Paid newsletter platform guide
Compare Substack, beehiiv, and Kit by what you keep
Newsletter platform costs combine subscription plans, platform take rates, payment processing, recurring billing, and fixed charges. A free publishing plan can still be expensive at scale when it takes a percentage of paid revenue.
The lowest fee is only one part of the choice. Each platform has different publishing, automation, recommendation, analytics, ad, commerce, and migration tools. Use the result as a financial baseline, then compare the features your newsletter actually needs.
How to use this tool
Count paying subscribers
Use current paid members or a conservative launch estimate.
Split monthly and annual billing
Annual billing creates fewer fixed processing charges and may use a discounted price.
Select the needed subscriber tier
Enter the monthly software plan required by your full active list and feature set.
Test growth scenarios
Change paid subscriber growth and projection length to see when a revenue take rate becomes material.
Why billing cadence matters
A subscriber paying monthly creates twelve card charges each year; an annual subscriber creates one. At the same gross price, per-transaction charges make annual billing less expensive to process.
Value outside direct subscription revenue
- Built-in audience discovery and recommendation networks
- Email automations, segmentation, and analytics
- Advertising, sponsorship, and digital-product tools
- Custom domains, branding removal, API access, and team seats
Platform pricing, subscriber tiers, feature access, and payment fees change. Defaults were reviewed in September 2026 and assume U.S. card pricing; replace them with the prices shown for your account and country.
Sources and further reading
- Substack creator pricing — Platform, card-processing, and recurring-billing fees.
- beehiiv pricing — Subscriber tiers, paid plans, and subscription take-rate details.
- Kit pricing — Current plan tiers and commerce transaction fees.
Frequently asked questions
Is ConvertKit now called Kit?
Yes. The product is branded Kit, formerly ConvertKit. The calculator uses both names so existing users can recognize it.
Why does Substack have a separate billing-fee field?
Substack documents a recurring Stripe Billing fee in addition to its platform share and standard card processing. Keeping it separate makes the calculation auditable and editable.
Does beehiiv charge a percentage of paid subscriptions?
beehiiv currently advertises a 0% platform take rate on plans that support paid subscriptions, while standard payment processing still applies. Enter the paid plan for your subscriber tier.