Newsletter platforms tools
Publish, grow and monetize a newsletter. 5 tools we track, checked .
Short answer page: What's the best newsletter platforms tool?
Ranked by fit for solo businesses: tools we profile in depth first, then those used in our research notes, then the rest. Affiliate status never changes the order.
- 1
Substack
Pick this if you want starting a paid newsletter for free.
Free newsletter platform that takes 10% of paid subscriptions.
Free to join, fee per sale · Free plan: Yes · $0 · then 10% of revenue + Stripe fees · Difficulty 1/5
- 2
beehiiv
Pick this if you want growing and monetizing a newsletter.
Newsletter platform with growth tools, an ad network and no revenue cut.
Free plan + paid plans · Free plan: Yes · $0 · then $49/mo billed yearly ($59 monthly) · Difficulty 2/5
- 3
Kit
Pick this if you want creators selling products by email.
Email marketing for creators (formerly ConvertKit) with automations.
Free plan + paid plans · Free plan: Yes · $0 · then from $39/mo · Difficulty 2/5
- 4
Ghost
Pick this if you want an owned site plus paid newsletter, 0% cut.
Open-source publishing platform for newsletters and paid memberships.
Paid plans only · Free plan: Trial only
- 5
Buttondown
Pick this if you want simple, developer-friendly newsletters.
Minimal newsletter tool with Markdown and an API.
Free plan + paid plans · Free plan: Yes
Side-by-side
| Tool | Pricing model | Free plan | Starting price | Difficulty | Output rights | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Substack | Free to join, fee per sale | Yes | $0 · then 10% of revenue + Stripe fees | 1/5 | Not a content generator | Starting a paid newsletter for free |
| beehiiv | Free plan + paid plans | Yes | $0 · then $49/mo billed yearly ($59 monthly) | 2/5 | Not a content generator | Growing and monetizing a newsletter |
| Kit | Free plan + paid plans | Yes | $0 · then from $39/mo | 2/5 | Not a content generator | Creators selling products by email |
| Ghost | Paid plans only | Trial only | See official site | – | – | An owned site plus paid newsletter, 0% cut |
| Buttondown | Free plan + paid plans | Yes | See official site | – | – | Simple, developer-friendly newsletters |
"Starting price" is shown only for tools we profile in depth, where we read the official pricing page on . For the others, check the official site.