Beehiiv vs Flodesk: Simple Guide to Pick the Right Email Tool [2025]

Choosing between Beehiiv vs Flodesk depends on your email marketing platform needs. When Flodesk launched in 2019, it introduced a simple flat rate pricing of $35 per month regardless of subscriber count. Beehiiv entered the market in 2021, founded by former Morning Brew employees, and focuses on audience growth and monetization.

What is Flodesk? Specifically, it’s a design-focused platform popular among creative professionals for its stunning customizable templates and user-friendly interface. Flodesk pricing remains consistent at $35 monthly with unlimited sending capabilities, though it lacks some advanced features for scaling businesses. On the other hand, beehiiv pricing starts with a free plan for up to 2,500 subscribers, with paid options beginning at $39 monthly for 1,000 subscribers. Furthermore, beehiiv excels in analytics, segmentation, and monetization tools, allowing you to create paid newsletters through built-in subscription management. When examining beehiiv vs Flodesk reviews, users consistently highlight these core differences in approach and functionality.

Whether you prioritize beautiful designs or powerful growth tools will determine which platform serves you better. In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about these two popular email platforms so you can make the right choice for your specific needs in 2025.

Key Differences at a Glance: Beehiiv vs Flodesk​

beehiiv focuses on growth, monetization, and analytics, which are ideal for newsletter entrepreneurs. Flodesk prioritizes stunning design, simplicity, and flat-rate pricing that are perfect for creatives. Both tools serve different goals, making your choice all about purpose and priorities.

Platform Overview: What are Flodesk and beehiiv?

Beehiiv focuses on growth, monetization, and analytics, which are ideal for newsletter entrepreneurs. Flodesk prioritizes stunning design and simplicity, which are perfect for creatives. Both tools cater to different goals, so your choice will depend on your purpose and priorities.

1. Flodesk: Design-first email tool for creatives

Launched in 2019, Flodesk emerged as a breath of fresh air in the email marketing world with its distinctive focus on aesthetics and simplicity. This platform was built for creative entrepreneurs who prioritize visual branding in their communications. Flodesk’s patented layout technology ensures your emails get seen 17% more than the industry average, making it particularly valuable for businesses where visual appeal matters.

At its core, Flodesk offers:

• Beautiful, customizable templates designed to make your brand stand out
• Intuitive drag-and-drop editor requiring no coding skills or technical expertise
• Custom font uploads allow for complete brand consistency across emails
• Flexible layouts give creative freedom to design stunning graphics without third-party software

Additionally, Flodesk provides essential marketing tools, including email automation, subscriber segmentation, and form preferences that let subscribers indicate their interests. The platform maintains a clean, minimalist interface that makes creating campaigns an enjoyable experience rather than a technical challenge.

Notably, Flodesk’s pricing remains a significant differentiator in the market. Unlike competitors, which increase costs as your subscriber list grows, Flodesk offers a flat monthly rate of $59 for unlimited subscribers, emails, and features. This makes it particularly appealing to growing businesses that anticipate scaling their audience.

2. Beehiiv: Newsletter platform built for growth and monetization

Founded in 2021 by former employees of Morning Brew, beehiiv was created with a specific mission: to help creators launch, grow, and monetize newsletters using the same growth principles that helped Morning Brew reach over 4 million subscribers. This platform focuses primarily on providing tools that drive audience growth and revenue generation.

What sets beehiiv apart:

• Generous free tier allowing up to 2,500 subscribers before requiring payment
• A built-in referral program that encourages existing subscribers to share and grow your list
• An ad network and “Boosts” connecting creators with premium brands for monetization
• Paid subscription capabilities with no platform fees (only standard payment processing fees)
• Advanced analytics dashboard with comprehensive user engagement metrics

Beehiiv’s pricing structure starts free and scales according to your audience size. Their paid plans begin at $39/month for up to 1,000 subscribers, with advanced features like the ad network, referral program, and paid subscriptions unlocked at this tier.

