Marketing & SEO · Ranked by price to features
9 Best Newsletter Platforms of 2026
By the Rankozo research desk · Updated November 12, 2026 · Next review December 27, 2026
Ghost is the best newsletter platform for writers who charge readers in 2026: its Publisher plan costs $29 a month billed yearly and Ghost takes 0% of subscription revenue. beehiiv suits writers who want growth and ad tools, with a free plan up to 2,500 subscribers and paid subscriptions at a 0% take rate from $49 a month billed yearly, while Substack costs $0 to run but keeps 10% of paid subscription revenue. Prices and fees were checked on vendor pages as of November 2026.
- Tools ranked
- 9
- With free plan
- 8
- Cheapest paid plan
- EmailOctopus, $9
- per month
By the numbers
- 35%35% of companies in Litmus's 2025 State of Email survey of nearly 500 marketing professionals earn $10 to $36 for every $1 spent on email marketing.Litmus
- 21%21% of marketing leaders do not measure email ROI, down from 36% in 2023, according to Litmus.Litmus
- 30%Automated emails made up 2% of email sends by Omnisend's ecommerce customers in 2025 but generated 30% of email revenue.Omnisend
- 7.39%Across more than 175,000 Brevo customers in 2025, automated emails averaged a 30.63% open rate and 7.39% click-through rate, against 20.73% and 2.27% for standard marketing campaigns.Brevo
- 43.46%The median email open rate across 3.6 million MailerLite campaigns sent from December 2024 to November 2025 was 43.46%, up from 42.35% in 2024.MailerLite
- 20.73%Brevo's average marketing email open rate in 2025 was 20.73% when bot-triggered Apple Mail Privacy Protection opens are excluded, and 33.87% when they are counted.Brevo
Comparison table
| Tool | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ghost | 01 | 8.8 | 9.1 | $18per month | No |
| beehiiv | 02 | 8.7 | 8.4 | $49per month | Yes |
| Kit | 03 | 8.7 | 8.5 | $33per month | Yes |
| Buttondown | 04 | 8.6 | 9.2 | Free plan | Yes |
| MailerLite | 05 | 8.5 | 8.6 | $12per month | Yes |
| Substack | 06 | 8.5 | 8.2 | Free10% of paid subscription revenue | Yes |
| EmailOctopus | 07 | 8.0 | 8.6 | $9per month | Yes |
| Flodesk | 08 | 7.7 | 7.2 | $38per month | Yes |
| Patreon | 09 | 7.7 | 7.4 | Free10% of income plus processing fees | Yes |
Click a column to sort. Prices are the cheapest paid plan quoted from each vendor's US pricing page; "Check price" means the US price check is pending.
How this ranking works
One method for every tool. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run hands-on tests. Value carries the most weight.
Full methodThis list is for writers who publish an email newsletter and want to know what each platform will cost them, both in monthly plan fees and in the share of paid subscription revenue it keeps. We compared documented features, published plan prices and published revenue fees; we did not run test publications. Every platform here also lets payment processors such as Stripe charge their own card fees, which we mention where the vendor states them. Prices are quoted in USD from each vendor's own page, and anything we could not confirm in USD is marked pending. Rankings weight value at 40%, features at 35% and ease of use at 25%.
The verdict
The real split in this category is between platforms that charge a flat monthly fee and platforms that take a percentage of what readers pay. Ghost, beehiiv, Buttondown and MailerLite charge a plan fee and take 0% of paid subscriptions, so their cost stays fixed as revenue grows. Substack and Patreon cost nothing up front but each keeps 10% of subscription income, which is the cheapest route for a new writer and the most expensive once revenue passes a few hundred dollars a month. Kit sits between the two: its free plan covers up to 10,000 subscribers and its commerce fee is 3.5% plus 30 cents per sale, card processing included. Ghost ranks first because its $29 Publisher plan includes paid subscriptions, custom themes and 3 staff users with no revenue share.
- 01Top value
Ghost
8.8/10An open source publishing platform with managed Ghost(Pro) hosting for websites, newsletters and paid memberships.
