The fee models, in one sentence each
Substack: writers keep 90% of revenue minus credit card fees. [1] beehiiv: 0% of paid subscription revenue, minus Stripe's standard 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction, with paid subscriptions on Lite and above. [2] Kit: paid newsletters on all plans, with 3.5% + 30 cents per transaction listed as inclusive of card processing, of which Kit says it takes 0.6%. [3] MailerLite: 0% commission and only Stripe fees, with paid newsletters on the Comfort and Power plans. [5] [4] Ghost: 0% transaction fee on Publisher and above, with payment processor fees still applying. [6]
In practice the choice is between a percentage of revenue (Substack, and Kit's processing-inclusive rate) and a flat plan fee plus Stripe's own charge (beehiiv, MailerLite, Ghost).
Comparison table
| Platform | Platform cut of paid revenue | Card processing | Plan needed for paid subs | Custom domain | List export |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Substack | 10% [1] | Credit card fees deducted [1] | No plan fee stated [1] | Not stated on page we read | Says you own your subscriber list [1] |
| beehiiv | 0% [2] | Stripe 2.9% + $0.30 [2] | Lite, $59/mo at up to 1,000 [2] | Lite and above in the plan table; Free card also lists it, so confirm [2] | Dashboard CSV on all plans [8] |
| Kit | 0.6% within 3.5% + 30c [3] | Included in 3.5% + 30c [3] | Free up to 10,000 [3] | Not checked | CSV with tags and fields [9] |
| MailerLite | 0% [5] | Stripe fees apply [5] | Comfort, $19/mo at 1,000 [4] [10] | Not confirmed on page | Not checked |
| Ghost(Pro) | 0% on Publisher+ [6] | Processor fees apply [6] | Publisher, $29/mo billed yearly, base price covers 1,000 members [6] | All plans [6] | Members CSV any time [6] |
Worked example: 200 paid subscribers at $8 a month
Hypothetical: 200 paid subscribers on monthly billing at $8, plus 800 free readers, for 1,000 subscribers in total. Gross paid revenue is $1,600 a month. For the platforms that use Stripe, we apply Stripe's standard US domestic card rate of 2.9% + 30 cents per successful transaction: 200 charges x ($0.232 + $0.30) = $106.40. [7] Stripe lists extra fees for international cards (+1.5%), currency conversion (+1%) and its Billing product (0.7% of Billing volume), so treat the card figure as a floor. [7]
Substack: 10% is $160, plus card fees. Substack's page does not state its card fee, so we use the same Stripe figure as an estimate: $1,600 minus $160 minus $106.40 leaves about $1,333.60. [1] [7] beehiiv Lite: $59 plan plus $106.40 leaves $1,434.60. [2] MailerLite Comfort at the 1,000 tier: $19 plus $106.40 leaves $1,474.60. [10] [7] Ghost Publisher: $29 a month billed yearly plus $106.40 leaves $1,464.60. [6] Kit Free: 200 x (3.5% of $8 + $0.30) = $116, leaving $1,484, or $1,445 if you add Creator at $39 for sequences. [3]
| Platform | Plan cost | Platform cut | Card processing | You keep (of $1,600) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Substack | None stated | $160 | ~$106.40 (estimate) | ~$1,333.60 |
| beehiiv Lite | $59 | $0 | $106.40 | $1,434.60 |
| Ghost Publisher | $29 (yearly billing) | $0 | $106.40 | $1,464.60 |
| MailerLite Comfort | $19 | $0 | $106.40 | $1,474.60 |
| Kit Free | $0 | Included | $116.00 total | $1,484.00 |
Where the break-even sits
A flat plan fee beats a 10% cut once 10% of your monthly paid revenue exceeds the plan price. Against beehiiv Lite at $59, that happens above $590 a month in paid revenue; against MailerLite Comfort at $19 for 1,000 subscribers, above $190. [2] [10] Below those amounts Substack's percentage model is cheaper.
Annual subscriptions change the card maths: one $80 yearly charge pays the 30-cent fixed fee once instead of twelve times. If most readers pay yearly, the gap between Kit's rate and the Stripe-based platforms narrows.
What else to check before moving
- Paid subscribers: confirm how each platform migrates existing Stripe subscriptions; do not ask readers to re-subscribe unless the platform requires it.
- Domain: point your own domain at the new platform before announcing the move, so links in old issues still work.
- Export: run a test export on the new platform in week one; beehiiv download links last 24 hours and Kit's last 5 days. [8] [9]
- Growth features: platform-specific discovery and recommendations do not come with an export; check beehiiv's recommendation network and Kit's recommendation features. [2] [3]
- Taxes: check how each platform and your Stripe account handle sales tax or VAT on reader payments.
Who should stay on Substack
Stay if your paid revenue is below the break-even for the plan you would need, if you value Substack's reader-facing features more than the fee, or if you do not want to manage a separate plan, website and payment set-up. Move when the 10% is larger than the monthly plan fee and you are ready to own the domain and the subscriber relationship directly.
Questions before you decide
How much does Substack take from paid subscriptions?
Substack's going-paid page says writers keep 90% of their revenue minus credit card fees, which means a 10% platform fee before card processing.
Which Substack alternative charges no revenue share?
beehiiv's pricing FAQ says it takes 0% of paid subscription revenue, MailerLite's Substack-alternative page says it takes 0% commission, and Ghost's pricing page lists a 0% transaction fee on Publisher and above. Payment processor fees still apply on all three.
When does Substack work out cheaper?
When paid revenue is small. A flat plan fee costs the same whether you earn $50 or $5,000 a month, while Substack's 10% scales with revenue. Compare 10% of your monthly paid revenue with the alternative's plan price at your total list size.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- Substack: Going paid Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- beehiiv pricing Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- Kit pricing Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- MailerLite Help: How to sell digital products through MailerLite using Stripe Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- MailerLite: Substack alternative Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- Ghost(Pro) pricing Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- Stripe pricing Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- beehiiv Support: Exporting post content or subscriber data from beehiiv Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- Kit Help: How to export subscribers Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- MailerLite pricing Accessed 29 Oct 2026
Sources link directly to providers. Product buttons may use separately labeled affiliate links. Read our disclosure.