beehiiv vs Substack
beehiiv vs Substack Break-Even Calculator
At what paid audience does a flat monthly newsletter platform become cheaper than Substack? Enter your plan cost and subscription price to find the boundary.
Newsletter economics
Compare platform cost and take-home revenue
- Substack fee (10%)
- $0
- Estimated Substack take-home
- $0
- Estimated flat-fee take-home
- $0
- Flat-fee difference / year
- $0
Estimate assumes published US Stripe standard pricing (2.9% + $0.30 plus 0.7% Billing). Taxes, FX, discounts, and refunds are excluded.
How it works
When a flat-fee platform becomes cheaper
The simple platform-fee boundary is monthly flat cost divided by 10%, then divided by subscription price. At $49 per month and a $10 subscription, the flat-fee model becomes cheaper at roughly 49 paid subscribers. Features, migration cost, and audience discovery still need separate evaluation.
Pricing can change. Verify each provider’s official pricing page before making a decision.
Primary sources
Last reviewed: October 4, 2026