Beehiiv vs WordPress.com
Which is better for newsletters?
WordPress.com gives you unlimited subscribers on every plan, a built-in audience of millions, and a real website when you’re ready for one.
Last updated: March 2026 | By the Jetpack Newsletter Team
For most newsletter creators, WordPress.com is the better choice. It’s free to start with unlimited subscribers, includes paid subscriptions on every plan, and comes with a built-in audience network. Beehiiv caps its free plan at 2,500 subscribers and charges $43–$219/month based on your list size before you can sell paid subscriptions.
We know picking a newsletter platform can be hard, so here’s a straight comparison: features, real pricing at every scale, and an honest look at who each platform is built for.
How they compare
| Feature | WordPress.com | Beehiiv |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Creators who want to grow beyond a newsletter | Newsletter-only creators focused on growth tactics |
| G2 rating | 4.4/5 (2,669 reviews) ↗ | 4.5/5 (35 reviews) ↗ |
| Subscriber limits | Unlimited on every plan, including free | Capped: 2,500 on free, 100,000 on paid plans |
| Free plan | Yes, with unlimited subscribers and paid subscriptions | Yes, capped at 2,500 subscribers, no paid subscriptions |
| Monthly plan cost | $0–$45/mo | $0–$219/mo (scales with subscribers) |
| Transaction fees | 0–10% (depends on plan, 0% on Commerce) | 0% on Scale ($43–$219/mo based on subscriber count) |
| Paid subscriptions | Built-in on every plan, including free | Requires Scale plan ($43/mo+, scales with subscribers) |
| Full website | Blog, store, podcasts, custom pages, landing pages | Newsletter landing page only |
| Discovery | Built-in network with millions of readers | Recommendation network between Beehiiv newsletters |
| Open source | Yes | No |
| Track record | Founded 2003 | Founded 2021 |
| Ecosystem | 59,000+ plugins, thousands of themes | Limited integrations |
Pricing: Beehiiv vs WordPress.com
Sending a newsletter
When you send a free newsletter to your subscribers:
WordPress.com doesn’t charge based on subscriber count. Beehiiv does. At 50,000 subscribers, Beehiiv costs 55x more.
| Subscribers | WordPress.com | Beehiiv |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | $0/mo | $0/mo |
| 2,500 | $0/mo | $61/mo |
| 10,000 | $0/mo | $96/mo |
| 25,000 | $0/mo | $149/mo |
| 50,000 | $0/mo | $219/mo |
Monetizing a newsletter
When you charge for your newsletter:
WordPress.com includes paid subscriptions on every plan, including free. Beehiiv doesn’t offer paid subscriptions at all until you pay $43/month or more.
| Paid subscribers | WordPress.com | Beehiiv |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | $10 | $43 |
| 500 | $45 | $43 |
| 2,500 | $45 | $61 |
| 5,000 | $45 | $78 |
| 10,000 | $45 | $96 |
Both platforms use Stripe for payment processing (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction). Pricing as of March 2026.
Who should choose WordPress.com
WordPress.com is the right choice if you:
- Want a newsletter, website, and even a store on one platform
- Want to reach millions of new readers through the WordPress.com Reader and the Fediverse
- Want unlimited subscribers without worrying about caps or tier upgrades
- Want to start selling paid subscriptions without paying a platform fee first
- Want the stability of a platform powering 43% of the web
- Prefer owning your platform (open source) over renting from a venture-backed startup
Who should choose Beehiiv
Beehiiv may work for you if you:
- Only need a newsletter and don’t plan to build a website
- Want built-in ad monetization through Beehiiv’s ad network
- Want referral programs and growth tools baked into the platform
Frequently asked questions
Beehiiv vs WordPress.com, explained.
What’s the relationship between WordPress.com and Jetpack Newsletter?
WordPress.com and Jetpack are both made by Automattic. WordPress.com hosts your website. Jetpack provides the newsletter functionality: sending emails to subscribers, managing paid subscriptions, and providing audience analytics.
When you create a newsletter on WordPress.com, you’re
using Jetpack Newsletter on a site hosted by WordPress.com. You don’t need to install or configure anything separately. Jetpack Newsletter is also available as a plugin for self-hosted WordPress.org sites.
Is Beehiiv better than WordPress.com for newsletters?
Beehiiv is a newsletter-only platform with growth tools like referral programs and an ad network. WordPress.com is a full publishing platform with newsletters, a website, and a store. For creators who only need email, Beehiiv works. For creators who want to build something bigger, WordPress.com is the better long-term choice.
Is WordPress.com cheaper than Beehiiv?
Yes, especially as you grow. WordPress.com has unlimited subscribers on every plan, including free. Beehiiv’s free plan caps at 2,500 subscribers, then charges $43/month at 1,000 subs, $96/month at 10,000 subs, and $219/month at 50,000 subs. WordPress.com stays at $4/month regardless. For paid subscriptions, WordPress.com lets you start for free (with a 10% fee) or pay $45/month for 0% fees. Beehiiv requires its Scale plan just to turn on paid subscriptions.
WordPress.com pricing also compares favorably to Substack and Ghost.
How much does Beehiiv cost?
Beehiiv has four plans: Launch (free, up to 2,500 subscribers), Scale (starts at $43/month, rises to $219/month at 50,000 subscribers), Max (starts at $96/month, rises to $334/month at 50,000 subscribers), and Enterprise (custom pricing). Paid subscriptions, automations, and ad monetization all require Scale or higher. WordPress.com starts free with unlimited subscribers and paid subscriptions on every plan, maxing out at $45/month for 0% transaction fees.
Can I move from Beehiiv to WordPress.com?
Yes. Beehiiv lets you export your posts and subscriber list as CSV files. Import your content through WordPress.com’s standard importer and upload your subscriber list separately. If you use a custom domain, you can point it to WordPress.com with no downtime for your readers.
Does Beehiiv have a free plan?
Yes, Beehiiv’s Launch plan is free for up to 2,500 subscribers. It includes basic newsletter sending and a landing page, but no paid subscriptions, automations, or ad monetization. WordPress.com is also free to start, but with unlimited subscribers and paid subscriptions included from day one.
Does WordPress.com have a discovery network?
Yes. WordPress.com has Reader, an integrated feed for millions of WordPress.com users, and Fediverse distribution via ActivityPub that pushes your posts to Mastodon (15M+ users), Threads (170M+ users), and Flipboard. Beehiiv has a recommendation network where newsletters can cross-promote each other, and a Boosts marketplace where you pay to acquire subscribers from other Beehiiv newsletters. WordPress.com’s discovery reaches readers outside the platform. Beehiiv’s stays within its own network.
Is Beehiiv open source?
No. Beehiiv is a closed-source, venture-backed company that has raised roughly $50 million. If Beehiiv changes direction, raises prices, or shuts down, your options are limited. WordPress is open source, which means your content is always portable and you’re never locked in.
Does Beehiiv have an ad network?
Yes. Beehiiv’s ad network connects newsletter creators with advertisers directly within the platform. This is one of Beehiiv’s genuine strengths. WordPress.com doesn’t have a built-in ad marketplace for newsletters, though creators can sell sponsorships directly or use the WordAds program for website advertising.
Which is easier to use, WordPress.com or Beehiiv?
Both platforms are easy to start with. Beehiiv is focused on newsletters, so its interface has fewer options. WordPress.com has more features, but its guided setup and visual editor make it straightforward even for beginners. If you only want email, Beehiiv is simpler. If you want a newsletter that can grow into a full website, WordPress.com handles both without switching platforms.
