Creator The short answer
There are six common ways to make money with a newsletter, and most creators combine two or three:
- Sponsorships and ad networks: brands pay to appear in your issues.
- Paid subscriptions: readers pay monthly or yearly for some or all issues.
- Paid recommendations: other newsletters pay you per verified subscriber you send them.
- Affiliate links: you earn a commission when readers buy what you link to.
- Digital products: ebooks, templates, courses and downloads.
- Services and community: coaching, bookings or a paid member community.
Your tool decides which of these are built in and what each costs. Beehiiv is built around ads, paid subscriptions and paid recommendations, with 0% taken from subscriptions on paid plans. Kit lets you sell products and paid newsletters even on its free plan, for a per-sale fee. MailerLite bundles paid newsletters, products and bookings into a flat monthly price. Substack is free to start but keeps 10% of subscription revenue.
Revenue models and the tools that support them
What each platform lists natively, and its own cut. “Not listed” means we didn’t find it on the vendor’s pricing or help pages.
| Revenue model | Beehiiv | Kit | MailerLite | Substack |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ad network / sponsorship marketplace | Ad Network on Lite and up (not in all regions), CPM or CPC offers | Newsletter Sponsorships on Creator and Pro; Kit keeps 23.5% of ad revenue | Not listed | Early program for bestsellers via Creator Kits |
| Selling your own sponsorships | Sponsorship storefront on Pro; Stripe invoicing with a $10 flat fee per transaction | Not listed as a separate tool | Not listed | Help center says it doesn’t build advertising tools |
| Paid subscriptions | Lite and up; 0% platform cut plus Stripe 2.9% + $0.30 | Every plan, including Free; 3.5% + 30¢ per payment, card processing included | Comfort and Power; 0% commission plus Stripe fees | Free to start; 10% plus Stripe 2.9% + $0.30 and a 0.5% or 0.7% Billing fee |
| Paid recommendations | Lite and Pro (formerly Boosts); free recommendations on every plan | Creator and Pro; Kit’s fee is 23.5% | Not listed | Free recommendations only |
| Digital products | 0% commission plus Stripe fees; 1 product on Free, 3 on Lite, unlimited on Pro | Every plan; 3.5% + 30¢ | Every plan: 1 product or booking on Free, 5 on Comfort, unlimited on Power | Not listed (subscriptions only) |
| Services and community | Appointments, webinars and coaching on Pro; community features on every plan | Recurring subscriptions for coaching, community access and more | Paid and free appointment bookings | Not listed |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
1. Sponsorships and ad networks
Most free newsletters run on this model. You can join an ad network that matches you with advertisers, sell placements to brands directly, or both.
Beehiiv Ad Network
Beehiiv’s Ad Network page says it’s open to any publication on Lite or above that’s actively sending. You see up to 15 personalized offers, pick the ones you want, and run up to three ads per post. Payouts are based on CPM (unique opens) or CPC (verified unique clicks). Beehiiv’s own illustration: a $5 CPM pays $5 for every 1,000 unique opens. That explains the math; it isn’t a typical rate. Each offer shows an estimated payout, which Beehiiv says isn’t guaranteed. Its pricing page marks the Ad Network “not in trial” and “not in all regions.” Lite starts at $59/month, or $49/month billed yearly, for up to 1,000 subscribers (all tiers in Beehiiv pricing).
Kit Newsletter Sponsorships
Kit’s pricing page lists sponsorships on Creator and Pro, not Free. Its help center describes programmatic ads matched to each subscriber and CPC sponsorships paid per unique verified click. Kit charges “a fee of 23.5% of total ad revenue” and pays out to Stripe 45 days after the end of the month the ad ran, with no minimum threshold.
Selling sponsorships yourself
Direct deals let you set the price and keep the relationship. Beehiiv’s Direct Sponsorships tools support flat-fee or CPM pricing and Stripe invoicing, which its page lists at “a simple $10 flat fee per transaction”; the sponsorship storefront is on Pro. Buttondown sells a Sponsorships add-on for $29/month. On any tool, you can also sell a slot by email and paste the sponsor’s copy into your issue.
Substack and ads
Substack’s help center says it’s “entirely focused on subscriptions” and doesn’t build tools for affiliate links or advertising. That article is from 2023. Substack has since started a native sponsorships program: its October 8, 2026 post says it’s bringing “small groups of bestsellers and brands together,” with bestsellers opting in through a Creator Kit. See Beehiiv vs Substack for the full trade-off.
