6 Ways to Make Money with beehiiv | A Realistic Roadmap Starting from the Free Plan [2026 Edition]

Hi, I’m Hoda.

More people seem to be searching for “beehiiv monetization” lately, so in this article I’ll lay out how you can actually earn money with beehiiv, from the perspective of a creator who writes a newsletter in a language other than English.

If you only look at beehiiv’s official information, it gives the impression that “ads, paid subscriptions, Boosts… you can do everything!” But if you run a non-English newsletter, the methods that suit you and the ones that don’t are clearly separated. I’ll cover that too, as honestly as I can.

I uploaded a new explainer video in August 2026! It covers the basics, the features, and how to monetize.

The bottom line: For non-English newsletters, the realistic options are four: “paid subscriptions,” “digital products,” “affiliate (Partner Program),” and “direct sales to local sponsors.” The Ad Network and Paid Recommendations (formerly Boosts) are centered on English-language offers, so it is safest to check whether offers actually reach your own account before setting your expectations.

All the Ways to Monetize with beehiiv

Here are the monetization methods available in beehiiv, organized by required plan and how well they fit non-English newsletters.

For pricing plans and the feature differences between plans, see beehiiv pricing plans explained in depth.

A Prerequisite to Know First: You Need to Connect Stripe

Almost all of beehiiv’s monetization is built on Stripe.

• Paid subscriptions and paid digital products: Connect your own Stripe account to receive payments
• Ad Network and Paid Recommendations: You need a Stripe Express account to receive payments (earnings go into your beehiiv wallet, and a Stripe connection is required when you withdraw)
• Monetization features in general, such as direct sponsorships: Stripe identity verification is required

Stripe is available in many countries, but the officially supported countries change, and beehiiv says to check Stripe’s list of supported countries for the latest. Check your own registration status in advance.

① Earn “Directly from Readers” with Paid Subscriptions

The most standard method is to make part of your newsletter paid and collect subscription fees monthly or yearly.

beehiiv’s distinguishing point is that the platform takes 0% of subscription fees (only Stripe’s payment fees apply). Unlike Substack, it doesn’t take 10% of your revenue.

What You Can Do

• Flexible billing formats, such as monthly, yearly, and one-time payments
• Multiple tiers (for example, Standard / Premium)
• Pay What You Want (a format where subscribers choose the amount)
• Splitting each post into a free section and a paid section (custom paywall)
• Tracking which posts converted readers to paid members

Realistic Ways to Use It

• Use a two-layer structure: “the free edition has news and summaries, the paid edition has deep dives, templates, and practical know-how”
• Attract visitors through SEO with free posts published on the web, then lead them to “continue reading with a paid subscription”
• Set up a community channel that only paid subscribers can join, and create value with a “read” + “ask questions” set

Revenue Illustration (Based on Assumptions Only)

Subtract beehiiv’s plan cost (from $69 per month for the Scale plan up to 2,500 subscribers) from this, and what’s left is your actual take-home. Whether “paid subscription revenue > plan cost” holds is one benchmark for deciding whether to move up to Scale.

For how to set up paid community channels, see how to use beehiiv communities.

② Sell Digital Products (PDFs, Templates, Coaching)

With beehiiv, you can run a shop right inside your newsletter site. You can sell PDFs, eBooks, templates, checklists, spreadsheets, coaching, and more.

Here too, beehiiv’s fee is 0% and only Stripe’s payment fees apply. A big advantage is that, without using an external service such as Gumroad, you can manage your newsletter subscriber data and your product buyer data in the same place.

Product Ideas That Sell Well for Non-English Newsletters

• “Getting-started guide PDFs”: Setup steps for tools written in your own language (the demand is higher for tools whose English interface is a barrier)
• Template collections: Templates for Notion, Google Sheets, email copy, and more
• One-point consultations (coaching): Sell 30 to 60 minute consultation slots as a product
• “Compilation editions” of your posts: Re-edit a series of articles into an eBook

Free Digital Products Can Work as “Lead Magnets”

Free digital products don’t require a Stripe connection, and can be used as “lead magnets” that you give away in exchange for an email address. Paid products need the Scale plan or higher to publish, but you can create them as drafts even on the free plan.

Follow Up After a Purchase with Automations

You can set up automatic emails to buyers at 1 day, 3 days, and 7 days after purchase using the automation trigger (Product purchased). If you send “tips for using it,” “frequently asked questions,” and “an introduction to your next product,” you can lead to repeat purchases with little effort. For how it works, see beehiiv automations explained.

③ Partner with Local Advertisers Through Direct Sponsorships

This feature is available on the Max plan and higher. You create a “storefront” that lists your sponsorship slots as products, receive inquiries and proposals from advertisers, and handle billing and management right in beehiiv.

