I'd start on the free plan if you're building a newsletter from nothing. You get unlimited sends and room to grow to 2,500 people before you have to think about paying, and that's long enough to find out whether you'll keep writing. I'd move to Lite the day you want to charge readers, and I'd only go to Pro if removing the branding or the extra seats matter to you. What I wouldn't do is plan around the headline figure. Move the selector to the list you're aiming for first. If you're at the very start, my guide to getting your first thousand readers is the place to begin.

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Frequently asked questions

Is beehiiv free?

Yes. beehiiv has a Free plan at 0 dollars that it calls free forever. It includes unlimited email sends, email templates, landing pages and the recommendation network, with a cap of 2,500 on your list, 1 team seat and 1 publication.

How much does beehiiv cost?

On the 1,000-subscriber view with yearly billing, Lite is 49 dollars a month and Pro is 95 dollars a month. Enterprise isn't priced on the page. The price changes with the size of your list, so use the selector on beehiiv's pricing page.

Which beehiiv plan removes the branding?

Pro. beehiiv lists Remove beehiiv branding as a Pro feature, so Free and Lite keep it.

Can I charge for my newsletter on beehiiv's free plan?

No. Paid subscriptions start on Lite, which beehiiv lists with a 0% take rate.

Published and maintained by the Lilach Bullock team, covering marketing, AI and business growth.
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