Price
$18per month
Starter from $18 per month billed yearly for 1,000 members; Publisher with paid subscriptions from $29 per month billed yearly; 0% transaction fees
“Starter for solo blogs & newsletters $ 18 USD / mo billed yearly” Quoted from the pricing page, November 12, 2026.
- Free plan
- No
- Value (40%)
- 9.1
- Features (35%)
- 8.9
- Ease of use (25%)
- 8.0
Best forWriters with paying readers who want a flat fee and their own website
Ghost ranks first for writers comparing fees because it is the cheapest way here to charge readers without giving up a share of revenue. Its pricing page lists Publisher at $29 a month billed yearly for 1,000 members, with paid subscriptions, custom themes, 3 staff users and advanced analytics, and states 0% transaction fees from Ghost on Publisher, Business and Custom plans. Payment processor fees still apply. Every plan includes a website, email newsletter, member tagging, comments and whitelabel branding, so a publication looks like your brand rather than a platform page. The trade-offs are real. There is no free plan, and the $18 Starter plan leaves out paid subscriptions entirely, so most paid newsletters start at Publisher. Ghost counts free and paid members toward plan limits, which pushes large free lists up the price ladder; Business costs $199 a month billed yearly for 10,000 members. It also asks more setup decisions than Substack, from themes to Stripe connection.
- ✓Ghost takes 0% of subscription revenue; only payment processor fees apply
- ✓Publisher costs $29 a month billed yearly for 1,000 members with paid subscriptions included
- ✓Whitelabel branding on every plan, so no Ghost logo on your site or emails
- ✕No free plan; the cheapest Starter plan is $18 a month billed yearly
- ✕Starter does not include paid subscriptions, marketplace themes or custom themes
- ✕Plans count all members, free and paid, so a large free list raises the price
- Platform fee on paid subscriptions:
- 0% on Publisher and above
- Cheapest plan with paid subscriptions:
- Publisher, $29 per month billed yearly for 1,000 members
- Free plan:
- No
- Staff users:
- 1 on Starter, 3 on Publisher, 15 on Business
- Business plan:
- $199 per month billed yearly
Bottom line: Ghost is the best choice for writers who already have paying readers because Publisher costs $29 a month billed yearly and Ghost takes 0% of subscription revenue. Choose Substack instead if you have no budget and no paid readers yet.
- 02
beehiiv
8.7/10A newsletter platform with built-in website, podcast, digital products, ad network and referral tools.
Price
$49per month
Free plan up to 2,500 subscribers; Lite from $49 per month billed yearly with paid subscriptions at a 0% take rate; Pro from $95 per month billed yearly
“Lite For those ready to grow faster and start monetizing. $49 /mo Yearly billing” Quoted from the pricing page, November 12, 2026.
- Free plan
- Yes
- Value (40%)
- 8.4
- Features (35%)
- 9.2
- Ease of use (25%)
- 8.6
Best forGrowth-focused writers who want ads, referrals and paid subscriptions in one tool
beehiiv is the strongest pick here for a writer who treats a newsletter as a business with several income lines. Its pricing page lists a free plan for up to 2,500 subscribers with unlimited sends, templates, landing pages, the recommendation network and API access. Lite, at $49 a month billed yearly, adds paid subscriptions at a 0% take rate, ad network monetization, automations, polls and A/B testing, and raises the cap to 100,000 subscribers, 2 seats and 3 publications. Pro, at $95 a month billed yearly, removes beehiiv branding and adds webhooks, dynamic content, 10 seats and 24/7 priority support. The costs fall on the flat fee side. A writer with a few hundred paid readers pays more on Lite than on Ghost Publisher, and the free plan cannot charge readers at all. The analytics lookback on the free plan is only 30 days. For writers who want ads and referrals as well as subscriptions, the extra fee buys more tools.