See Beehiiv’s plansPartner referral link: we may earn a commission if you buy a paid Beehiiv plan, at no extra cost to you.
2. Paid subscriptions: how to start a paid newsletter
Every platform here takes payments through Stripe. What differs is the platform’s own cut.
- Beehiiv: paid subscriptions start on Lite. Its pricing FAQ says it “takes 0% of your paid subscription revenue”; Stripe charges 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction. Lite allows one paid tier; Pro adds unlimited tiers, paid trials and group subscriptions.
- Kit: paid newsletters work on every plan, including Free (up to 10,000 subscribers), with monthly, quarterly or annual billing. The fee is 3.5% + 30¢ per payment, card processing included, “so Kit only takes 0.6%.”
- MailerLite: paid newsletters need Comfort or Power. MailerLite says it “takes 0% commission on your paid subscriptions. Only Stripe fees apply.” Comfort starts at $12/month for up to 500 subscribers.
- Substack: free to publish. When you charge, it keeps 10% of each payment, and Stripe adds 2.9% + $0.30 on US cards plus a recurring Billing fee that Substack’s help articles list as 0.7% in one and 0.5% in another.
- Buttondown and Ghost: Buttondown sells paid subscriptions as a $9/month add-on and takes no cut beyond card fees. Ghost(Pro) includes them from its Publisher plan (not Starter) with 0% transaction fees from Ghost.
What 200 paid subscribers at $8/month cost on each platform
By our arithmetic, 200 readers at $8/month is $1,600/month. We assume a total list of up to 2,500 (free readers count toward plan prices) and monthly plan billing.
| Platform | Platform cut | Payment processing | Plan fee | Total per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Substack | $160 (10%) | $106.40 card fees + $8.00–$11.20 Billing fee | $0 | $274.40–$277.60 |
| Beehiiv Lite | $0 | $106.40 (2.9% + $0.30) | $79 (up to 2,500) | $185.40 |
| Kit Free | $116 (3.5% + 30¢, processing included) | $0 | $116 | |
| MailerLite Comfort | $0 | Stripe fees (amount not stated by MailerLite) | $33 (up to 2,500) | $33 + Stripe fees |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
If MailerLite’s Stripe fees match the 2.9% + $0.30 US card rate Beehiiv and Substack cite, its total would be $139.40; that’s our assumption, not a MailerLite figure. Substack costs the most here, and its 10% grows with revenue. Kit Free beats Beehiiv Lite at this size: by our arithmetic, Kit’s extra 0.6% only passes Lite’s $79 once revenue tops about $13,167/month. But Kit Free has no automations, and Beehiiv’s fee also buys the Ad Network and paid recommendations. More in Kit vs Beehiiv, Substack alternatives and MailerLite vs Substack.
The setup is similar everywhere: connect Stripe, set a monthly and yearly price, choose which posts are paid-only, and tell free readers what the paid tier adds.
3. Paid recommendations (formerly Beehiiv Boosts)
A recommendation shows another newsletter to your new subscribers right after they sign up. Free ones are swaps; paid ones earn you money per subscriber.
- Beehiiv: its Recommendations page puts free recommendations on every plan and paid recommendations, “previously Boosts,” on Lite and Pro. You earn for each subscriber who passes verification. A help article updated October 1, 2026 says Boosts now live under Grow → Recommendations and Email Boosts were retired. Paid recommendations are also “not in trial; not in all regions.”
- Kit: Paid Recommendations run on Creator and Pro through a SparkLoop partnership; Kit’s fee is 23.5% of those earnings.
- Substack: recommendations are free, and its help article describes no paid option.
4. Affiliate links
Affiliate income needs no special feature: link to products you’d recommend anyway and earn on sales. It suits niche newsletters whose readers act on your picks. Disclose affiliate links clearly, as we do at the top of this page, and check your platform’s rules: Substack’s help center says it doesn’t build tools for affiliate links and doesn’t allow publications set up only to advertise products or distribute offers.
5. Digital products and commerce
- Beehiiv takes 0% commission; you pay processing of 2.9% + $0.30. Its pricing table allows 1 product on Free, 3 on Lite and unlimited on Pro, with upsells and custom checkout pages on Pro.