Particularly impressive is beehiiv’s focus on monetization. The platform enables creators to charge for premium content with zero platform fees, unlike competitors that take a percentage. The beehiiv Partner Program offers a 50% commission from every sale during the first year for referring new paid customers, creating an additional revenue stream.

For newsletters seeking growth, beehiiv’s “Boosts” feature promotes your newsletter across other beehiiv publications, with an average cost per subscriber of $1.63, making it an efficient acquisition channel for serious publishers.

Email Marketing Features Compared

When selecting an email marketing platform, it is essential to understand how each tool handles core features. Looking beyond the basics, here’s how Beehiiv vs. Flodesk compares their approach to key email marketing capabilities.

1. Automation Capabilities: Visual workflows vs grid builder

Flodesk emphasizes visual appeal with its automation system. Their workflow builder is aesthetically pleasing and intuitive, making it accessible for beginners. However, the system is limited in scope, primarily offering automation for welcome series and post-purchase follow-ups. Although visually attractive, Flodesk’s automation capabilities lack the depth needed for complex marketing sequences.

In contrast, beehiiv employs a straightforward grid builder that balances functionality with ease of use. This system allows you to add steps, time delays, and conditional branches to create personalized subscriber journeys. beehiiv’s automation framework focuses on audience growth while providing detailed analytics at each stage of the workflow, helping you identify opportunities for optimization.

2. Template Design: Esthetic templates vs conversion-focused layouts

Flodesk stands out with its visually stunning email templates. The platform offers extensive customization options, a selection of fonts, colors, and drag-and-drop functionality. These design elements create professional-looking emails without requiring technical expertise. Essentially, Flodesk prioritizes aesthetic appeal, making it ideal for creative professionals and brands where visual identity matters significantly.

Conversely, beehiiv approaches template design with conversion in mind. Their templates incorporate strategic CTA placements and layouts proven to drive engagement. Although still visually appealing, beehiiv templates are primarily engineered to maximize click-through rates and conversions rather than showcasing artistic design.

3. Subscriber Segmentation: Basic tags vs dynamic segments

Flodesk provides basic segmentation features through simple tags. Covering fundamental segmentation needs, you can separate subscribers by behavior, demographics, and interests. Nevertheless, the system lacks advanced filtering capabilities found in more sophisticated platforms.

beehiiv elevates segmentation through dynamic segments that automatically refresh based on subscriber activity. You can create segments by engagement metrics, poll response, or unsubscribe patterns. This approach allows for more targeted communications as segments evolve with subscriber behavior, ensuring content remains relevant to each recipient.

4. Analytics Tools: Basic metrics vs 3D analytics dashboard

Flodesk offers straightforward analytics focused on essential metrics like open and click-through rates. The reporting system is visually clean and easy to understand, but lacks the depth needed for comprehensive campaign analysis.

Meanwhile, beehiiv excels with its proprietary 3D Analytics dashboard, which delivers multidimensional insights. This system provides separate reports for posts and subscribers, showing performance trends over time. Furthermore, beehive analytics include acquisition source tracking to evaluate marketing channel ROI and allow data export for external analysis.

Flodesk looks pretty, but is it powerful enough to meet your goals? Dive into our Flodesk review to explore features, performance, and who it’s best for.

👉 Check Out Our Flodesk Review

Pricing Breakdown and Scalability: Beehiiv vs Flodesk Cost Analysis

The beehiiv vs flodesk cost structure of your email marketing platform can substantially impact your business as your subscriber base grows. Looking at pricing models reveals fundamental differences in how beehiiv and Flodesk approach scalability, with beehiiv vs Flodesk reviews often focusing on this crucial aspect.

1. Flodesk Pricing: Flat $35/month vs $59 with e-commerce

Flodesk stands out with its transparent, subscriber-independent pricing model. The basic Email Marketing Plan costs $35 per month when billed annually ($38 monthly) and includes unlimited emails to unlimited subscribers. This flat-rate approach eliminates the standard industry practice of charging more as your list grows.