- ✓0% take rate on paid subscriptions from the Lite plan
- ✓Free plan allows unlimited email sends for up to 2,500 subscribers
- ✓Ad network monetization is built in on Lite and Pro
- ✕Paid subscriptions are not on the free plan
- ✕Lite at $49 a month billed yearly costs more than Ghost Publisher at $29
- ✕beehiiv branding stays on emails until the $95 Pro plan
- Platform fee on paid subscriptions:
- 0% take rate on Lite and above
- Free plan:
- Yes, up to 2,500 subscribers
- Cheapest plan with paid subscriptions:
- Lite, $49 per month billed yearly
- Analytics history:
- 30 days on Free, 12 months on Lite, unlimited on Pro
- Team seats:
- 1 on Free, 2 on Lite, 10 on Pro
Bottom line: beehiiv is the best choice for growth-focused writers because Lite combines paid subscriptions at a 0% take rate with a built-in ad network for $49 a month billed yearly. Pick Ghost if you only need paid subscriptions and want the lower flat fee.
- 03
Kit
8.7/10An email marketing platform for creators, formerly ConvertKit, with paid newsletters, digital products and automations.
Price
$33per month
Free plan up to 10,000 subscribers; Creator from $33 per month billed yearly for 1,000 subscribers; commerce fee 3.5% + 30c per sale including card processing
“creator for growing creators $ 33 /mo $ 390 billed yearly” Quoted from the pricing page, November 12, 2026.
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 14 days
- Value (40%)
- 8.5
- Features (35%)
- 9.0
- Ease of use (25%)
- 8.5
Best forCreators with large free lists who sell newsletters and digital products
Kit is the most generous free option for writers who want to charge readers before paying any plan fee. Its pricing page lists a free plan for up to 10,000 subscribers with unlimited broadcasts, landing pages, forms, tagging and the ability to sell digital products and subscriptions. Sales carry a 3.5% plus 30 cents fee per transaction, which Kit says includes credit card processing. On a $5 monthly subscription that works out to about 48 cents a payment, close to Substack's 10% plus Stripe fees, but at $10 or more a month Kit takes a smaller share. The Creator plan, $33 a month billed yearly at 1,000 subscribers, adds visual automations, email sequences, SMS, RSS campaigns and removes Kit branding. Pro adds a referral system, engagement scoring and unlimited users, at a discounted $50 a month for the first year before the standard $66 rate. Writers who earn through Kit's Paid Recommendations should note the 23.5% fee on those earnings.
- ✓Largest free plan on this list, at up to 10,000 subscribers
- ✓Paid newsletters can run on the free plan
- ✓Paying yearly saves 17%, and there is a 14-day free trial of paid plans
- ✕3.5% + 30c per sale costs more on low-priced subscriptions than Stripe-only platforms
- ✕Kit keeps 23.5% of earnings from Paid Recommendations
- ✕The Pro plan's $50 first-year price rises to the standard $66 rate at renewal
- Platform fee on paid subscriptions:
- 3.5% + 30c per transaction, card processing included
- Free plan:
- Yes, up to 10,000 subscribers
- Creator plan:
- $33 per month billed yearly for 1,000 subscribers
- Free trial:
- 14 days on paid plans, no credit card required
- Paid Recommendations fee:
- 23.5% on Creator and Pro
Bottom line: Kit is the best choice for creators with large free lists because its free plan covers up to 10,000 subscribers and can sell paid subscriptions at 3.5% + 30c per sale. Pick beehiiv or Ghost if you charge low monthly prices and want a 0% platform fee.
- 04
Buttondown
8.6/10A small, independent newsletter service with a Markdown editor, custom domain sending and paid subscriptions through Stripe.
