The best paid newsletter platforms in 2026: fees and features compared
The best platforms for a paid newsletter compared on fees, monthly cost, and what you can sell: Substack, beehiiv, Ghost, Kit, Eden, and Patreon. Prices checked October 2026.
The best paid newsletter platform depends on where your readers come from and what else you sell. Substack is best to start from zero, thanks to its network, but takes 10% forever. beehiiv is best for growth tools with 0% taken, from $59 a month after its October 2026 price increase. Ghost is best for your own site with 0%. Kit has paid newsletters on its free plan for 3.5% + 30¢. Eden is best when the newsletter sits next to courses, coaching, or downloads, for 5% (2% on Max).
Full disclosure: we make Eden, one of the platforms below, and we say plainly where the others are the better pick. Prices were checked on each company's site in October 2026.
The short version
| Platform | Monthly cost at 1,000 | Cut of paid subscriptions | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Substack | $0 | 10% | Starting from zero, discovery |
| beehiiv | $59 (Lite) | 0% | Growth tools, ads, referrals |
| Ghost | $35 (Publisher) | 0% | Your own website |
| Kit | $0 (Free, up to 10,000) | 3.5% + 30¢, card fee included | Automations, a big free plan |
| Eden | $29 (Starter), $15 more past 250 | 5%, or 2% on Max | A newsletter next to your other offers |
| Patreon | $0 | 10% for new pages | Fans supporting your work |
Stripe's card fee, about 2.9% + 30¢ per payment, applies on top everywhere except Kit. Substack also passes on Stripe's 0.7% recurring billing fee.
What it really costs
Say 500 readers pay $8 a month ($4,000 a month) and 2,000 more read for free, so 2,500 people in all. Before Stripe:
| Platform | You pay a month | How |
|---|---|---|
| beehiiv Lite | $79 | Plan at 2,500 subscribers, 0% cut |
| Eden Starter | $258 | $29 plan + $29 list size + 5% ($200) |
| Eden Max | $308 | $199 plan + $29 list size + 2% ($80) |
| Substack | $400 | 10% of $4,000 |
For the newsletter alone, beehiiv and Ghost cost the least once you have paid revenue. Substack costs the least while you have none. Eden's plan also covers a store, courses, coaching, and AI, which matters if you sell those too.
1. Substack: best to start from zero
Free to publish, with a website, an app, Notes, and recommendations that bring readers to you. Substack says its app brings in over 30% of paid subscriptions.
Where it falls short: 10% of every payment, forever, and it only sells subscriptions. See Substack fees explained.
2. beehiiv: best for growth tools
A website, an ad network, a referral program, recommendations, and 0% on paid subscriptions.
Where it falls short: it raised prices on October 1, 2026 (Lite at 10,000 went from $109 to $139 a month). Lite allows one paid tier, and paid trials need Pro. See beehiiv pricing.
3. Ghost: best for your own site
Ghost(Pro) gives you a real website you control, a newsletter, and paid memberships, with 0% taken and a free custom domain.
Where it falls short: fewer growth tools, and paid memberships start on Publisher ($35 a month at 1,000 members, $105 at 10,000).
4. Kit: best for automations
Paid newsletters on every plan, even Free up to 10,000 subscribers, with strong automations on Creator.
Where it falls short: 3.5% + 30¢ per sale, and sequences need Creator ($33 a month at 1,000 billed yearly, $116 at 10,000).
5. Eden: best next to your other offers
Eden sells a newsletter as a product in your store, next to your courses, coaching, downloads, and Custom AI.
What it does well:
- Monthly, yearly, or lifetime, with a free trial of 1 to 90 days.
- Issues by email and in an archive paying readers open in Eden on web and phone.
- A free sample issue anyone can read, and recent issues shown locked on your page.
- Sales emails that know who bought. Sequences for free downloaders and buyers, and checkout recovery (Pro).
- Works with Substack. Keep your newsletter on Substack and send your store's signups there automatically.
Where it falls short: no public web archive, no discovery network, no ad network or referrals, and issues send from Eden's address. Paid subscribers can't be moved over from another platform automatically yet.
6. Patreon: best for fan support
Tiers, posts, and community for fans who want to back you. It takes 10% for pages launched after August 4, 2025, the same cut as Substack.
How to choose
- New writer, no audience yet: Substack, for the network.
- Growing a publication with sponsors: beehiiv.
- You want to own your site: Ghost.
- You want automations and a free plan: Kit.
- You sell courses, coaching, or downloads too: Eden, or keep your newsletter where it is and add Eden for the store.
How to start a paid newsletter on Eden
- 01
Create it
In Your store → Products, click New product and pick Newsletter.
- 02
Price it and add issues
Set a monthly and yearly price on Offer, then add a few issues on Issues and turn on Free sample for one.
- 03
Publish and send
Finish Page and Publish, then open an issue and click Email it to subscribers….
More in how to start a paid newsletter.
Frequently asked questions
Which paid newsletter platform has the lowest fees?
beehiiv and Ghost take 0% of paid subscriptions, but charge a monthly plan. Eden takes 5% (2% on Max), Kit 3.5% + 30¢, and Substack and Patreon 10%.
Is Substack or beehiiv better for a paid newsletter?
Substack if you're starting from zero and want its network. beehiiv if you already have readers and want 0% and growth tools. beehiiv got more expensive on October 1, 2026, so run the numbers at your list size.
Can I run a paid newsletter and sell courses on the same platform?
Yes, on Eden. Your newsletter, courses, coaching, and downloads share one store, one checkout, and one email list. Kit and beehiiv sell digital products too.
Want your newsletter next to everything else you sell? Start Eden free.