The 80/20 of Newsletters
Tools for sending newsletters and growing a subscriber list. The 2024 shakeout left three real choices.
The newsletter platform category thinned out between 2023 and 2024. MailChimp lost its position as the obvious default when it repriced its free tier to 500 contacts — enough to alienate the early-stage writers who built its reputation. What’s left is three meaningful choices: Beehiiv for writers who want monetization and growth mechanics built in, Substack for writers who want zero configuration and are fine with Substack’s brand on their emails, and ConvertKit (now Kit) for creators who already have a broader business around their audience.
The wrong way to pick: by deliverability claims. The deliverability gap between the top platforms is negligible at under 50K subscribers. Pick on pricing model — Beehiiv charges a flat $42/month above 1K subscribers, Substack takes 10% of paid revenue forever.
Core picks
Common questions
What are the best newsletters tools?
Our top picks are Beehiiv. See the full list below for our 80/20 verdict on each.
How do you pick the best newsletters tool?
We sort every tool into core (use unless you have a reason not to), situational (great for a specific use case), or skip. The choice usually comes down to your team size, collaboration model, and existing toolchain. See our methodology page for the full evaluation criteria.
Are there free newsletters tools?
Yes. Beehiiv have a free tier or are open-source.