- Kit sells ebooks, courses, coaching, memberships and tip jars on every plan at 3.5% + 30¢. See our Kit for creators guide.
- MailerLite lists digital products on every plan: 1 product or booking on Free, 5 on Comfort, unlimited on Power. See our MailerLite guide.
6. Services, coaching and premium community
Your newsletter can also sell your time. Beehiiv’s digital products page lists coaching and 1:1 sessions, its pricing page puts appointments, webinars and coaching on Pro, and community features come on every plan with access set by tier. MailerLite takes paid and free appointment bookings. Kit’s recurring subscriptions can cover coaching packages and community access. This model can pay well per buyer but doesn’t scale like a product.
How to monetize a free newsletter
If readers don’t pay, your options are sponsorships, ad networks, paid recommendations, affiliate links and products. If you also want a free tool:
- Kit Free: up to 10,000 subscribers, with products, paid newsletters and tip jars at 3.5% + 30¢ per sale. Sponsorships need a paid plan.
- Beehiiv Free: up to 2,500 subscribers, unlimited sends, free recommendations and 1 digital product. Ads and paid recommendations start on Lite.
- MailerLite Free: 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails a month, with 1 digital product or booking.
For free-plan limits side by side, see best free newsletter platforms.
Which tool fits which model
- Ads, paid subscriptions and paid recommendations in one place: Beehiiv, with the broadest built-in set, all from Lite. Start with our Beehiiv for creators guide.
- Products first, with a big free list: Kit.
- Paid newsletter, products and automations for a flat price: MailerLite, from $12/month.
- Subscriptions only, nothing up front: Substack, if you accept the 10%.
Still deciding? Read how to choose a newsletter tool.
Start on Beehiiv for freePartner referral link: we may earn a commission if you buy a paid Beehiiv plan, at no extra cost to you.
FAQ
Can you make money from a newsletter?
Yes, through sponsorships, paid subscriptions, paid recommendations, affiliate links, products and services. Earnings depend on your audience and niche, and the vendors we checked don’t publish typical figures.
How do free newsletters make money?
Mostly from sponsorships, ad networks, paid recommendations and affiliate links, plus products sold to readers.
How many newsletter subscribers do you need to make money?
No vendor we checked sets a universal minimum. Beehiiv’s Ad Network asks for Lite or above and active sending, not a list size, and Kit says you don’t need a large list to run ads. Substack’s sponsorship program currently targets bestsellers.
How does the Beehiiv Ad Network work?
On Lite and up, you reserve offers (up to 5 at a time), add them to posts (up to three per post), and earn on opens or clicks within 72 hours of sending. Payouts follow verified performance, not the estimate.
How do Beehiiv Boosts work?
Boosts are now called paid recommendations: you earn when readers you recommend subscribe and pass verification. They’re under Grow → Recommendations on Lite and Pro.
How much does Substack take from paid subscriptions?
10% of each payment, plus Stripe’s 2.9% + $0.30 on US cards and a recurring Billing fee listed as 0.7% or 0.5% in different Substack help articles.
Sources (checked October 19, 2026)
- Beehiiv pricing page and plain-text version: prices, trial and region notes, monetization tables, 0% take rate
- Beehiiv Ad Network page, paid subscriptions page, Direct Sponsorships page and digital products page: eligibility, payouts, fees
- Beehiiv Recommendations page and help article on the Boosts change: plans, what changed
- Kit pricing page: Free limit, features by plan, transaction and Paid Recommendations fees
- Kit help on Newsletter Sponsorships: ad types, 23.5% fee, payouts
- Kit paid newsletter page and Kit Paid Recommendations page: billing options, SparkLoop
- Substack help on costs and Substack help on reader payments: 10% fee, Stripe fees (0.7% vs 0.5%)
- Substack help on affiliate links and ads, Substack help on recommendations and Substack sponsorships post
- MailerLite pricing page (affiliate link) and MailerLite Substack alternative page: plans, products, 0% commission, bookings
- Buttondown pricing page, Buttondown paid subscriptions page and Ghost pricing page: add-ons, fees, plans
Product names are trademarks of their respective owners. We run Creator Mail Stack independently, and none of these vendors endorse it. Found something out of date? Tell us.