Price
Free plan
See vendor pricing (USD check pending); free for the first 100 subscribers; paid subscriptions add-on +$9 per month
US price check pending. Vendor pricing page
- Free plan
- Yes
- Value (40%)
- 9.2
- Features (35%)
- 7.8
- Ease of use (25%)
- 8.6
Best forIndependent writers who want a simple editor and no revenue share
Buttondown suits writers who want a plain, low-cost tool and a clear fee rule. Its paid subscriptions page says it does not take a cut of revenue: you keep everything after credit card fees, processed through Stripe, in any currency Stripe supports, with pay-what-you-like pricing and tier paywalls. The pricing page lists the service as free for the first 100 subscribers, including a rich text or Markdown editor, custom domain sending and hosted archives. Most extras are add-ons: paid subscriptions, tagging, analytics, comments and surveys each cost +$9 a month, and automations, sponsorships and multiple newsletters +$29. The base plan price rises with active subscribers; the site lists a Basic plan at $9 a month up to 1,000 subscribers in its page data, but we could not quote it from visible page text, so the price is marked pending. Buttondown bills only for active subscribers and assumes no more than one send a day, so high-frequency writers should ask about usage pricing.
- ✓Buttondown takes no cut of paid subscription revenue; you keep everything after card fees
- ✓Supports every currency available on Stripe
- ✓Registered nonprofits get a 50% discount
- ✕Free plan stops at 100 subscribers
- ✕Features such as analytics, tagging and automations cost extra as add-ons
- ✕Listed prices assume at most one email a day to your whole list
- Platform fee on paid subscriptions:
- None; only card fees apply
- Free plan:
- Yes, first 100 subscribers
- Paid subscriptions add-on:
- +$9 per month
- Billing basis:
- Active subscribers
- Nonprofit discount:
- 50% for registered nonprofits
Bottom line: Buttondown is the best choice for independent writers who want no revenue share because it takes no cut of paid subscriptions and sells them as a $9 a month add-on. Choose Kit if you need a larger free plan.
- 05
MailerLite
8.5/10An email marketing platform with paid newsletter subscriptions, digital products, websites and automations.
Price
$12per month
Free plan up to 250 subscribers; Comfort from $12 per month; Power from $25 per month; 0% sales fee on paid newsletters
“The Comfort plan (starting $12/month) is the full toolset at the right size for solopreneurs and small teams.” Quoted from the pricing page, November 12, 2026.
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 14 days
- Value (40%)
- 8.6
- Features (35%)
- 8.4
- Ease of use (25%)
- 8.6
Best forWriters who also want a website, automations and digital products at a low plan price
MailerLite is a general email marketing tool that covers paid newsletters well at a low plan price. Its paid newsletter comparison lists a 0% sales fee and a $0 a month service fee for a $10 a month newsletter, with Stripe processing payments, and its digital products page states 0% MailerLite commissions. The pricing page lists the Comfort plan from $12 a month, with unlimited templates, dynamic emails, a preference center, smart sending and the AI writing assistant, and Power from $25 a month for busier senders. A website builder with a blog section is included even on the free plan, so a writer can host an archive without a separate tool. The limits sit at both ends. The free plan now covers only 250 subscribers, 2 seats and 2,500 emails a month, and paid prices climb with list size. There is no discovery network, so growth depends on your own channels.
- ✓MailerLite lists a 0% sales fee on a $10 paid newsletter, against 10% on Substack
- ✓Comfort starts at $12 a month, below every other paid plan here except EmailOctopus and Buttondown
- ✓Nonprofits get a 30% discount on paid plans
- ✕Free plan is small, at 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails a month
- ✕Plan prices rise with subscriber count
- ✕No built-in reader discovery network like Substack or beehiiv
- Platform fee on paid subscriptions:
- 0% sales fee; Stripe fees apply
- Free plan:
- Yes, 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails a month
- Comfort plan:
- From $12 per month
- Power plan:
- From $25 per month
- Yearly billing discount:
- 10%
Bottom line: MailerLite is the best choice for writers who want a website, automations and paid subscriptions under one low bill because Comfort starts at $12 a month and MailerLite charges a 0% sales fee. Choose Kit if you need a free plan above 250 subscribers.
- 06
Substack
8.5/10A free publishing platform for newsletters, podcasts and video that earns a share of paid subscription revenue.
Price
Free10% of paid subscription revenue
Free to publish at any size; Substack keeps 10% of paid subscription revenue, plus Stripe fees
“If you turn on paid subscriptions, Substack keeps 10% of subscription revenue, and Stripe charges its own payment processing fees.” Quoted from the pricing page, November 12, 2026.
