beehiiv

What is beehiiv?

beehiiv is a newsletter platform built by former Morning Brew team members around a specific goal: helping newsletters grow and turn that growth into revenue. Alongside standard email sending and basic automation, it includes a built-in referral program that turns subscribers into a recruiting channel, and an ad network that can place sponsorships in a newsletter without the publisher having to sell them directly. It positions itself less as a general marketing tool and more as infrastructure for running a newsletter as a publication or business in its own right.

Key features

• Referral program. Give subscribers a unique link to share, and reward them with content or perks as referrals reach set milestones, turning growth into something built into the reading experience.
• Boosts network. Cross-promote with other newsletters on beehiiv to exchange subscribers, an additional growth channel beyond referrals.
• Ad network. Eligible newsletters can be matched with sponsors through beehiiv directly, generating revenue without manual outreach.
• Multiple publications. Manage more than one newsletter brand from a single account.
• Segmentation and automation. Tag and segment subscribers, and set up basic automated sequences like welcome emails.
• Analytics. Detailed reporting on subscriber growth, referral sources and content engagement.

How to get started

1. Sign up for a free beehiiv account and create your publication.
2. Design a subscribe page and import or start collecting subscribers.
3. Send a first issue using the built-in editor.
4. Turn on the referral program and set milestone rewards for subscribers who share it.
5. Once your list and engagement reach eligible thresholds, check whether the ad network can start generating revenue.

Who beehiiv is for

Newsletter publishers and creators who see growth as the primary goal, not just an email tool for an existing business. It suits writers building a media-style publication around a niche, and anyone who wants monetization options beyond a paid subscription tier, particularly through advertising. Publishers running several related newsletters also benefit from managing them in one account. Businesses that mainly need transactional email, SMS or a CRM will find beehiiv narrower than a general marketing platform.

Tips for growing a newsletter on beehiiv

• Give referral rewards real value. A milestone reward only drives sharing if subscribers actually want it, whether that is bonus content or early access.
• Design a subscribe page that sells the newsletter, not just collects emails. Use a clear image built with the OG image generator so shared links on social media look polished.
• Track referral and boost traffic separately from organic growth. Apply the UTM builder to links shared outside beehiiv’s own referral system so all your growth channels show up consistently in analytics.
• Be consistent before chasing monetization. Ad network eligibility and sponsor interest both depend on a steady publishing schedule and engaged readers, not just raw subscriber count.

beehiiv vs alternatives

MailerLite and Brevo are built more for general business email marketing than newsletter-specific growth mechanics like referral programs and ad networks. Kit overlaps closely with beehiiv in serving creators, but leans toward paid subscriptions and digital product sales rather than advertising as the main monetization path. Publishers deciding between beehiiv and Kit often base the choice on whether they expect to earn more from sponsorships or from direct reader payments.

Is beehiiv worth it?

For a newsletter that treats growth and monetization as central goals, not just email delivery, beehiiv’s referral program and ad network add tools that general-purpose platforms don’t offer natively. The free plan is enough to test whether the referral mechanics actually move subscriber numbers for a specific niche before paying. Businesses sending a newsletter as one small piece of broader marketing, without ambitions to grow it into its own publication, may not need beehiiv’s specialized growth features. Compare it with other email marketing tools in the deals catalog.