beehiiv and Kit both serve creators, but they pull the centre of gravity in different directions. beehiiv presents itself as a publication and growth system; Kit presents itself as an audience and creator-business system. Treat those as hypotheses to verify against your workflow.
| Decision factor | beehiiv | Kit |
|---|---|---|
| Free-plan audience limit | Up to 2,500 subscribers | Official pages conflict: 1,000 on current pricing vs 10,000 in Help |
| Free email sends | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Best starting hypothesis | Publication, growth, and newsletter monetisation | Creator products, services, sequences, and audience ownership |
| Free automation note | Advanced automation is a paid-plan consideration | One basic visual automation and one email sequence |
| Migration evidence | Substack content and CSV subscriber imports documented | Substack archive recreation and CSV import documented |
The short answer
Choose beehiiv when the newsletter is the publication and you want a publisher-style growth path. Choose Kit when the newsletter is the audience layer around courses, services, books, or digital products. If neither description fits, compare the neutral alternatives before moving.
What the free plans do not tell you
The headline subscriber limit is only one part of the decision. A free plan can be generous on sends but restrictive on automations, referrals, branding, or support. Use the dated feature notes below as a starting point, then confirm the current account UI before committing.
Use your migration source as a tie-breaker
Both vendors document Substack migration. Kit documents recreating archive posts and warns that paid Substack payment details do not transfer conveniently. beehiiv documents CSV subscriber and Substack content imports.
Read the official product information
These are direct canonical links. Pricing, plan boundaries, and program terms can change; confirm them at the source before you act.