- Free plan
- Yes
- Value (40%)
- 8.2
- Features (35%)
- 8.3
- Ease of use (25%)
- 9.4
Best forNew writers with no budget who want built-in reader discovery
Substack is the lowest-risk start for a writer with no budget, and the most expensive option once paid revenue grows. Its help center states that publishing is free at any size, and that once you turn on paid subscriptions Substack keeps 10% of subscription revenue while Stripe charges its own fees: 2.9% plus $0.30 per US card payment and a 0.7% Stripe Billing fee on recurring payments. A custom domain is a one-time $50. What the 10% buys is distribution. Substack says more than half of new subscribers come from its built-in network and that 30%+ of paid subscriptions come from within it, through recommendations, Notes and the app. The editor needs no setup, and podcasts and live video are hosted natively. The cost shows at scale: at $5,000 of monthly revenue, Substack's share is $500 a month, against a $29 flat fee on Ghost Publisher. Writers who expect to rely on their own audience rather than Substack's network should compare that figure.
- ✓$0 to start, with no plan tiers or contracts
- ✓Substack says 30%+ of paid subscriptions come from within its network
- ✓Accepts Apple Pay, Google Pay and local methods such as SEPA Direct Debit through Stripe
- ✕Keeps 10% of every subscription payment, so costs grow with revenue
- ✕Stripe adds 2.9% + $0.30 per US card payment and a 0.7% billing fee
- ✕Fewer design and automation options than Ghost, beehiiv or Kit
- Platform fee on paid subscriptions:
- 10% of each subscription payment
- Stripe card processing:
- 2.9% + $0.30 per US card payment
- Stripe Billing fee:
- 0.7% on recurring payments
- Free plan:
- Yes, free to publish at any size
- Custom domain:
- One-time $50
Bottom line: Substack is the best choice for new writers with no budget because publishing is free and its network supplies more than half of new subscribers, by its own figures. Move to a flat-fee platform once 10% of your revenue is more than a plan fee.
- 07
EmailOctopus
8.0/10A low-cost email marketing service with a free Starter plan and a single paid Pro plan.
Price
$9per month
Free Starter plan up to 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails a month; Pro from $9 per month billed yearly
“PRO $ USD $ 9 PER MONTH, BILLED YEARLY” Quoted from the pricing page, November 12, 2026.
- Free plan
- Yes
- Value (40%)
- 8.6
- Features (35%)
- 6.8
- Ease of use (25%)
- 8.8
Best forWriters who send free newsletters and want the lowest monthly bill
EmailOctopus is on this list for writers who publish for free and care most about the monthly bill. Its USD pricing page lists the Pro plan from $9 a month billed yearly, and the free Starter plan covers 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails a month. Pro removes EmailOctopus branding, keeps reports forever, and allows unlimited landing pages, forms and users, and the account moves to the next tier automatically as the list grows. Editing is simple: a drag and drop builder with 100+ templates, or your own HTML, plus smart timing and gradual sending. The gap for this audience is monetization. The pricing page lists no paid subscriptions, paywall or reader payments, so a writer who wants to charge readers has to pair it with a separate payment or membership tool, which adds its own fees. Starter also limits you to one form, one landing page and 30 days of reports.
- ✓Pro starts at $9 a month billed yearly, the lowest verified paid price on this list
- ✓Free plan covers 2,500 subscribers, ten times MailerLite's free limit
- ✓Nonprofits get a 20% lifetime discount
- ✕Its pricing page lists no paid subscription or paywall feature, so charging readers needs another tool
- ✕Starter keeps reports for only 30 days and allows 1 landing page, 1 form and 1 user
- ✕No free trial of Pro
- Platform fee on paid subscriptions:
- No paid subscription feature listed
- Free plan:
- Yes, 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails a month
- Pro plan:
- From $9 per month billed yearly
- Users on Pro:
- Unlimited
- Nonprofit discount:
- 20% lifetime
Bottom line: EmailOctopus is the best choice for writers who publish free newsletters because Pro costs $9 a month billed yearly and Starter covers 2,500 subscribers for free. Pick Kit or Ghost if you plan to charge readers.
