Newsletter platform Beehiiv expects to nearly double its annual revenue to $50 million in 2026, challenging industry leader Substack amid booming demand for creator monetization tools.
CEO and co-founder Tyler Denk shared the projection in an exclusive Reuters interview on Tuesday.
The company now has over 40,000 monthly active users, including nearly 15,000 paying subscribers, with roughly one in seven new writers migrating from Substack.
Beehiiv differentiates itself with a flat-fee pricing model (starting at $39/month for basic plans, with custom enterprise tiers) instead of Substack's 10% cut on paid subscriptions plus Stripe fees. It also features an integrated ad network that lets creators earn from programmatic advertising—retaining a higher share of revenue—while offering boosts, sponsored placements, and tools like AI-powered website builders, podcast integration, analytics, and commerce features.
This approach appeals to professional publishers and scaling creators frustrated with revenue-sharing models. Beehiiv's ad network has become a major driver, paying out over $1 million monthly to publishers in recent reports, and the company plans to double its ad sales team in early 2026 to capture more of the email-native ad market.
The growth builds on strong 2025 momentum, including a $34 million annualized run rate by year-end, 3 billion+ emails sent monthly, and over $45 million earned by creators on the platform. New product launches in late 2025, such as AI tools and podcast features, support diversification beyond basic newsletters.
While Substack holds a $1.1 billon valuation and first-mover advantage, Beehiiv (last valued at $225 million after raising ~$50 million) is gaining traction by prioritizing creator earnings and full-stack infrastructure. Industry observers see this rivalry highlighting shifts in digital publishing, where creators favor scalable, low-cut monetization over simple distribution.
As the creator economy expands, Beehiiv's metrics and innovations position it to close the gap and potentially attract more investor interest in 2026.