If you are comparing beehiiv pricing, decide first whether Launch covers your current publication or whether paid automation and monetization features justify an upgrade. On September 29, 2026, the official pricing page listed Launch at $0 for up to 2,500 subscribers and showed annual billing separately from monthly billing.
This guide separates plan limits from the referral offer for new users. Publisher commission is not a reader discount, so it is not included in the offer summary.
Quick answer: choose Launch to start within the 2,500-subscriber limit, check Scale when you need automation or monetization, and consider Max only when branding removal or several publications matter.
beehiiv pricing and plan fit
Option
Price
Included scope
Good fit
Launch
Free
Up to 2,500 subscribers and unlimited email sends
Starting a newsletter or keeping a basic publication running
Scale, annual
$43/month equivalent; $517 billed yearly
Launch features plus automations, paid subscriptions and ad network
An operator who needs growth features and predictable annual cost
Lowest paid monthly entry
From $49/month
Paid plans start at this amount in the official FAQ
Trying paid features without annual prepayment
Max, annual
$96/month equivalent; $1,151 billed yearly
Remove beehiiv branding, up to 10 publications and priority support
Managing multiple publications or needing a white-label site
Enterprise
Custom pricing
Custom limits for publications with 100,000+ subscribers
A large publication that needs tailored terms and support
What does the beehiiv free plan include?
Launch includes newsletters, a website, a podcast, campaign analytics, a custom domain and link-in-bio. The official page lists up to 2,500 subscribers and unlimited email sends, which is enough to test a publishing workflow before paying.
Launch does not include several growth tools such as email automations, paid subscriptions, the ad network, surveys or advanced website analytics. Check which missing feature would change your weekly work before upgrading.
New users: a 14-day trial and 20% off for 3 months
The official beehiiv Partner Program guide says new users who join through a referral link can receive a 14-day trial and 20% off a paid plan for the first 3 months. This is separate from the free Launch plan, and existing accounts may not qualify.
Before paying, check which paid plan the offer applies to, whether the trial appears on the account, and what amount will be charged after the discount period.
Scale or Max: which plan should you check?
Scale is the relevant step when you need automations, the ad network, paid subscriptions or digital products. Its annual option is shown as $43 per month equivalent, billed at $517 for the year. Compare the annual total against the value of the features you expect to use.
Max adds branding removal, up to 10 publications, audio newsletters and priority support. The annual total shown is $1,151. A single personal newsletter may not need these extras, so start with Launch or compare Scale first.
How subscriber growth changes the pricing comparison
beehiiv pricing is tied to both the plan and your subscriber count. Treat the figures in the table as a starting point, then open the live pricing flow for the size of the publication you actually operate. A plan that looks affordable at a small list size may move to a different price band as your audience grows. The public page provides a plan comparison, but the account checkout is where you can confirm the current amount for your own setup.
Before upgrading, write down three things: the current subscriber count, a reasonable growth target for the next billing period, and the number of publications you want to manage. That quick inventory helps you avoid comparing a Scale price for one audience size with a Max price for another. It also makes the decision less dependent on a promotional headline.
Use a feature checklist instead of buying the next tier by default
Do you need automated welcome or follow-up emails now?
Will paid subscriptions, advertising or digital products be part of your business model?
Are you managing more than one publication from the same account?
Does removing beehiiv branding matter to your readers or partners?
Would advanced analytics change a decision you make each week?
If your answer is no to most of these, Launch may cover the work you have today. If one or two features would replace manual work or support a clear revenue plan, compare the associated tier and its full cost. A feature you might use someday is not the same as a current need.
When does moving from Launch to Scale make sense?
Scale is the first paid tier to examine when the business needs automation or monetization that Launch does not provide. Its annual rate is shown as $43 per month equivalent, billed at $517 for the year. The annual figure is a commitment for the year, not the same as paying $43 month by month. If flexibility matters more than a lower annual equivalent, compare the monthly selector and the actual checkout total.