- 08
Flodesk
7.7/10A design-focused email marketing and checkout tool with flat pricing that does not rise with list size.
Price
$38per month
Free plan; Email from $38 per month billed yearly or $46 monthly with unlimited subscribers; Everything with subscriptions from $79 per month billed yearly
“email: $38/month with annual billing ($456/year), or $46/month billed monthly” Quoted from the pricing page, November 12, 2026.
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 14 days
- Value (40%)
- 7.2
- Features (35%)
- 7.5
- Ease of use (25%)
- 8.8
Best forWriters with large or fast-growing lists who want a fixed monthly price
Flodesk prices differently from everyone else here: a flat fee that does not move with list size. Its pricing page lists the Email plan at $38 a month with annual billing or $46 billed monthly, and the Everything plan at $79 a month with annual billing or $99 monthly, both with unlimited subscribers and unlimited emails, and states there are no subscriber tiers or per-email charges. Email covers the editor, workflow automations, A/B testing of subject lines and removal of Flodesk branding. Everything adds checkouts, sales pages, upsells, subscriptions and payment plans, sales tax processing and 2 extra team seats. For a writer with a small list, that flat price is high: at 1,000 subscribers, Ghost Publisher, beehiiv's free plan and Kit's free plan all cost less. The model pays off once a list reaches tens of thousands of readers, where per-subscriber pricing elsewhere climbs. Selling paid subscriptions requires the Everything plan.
- ✓No subscriber tiers or per-email charges on paid plans
- ✓Annual billing gives 2 months free
- ✓14-day free trial with no credit card required
- ✕Paid subscriptions need the Everything plan at $79 a month billed yearly or $99 monthly
- ✕Email plan at $38 a month costs more than most rivals for lists under a few thousand
- ✕Email plan includes 1 seat, the account owner
- Platform fee on paid subscriptions:
- Not stated on the pricing page; subscriptions on Everything plan
- Free plan:
- Yes
- Email plan:
- $38 per month billed yearly, $46 billed monthly
- Everything plan:
- $79 per month billed yearly, $99 billed monthly
- Subscriber limit on paid plans:
- Unlimited
Bottom line: Flodesk is the best choice for writers with large, growing lists because its Email plan costs $38 a month billed yearly with unlimited subscribers. Choose Kit or beehiiv if your list is under a few thousand readers.
- 09
Patreon
7.7/10A membership platform for creators that includes email newsletters, paid tiers, video and community chats.
Price
Free10% of income plus processing fees
Free to start; Patreon keeps 10% of income plus payment processing, currency conversion and payout fees
“10% of the income you earn on Patreon plus payment processing, currency conversion, and payout fees, and applicable taxes.” Quoted from the pricing page, November 12, 2026.
- Free plan
- Yes
- Value (40%)
- 7.4
- Features (35%)
- 7.6
- Ease of use (25%)
- 8.5
Best forCreators who publish more than writing and want payments and taxes handled
Patreon is a membership platform first and a newsletter tool second, which makes sense for writers who also post audio, video or community content. Its pricing page says starting is free and you pay 10% of the income you earn, plus payment processing, currency conversion and payout fees and applicable taxes. In return Patreon runs the payment stack: it handles chargebacks, disputes and fraud, collects and remits most applicable taxes, needs no Stripe setup, and supports 16+ currencies and methods such as PayPal, Apple Pay and Venmo. Members can get email newsletters, native video, livestreams, chats and DMs, and email lists are exportable. For a writer focused on email, the cost is the highest here: the 10% share matches Substack, then processing and payout fees come on top, and there is no reader discovery network on the scale Substack describes. Readers also pay on Patreon, not on your own domain.