What You Can Do

• Package your ad slots, set prices, and publish them in a storefront
• Approve or decline proposals from advertisers in the dashboard
• Create proposals and send them to individual advertisers
• Complete everything through invoicing within beehiiv

A Realistic Approach for Non-English Newsletters

Unlike the Ad Network, the assumption is that you find the advertisers yourself. So the basic strategy is to approach local companies that match your readers, such as IT, SaaS, and education companies in your market.

The Max plan starts at $109 per month, a higher fixed cost than the other methods. I recommend switching once you are in a state where “inquiries are already coming in” or “you have prospects to approach.”

④ Earn Ad Revenue with the Ad Network

beehiiv’s Ad Network lets you insert ad campaigns with pre-set terms (CPM or CPC) into your newsletter without any sales effort.

How It Works and the Requirements

• You need the Scale plan or higher, and you must actually be sending email from beehiiv
• Earnings are based on clicks (CPC) or impressions (CPM)
• You can view offers in “Ad Network > Offers,” and choose which ones to accept
• You can run it alongside other ads (it is not exclusive)
• Earnings go into your beehiiv wallet and are withdrawn through Stripe

If you set your Ad Network Preferences first, the accuracy of the matching improves.

Don’t Expect Too Much for Non-English Newsletters

I’ll write this part with some caution. Judging from beehiiv’s official materials, the advertisers are mainly English-language brands. The official materials don’t state how many offers reach lists in other languages.

• Using it requires the Scale plan or higher
• First, during Scale’s 30-day free trial, check what offers appear in your own account
• If there are almost no offers, decide whether to keep a paid plan together with your other monetization

⑤ Earn Referral Rewards with Paid Recommendations (Formerly Boosts)

In July 2026, Boosts was renamed “Paid Recommendations,” and merged into the same screen as free Recommendations.

It works like this: you promote other newsletters on your subscribe form or on the web, and you receive a reward for each person (verified) who actually subscribes. The reward is the amount set by the advertiser, minus a 20% platform fee.

Cautions

• On April 10, 2026, Email Boosts (Boosts inside emails) and similar formats were discontinued, and the focus is now recommendations on the web
• Some offers set requirements on the subscriber’s country and language
• They are shown with a “sponsored” label

If your list is in a language other than English, it is likely that you will often fail to meet an offer’s country and language requirements. Using the free recommendations as a way to grow your list, rather than as monetization, may be more realistic.

⑥ Make Communities and Podcasts a “Paid Entry Point”

In July 2026, beehiiv added a community feature, and podcast hosting also became built in. These two are suited to raising value in combination with the paid subscriptions in ①, rather than earning on their own.

• Community: Create channels only paid subscribers can join, as a place for questions, interaction, and exclusive posts
• Podcast: Set episodes that only paid subscribers can listen to
• Automatic sync with your newsletter: Posts and episodes you publish flow into the community automatically

Communities are available on paid plans, and podcasts let you publish up to one episode per month even on the free plan (see how to use beehiiv Podcasts for the limits of each plan).

By Stage: Where Should You Start?

Rather than doing monetization all at once, it is less likely to fail if you progress in stages that match the size of your list.

Cautions When Monetizing with beehiiv

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q. Can I monetize on the free plan?

A. On the free plan (Launch), you can build a list, give away free digital products, join the Partner Program, and so on. Paid subscriptions, selling paid products, the Ad Network, and similar features all require a paid plan (Scale or higher).

Q. How many subscribers do I need to monetize?

A. There is no clear threshold. Paid subscriptions and digital products can work even with a small number of readers if your relationship with them is strong. However, it’s a good idea to estimate in advance whether your revenue will exceed the monthly cost of the Scale plan.

Q. Can I use the Ad Network with a non-English newsletter?

A. Even if you write in another language, you can use it as long as you are on the Scale plan or higher and are actually sending. However, the official materials don’t state how many offers for non-English lists will reach you, so the surest way is to check during the free trial.

Q. How do I receive my earnings?

A. Paid subscriptions and digital products are deposited directly into your own Stripe account. Earnings from the Ad Network and Paid Recommendations go into your beehiiv wallet first, and are withdrawn through Stripe Express.

Q. What fees apply to my sales?

A. For paid subscriptions and digital products, beehiiv’s fee is 0% and only Stripe’s payment fees apply. For Paid Recommendations, 20% is deducted from your reward.

Summary

beehiiv’s monetization looks glamorous when you only count the features, but for non-English newsletters, it is realistic to build around three: paid subscriptions, digital products, and local sponsors.

• Start by growing your list on the free plan
• Collect email addresses with free digital products
• Start small-scale monetization with paid subscriptions or digital products
• Once revenue starts running, move on to higher-level approaches such as direct sponsorships

In this order, you can find out “what is likely to sell for my own publication” before paying for a plan. You can try it free up to 2,500 subscribers, so if you’re curious, give it a try.

For an overview of beehiiv’s features, see our beehiiv review, and for the steps to get started, see how to use beehiiv as well.