Best newsletter platform in 2026
Choosing a newsletter platform is a long-term decision — switching later means migrating subscribers and rebuilding automations. We compared the top platforms on deliverability, revenue cut, subscriber ownership, and blogging integration so you can choose right the first time.
Start your free newsletter on blogrr →What to look for in a newsletter platform
Deliverability
What percentage of your emails reach the inbox (not spam). Measured by sender reputation, SPF/DKIM setup, and infrastructure quality.
Revenue cut
What percentage of your paid subscription revenue the platform takes. On $5,000/month in paid subs, the difference between 0% and 10% is $6,000/year.
Blogging integration
Whether the newsletter platform also functions as a full blogging platform — with SEO tools, custom domain, and web discoverability.
Subscriber portability
Whether you can export your full subscriber list (email addresses) at any time. Non-portable platforms hold your audience hostage.
Analytics depth
Open rate, click rate, and subscriber growth tracking. Some platforms (Beehiiv) go deep into referral tracking and cohort analysis.
Newsletter platforms compared
blogrr
Blog + newsletter + AI co-author in one platform
Price
Free
Revenue cut
0%
Deliverability
Excellent — Resend-powered infrastructure
Blogging
Full blogging platform with SEO tools
AI writing
Yes — built in
The only newsletter platform with a built-in AI co-author. Write blog posts and newsletters in the same editor, send to subscribers, and earn via paid tiers — all free to start with 0% revenue cut.
Start for free →Beehiiv
Newsletter-first platform built by ex-Morning Brew team
Price
Free (up to 2,500 subs) / $42+/mo
Revenue cut
0% on Scale plan
Deliverability
Excellent
Blogging
Basic — newsletter is the core product
AI writing
Partial (paid plan)
Best analytics and ad network (Boosts) for newsletter monetisation. Strong deliverability. Free plan capped at 2,500 subscribers; paid tiers are expensive. Not a full blogging platform.
Substack
Newsletter + paid subscriptions with growing reader network
Price
Free (10% cut on paid subscriptions)
Revenue cut
10%
Deliverability
Good
Blogging
Basic blog — newsletter-first
AI writing
No
Easiest to start and has a built-in discovery network. The 10% revenue cut is the main drawback — at $10k/month in paid subscriptions, that's $1,000/month to Substack indefinitely.
Ghost
Open-source newsletter and publishing platform
Price
$9–$199+/mo (hosted) or self-host free
Revenue cut
0%
Deliverability
Good
Blogging
Excellent — full publishing platform
AI writing
No
Most powerful combination of blogging + newsletter. Zero cut on paid subscriptions. Hosted plans are expensive. Self-hosting requires server management but is free.
ConvertKit / Kit
Email marketing platform pivoting to creator tools
Price
Free (up to 10,000 subs) / $29+/mo
Revenue cut
3.5% + fees on paid newsletters
Deliverability
Excellent — their core competency
Blogging
Minimal — primarily an email tool
AI writing
No
Best-in-class email deliverability and automation. Designed for email marketing, not blogging — you'll need a separate blog platform. The 3.5% cut on paid subscriptions adds up.
Mailchimp
The original email marketing platform
Price
Free (up to 500 contacts) / $13+/mo
Revenue cut
0% (no paid subscription feature)
Deliverability
Good
Blogging
No blogging functionality
AI writing
Partial (email subject line suggestions)
Best for transactional email and marketing campaigns. Not designed for creator newsletters or paid subscriptions. Free tier is very limited (500 contacts). Not recommended for writer-focused newsletters.
Buttondown
Minimal newsletter tool for technical writers
Price
Free (up to 100 subs) / $9+/mo
Revenue cut
0% on paid newsletters
Deliverability
Good
Blogging
No — newsletter only
AI writing
No
Developer-favourite for its simplicity and Markdown-first editor. No platform cut on paid subscriptions. Very limited free tier. No blogging, analytics are basic. Good for technical writers who want simple.
The revenue cut adds up fast
Substack's 10% cut seems small when you have 10 paying subscribers. It becomes significant fast:
| Monthly revenue | Substack (10%) | blogrr (0%) | Saved/year |
|---|---|---|---|
| $500 | −$50 | −$0 | $600 |
| $1,000 | −$100 | −$0 | $1,200 |
| $5,000 | −$500 | −$0 | $6,000 |
| $10,000 | −$1,000 | −$0 | $12,000 |
* blogrr takes 0% of subscription revenue. Stripe charges ~2.9% + 30¢ per transaction (standard for all platforms that use Stripe).
Start your newsletter for free.
blogrr includes newsletter, blog, paid subscriptions, and AI co-author — all on the free plan. 0% revenue cut.
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