- ✓No plan fee, and no Stripe account or tax paperwork to set up
- ✓Exportable email lists
- ✓Native video, podcasts and community chats alongside newsletters
- ✕10% fee plus processing, currency conversion and payout fees, more than Substack's stated card costs
- ✕Email newsletters are one feature of a membership product, not the core
- ✕Readers pay through Patreon rather than on your own site
- Platform fee on paid subscriptions:
- 10% of income, plus processing, conversion and payout fees
- Free plan:
- Free to start
- Currencies:
- 16+ for payouts and pay-ins
- Tax handling:
- Collects and remits most applicable taxes
- Payment methods:
- Cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, Venmo and others
Bottom line: Patreon is the best choice for creators who publish video and community content alongside writing because it handles payments, chargebacks and most taxes for 10% of income plus fees. Writers who only send email should pick Ghost or beehiiv to avoid the revenue share.
What to check before you pay
Do the fee math at your expected revenue
A 10% revenue share looks free at the start and grows with you. At 1,000 paid readers paying $5 a month, $5,000 of monthly revenue, Substack and Patreon each keep $500 a month before card fees, while Ghost Publisher costs $29 a month billed yearly and beehiiv Lite $49 a month billed yearly at 0% take rate. Below roughly $300 to $500 of monthly revenue, the percentage model is usually cheaper.
Card processing is charged everywhere
No platform here removes payment processing costs. Substack lists Stripe card processing at 2.9% plus $0.30 per US card payment and a 0.7% Stripe Billing fee on recurring payments. Kit's 3.5% plus 30 cents commerce fee already includes card processing. Patreon adds payment processing, currency conversion and payout fees on top of its 10%.
Check which plan unlocks paid subscriptions
Paid subscriptions are often missing from entry plans. Ghost's $18 Starter plan does not include them; you need Publisher at $29 a month billed yearly. beehiiv's free plan does not include them; Lite does. Buttondown sells them as a $9 a month add-on, and Flodesk includes subscriptions only on its Everything plan at $79 a month billed yearly.
Count free subscribers, not only paying ones
Plan prices are set by total list or member size. Ghost counts free and paid members, beehiiv and Buttondown count subscribers, and Kit prices its paid plans by email subscribers. A newsletter with 900 paying readers and 9,000 free readers pays for a 10,000 list on these platforms.
Free plans differ by a factor of 100
Kit's free plan covers up to 10,000 subscribers, beehiiv and EmailOctopus up to 2,500, MailerLite up to 250 and Buttondown the first 100. Substack and Patreon are free at any size until you charge readers.
FAQ
Which newsletter platform takes the lowest fees?
Ghost, beehiiv, Buttondown and MailerLite take 0% of paid subscription revenue. You pay their plan fee plus Stripe's card fees instead: Ghost Publisher costs $29 a month billed yearly and beehiiv Lite $49 a month billed yearly, according to their pricing pages in November 2026.
How much does Substack take from paid subscriptions?
10% of each subscription payment. Stripe also charges 2.9% + $0.30 per US card payment and a 0.7% billing fee on recurring payments, according to Substack's help center. Publishing free newsletters costs nothing.
Is Substack or beehiiv cheaper?
Substack is cheaper until 10% of your paid revenue exceeds beehiiv's plan fee. beehiiv Lite costs $49 a month billed yearly with a 0% take rate, so above about $490 a month in subscription revenue, beehiiv costs less before card fees.
What is the best free newsletter platform?
Kit has the largest free plan, covering up to 10,000 subscribers, and it can sell paid subscriptions at 3.5% + 30c per sale. beehiiv and EmailOctopus are free up to 2,500 subscribers, and Substack is free at any size until readers pay.
Does Ghost charge transaction fees?
No. Ghost's pricing page lists 0% transaction fees from Ghost on Publisher, Business and Custom plans; only payment processor fees apply. The $18 Starter plan does not include paid subscriptions.
What does Patreon charge writers?
10% of income, plus payment processing, currency conversion and payout fees and applicable taxes, according to Patreon's pricing page. In return Patreon handles chargebacks, fraud and most tax collection.
Questions or corrections: editorial@rankozo.comSee our disclosure. Prices change; confirm on the vendor page before buying.
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