Beehiiv vs MailerLite
Choose Beehiiv if you are building a newsletter-led publication and want built-in audience growth, podcast, community, and ad tools; choose MailerLite if you need email marketing for a business, with automations, forms, and e-commerce integrations. Both offer hosted newsletters, websites, digital products, and paid subscriptions, but their free-plan limits and paid-plan prices differ substantially.
Last updated October 31, 2026.
At a glance
| Dimension | Beehiiv | MailerLite |
|---|---|---|
| Free subscriber limit | Up to 2,500 subscribers | Up to 250 active subscribers |
| Email sending limits | Unlimited on every plan | Free: 2,500/month; Comfort: tier-based; Power: unlimited |
| Paid plans | Lite from $49/month with yearly billing; Pro from $95/month | Comfort from $12/month; Power from $25/month |
| Free-plan automations | Not included | Up to 3 active automations |
| Audience growth | Recommendation network; paid-plan referral program | Signup forms, pop-ups and landing pages |
| Newsletter monetization | Paid subscriptions and ad monetization on Lite and above | Paid newsletters through Stripe on paid plans |
| Podcasts and community | Podcast and community included on every plan | Not published |
| Commerce tools | Digital products; appointments on Pro | Digital products, bookings and e-commerce integrations |
| Websites | Hosted website and landing pages | Free: 1 website and 1 landing page |
| Integrations | Stripe, Shopify, Zapier, Make and API | 100+ integrations, including Stripe, Shopify and WooCommerce |
| Team seats | Free: 1; Lite: 2; Pro: 10 | Free: 2; Comfort: 3; Power: unlimited |
| Support | Help center; Pro: 24/7 priority support | Free: community support; Power: 24/7 live chat |
Scroll the table sideways to compare each row.
Which should you choose?
Choose Beehiiv if
- Newsletter publishers who want a larger free subscriber allowance
- Creators who want unlimited email sends on every plan
- Publishers seeking built-in recommendations and paid-plan ad monetization
- Teams combining a newsletter, podcast, and community
Choose MailerLite if
- Small businesses starting with email automations on a free plan
- Marketers connecting email campaigns to Shopify or WooCommerce
- Teams seeking a lower published starting price for paid plans
- Businesses selling bookings or digital products alongside email campaigns
The verdict
Pick Beehiiv when the deciding factor is growing and monetizing a publication: its free plan allows up to 2,500 subscribers and unlimited sends, while paid plans add ad monetization and paid subscriptions. Pick MailerLite when the deciding factor is running marketing campaigns and customer journeys: its free plan includes limited automations, and its paid plans start at a lower published price. Check the subscriber and sending tier you need before comparing costs.
Beehiiv vs MailerLite: common questions
- Which has the more generous free plan for sending newsletters?
- Beehiiv allows up to 2,500 subscribers and unlimited email sends on its free plan. MailerLite's free plan allows up to 250 active subscribers and 2,500 emails per month, but includes up to three active automations.
- Which costs less to start paying for?
- MailerLite publishes a starting price of $12 per month for Comfort, while Beehiiv Lite starts at $49 per month with yearly billing at 1,000 subscribers. Prices depend on the plan, subscriber tier, and billing choice.
- Can I automate emails on a free plan?
- MailerLite's free plan allows up to three active automations. Beehiiv lists email automations starting on its paid Lite plan.
- Can I sell paid newsletter subscriptions with either product?
- Yes. Beehiiv offers paid subscriptions on Lite and higher with a 0% Beehiiv take rate. MailerLite offers paid newsletters through its Stripe integration on paid plans. Payment processing fees may still apply.
- Which is a better fit for a newsletter supported by ads?
- Beehiiv is the clearer fit if built-in ad monetization is a requirement: it lists ad monetization on Lite and higher. MailerLite emphasizes paid newsletters, digital products, bookings, and e-commerce integrations instead.
- Can I build a website with either platform?
- Yes. Beehiiv includes a website on every plan. MailerLite's free plan includes one website of up to five pages and one landing page; its paid plans allow more.
- Which works with an online store?
- MailerLite publishes Shopify and WooCommerce integrations for connecting store activity with email marketing. Beehiiv publishes a Shopify integration, alongside digital-product and paid-subscription tools.
- Does either platform offer unlimited email sends?
- Beehiiv includes unlimited email sends on every plan. MailerLite includes unlimited monthly sends on Power, subject to its fair use policy; Free and Comfort have monthly sending limits.