Use a simple decision sequence. First, name the task that is blocked by the free plan. Second, identify the Scale feature that solves it. Third, estimate how often the feature will be used and whether that use supports audience growth or revenue. If you cannot name a repeated task or outcome, keep the free plan while you validate the newsletter workflow.
Keep Max for needs that justify its extra scope
Max is aimed at operations that need features such as removing beehiiv branding, managing up to 10 publications, and priority support. Its listed annual total is $1,151. Those benefits can matter to a publishing business with multiple brands or a defined white-label requirement, but they may not change the experience of a single personal newsletter. Compare Max only after checking whether Scale already covers the work.
Compare the first-year bill, not only the discount headline
The partner guide describes a 14-day trial and 20% off the first three months of a paid plan for eligible new users coming through a referral link. That reader offer is different from the Launch free plan and different from the publisher commission. It is also different from savings associated with annual billing. Do not add these benefits together unless checkout explicitly applies them to the same account and plan.
Before you accept an offer, confirm the selected tier, trial dates, discounted months, renewal date and amount after the discount ends. If the discounted rate appears only on one tier, compare it with the features you will actually use. A temporary reduction can lower the first few payments, but the regular renewal price still determines the longer-term budget.
For an annual plan, compare the full prepayment against the monthly option and decide whether you are comfortable committing for the year. For monthly billing, record the date when the next charge is due. Either way, save the checkout summary so you can compare the promised offer with the account’s billing page later.
A practical path from a first issue to a paid plan
Start by publishing through Launch while you learn how your signup form, website, and sending schedule work together. Track subscriber growth and note which tasks require manual effort. When a limit or missing feature affects a real task, revisit the official plan comparison rather than upgrading based on a general promise of growth.
At each review, check subscriber count, publication count, revenue features, automation needs, branding and annual budget. If you are testing a paid tier through a trial, write down the end date and the price that will apply afterward. If you are using the referral offer, verify that the 20% reduction is visible before completing payment. The useful question is not whether a paid tier has more features, but whether those features remove a current bottleneck at a cost your newsletter can support.
What will be charged after the first three months?
The partner guide describes 20% off the first three paid months for eligible new users. Confirm the regular renewal price and the date it begins in the checkout summary before paying.
Compare the bill after the introductory offer
A referral discount changes the opening cost, not the plan limits or the renewal price. Before choosing a paid tier, list the subscriber range you expect to use, the features that remove work from your publishing routine, and the annual total shown at checkout. If Launch still covers your audience and workflow, staying free while you validate the newsletter is a reasonable choice.
When you do upgrade, compare the actual monthly billing option with the annual amount charged up front. Then check the date the introductory discount ends and what the next invoice will be. That keeps a short promotional period from obscuring the ongoing cost of the newsletter platform.
Frequently asked questions
What will I pay after the first three months?
Check the checkout summary for the promotion end date, the next billing date and the renewal amount. If you select annual billing, compare the full amount charged up front with the monthly equivalent.
Is beehiiv free to use?
Launch is the free plan and supports up to 2,500 subscribers with unlimited email sends. You can upgrade when its feature limits become relevant.
How much does beehiiv cost per month?
The official FAQ says paid plans start at $49 per month. Its annual pricing view shows Scale at $43 per month equivalent, billed at $517 per year, so do not treat the annual equivalent as the monthly checkout price.
Does every new beehiiv account get 20% off?
The official partner guide describes the 14-day trial and 20% off the first three months for new users referred through a partner link. Check the offer on the linked checkout before paying.
What happens when I pass 2,500 subscribers?
Review the current subscriber count and which paid features you need before moving off Launch. Confirm the current subscriber band and final charge in the official pricing flow.
Prices and features were checked against official pages on September 29, 2026. Currency, region and taxes may affect checkout totals.
Check the live plan terms and confirm the new-user offer at checkout before paying. Check the 14-day trial and 20% new-user offerAffiliate link: Fieldnotes earns a commission if you purchase through this link.
Explore the available options
Confirm the final price, eligibility, and refund terms on the seller page before purchasing.