For those needing e-commerce capabilities, Flodesk offers an Email + Checkout Plan at $59 per month when billed annually ($64 monthly). This enhanced package includes everything from the Email plan plus e-commerce features like unlimited sales pages, payment processing, checkout flows, and discount codes. Unlike competitors that charge 10-20% platform fees, Flodesk only requires standard Stripe processing fees (3% + 30¢ per transaction).

2. beehiiv Pricing: Free up to 2,500 subs, then tiered plans

Beehiiv offers a generous free launch plan for up to 2,500 subscribers. The plan includes unlimited emails, custom websites, campaign analytics, and basic segmentation tools.

Once you exceed the free tier, beehiiv offers tiered pricing through its Scale plan, starting at $43 per month when billed annually for up to 1,000 subscribers. This plan unlocks monetization features, including the Ad Network, Boost Network, paid subscriptions, and referral programs. For advanced users, the Max plan starts at $96 per month (billed annually). It adds features like removing beehiiv branding and priority support.

3. Beehiiv vs. Flodesk Cost at 10K Subscribers

At the 10,000 subscriber mark, the beehiiv vs Flodesk cost difference becomes noteworthy:

• Flodesk: Remains at $35/month regardless of list size
• beehiiv: $109/month on the Scale plan

As your list grows, Flodesk offers approximately $74 monthly savings. This significant beehiiv vs flodesk cost disparity explains why many beehiiv vs flodesk reviews emphasize pricing as a key decision factor.

4. Enterprise Options: Custom plans for large lists

For extensive email operations, both platforms offer enterprise solutions. beehiiv’s Enterprise plan activates when you exceed 100,000 subscribers. It includes concierge onboarding, a designated account manager, dedicated IP addresses, and custom publication limits.

Flodesk doesn’t specify a separate enterprise tier but maintains its flat-rate pricing regardless of list size, making it exceptionally cost-effective for large operations without requiring special enterprise negotiations.

Monetization and Growth Tools

Revenue generation sets Beehiiv vs Flodesk apart. Beehiiv excels with built-in tools for paid subscriptions and ads. Flodesk focuses on e-commerce via Stripe integration, suitable for selling digital products, differing from Beehiiv’s newsletter monetization. Most beehiiv vs flodesk reviews highlight these monetization differences as crucial for business growth.

1. Paid Subscriptions: beehiiv’s built-in paywall vs. Flodesk’s Stripe setup

beehiiv excels with its comprehensive paid subscription system that lets you create multiple pricing tiers with flexible options. You can offer monthly, annual, or innovative “pay what you want” models to maximize subscriber conversion. Moreover, beehiiv’s customizable paywalls can be placed within content, allowing readers to preview the material before subscribing. The platform takes zero commission on your subscription earnings, letting you keep 100% of revenue aside from standard payment processing fees.

In comparison, Flodesk approaches monetization through its Checkout feature. While not offering newsletter subscriptions directly, Flodesk Checkout enables you to sell digital products through Stripe integration. You’ll only pay standard Stripe processing fees (3% + $0.30 per transaction) without additional platform charges. It makes Flodesk suitable for creators selling downloadable guides or courses alongside their newsletters.

2. Referral Programs: beehiiv’s built-in growth engine

One of Beehiiv’s standout features is its integrated referral program. The same system helped Morning Brew acquire over 1 million subscribers. This automated system assigns subscribers a unique referral link and tracks their sharing activity. 

You can establish customizable reward milestones, offering physical merchandise, digital access, or promo codes when subscribers reach referral targets. According to beehiiv, their referral feature has accounted for 5-10% growth for successful newsletters like Milk Road.

3. Ad Network and Boosts: Monetize with sponsored content

Beehiiv provides additional revenue streams through its Ad Network, connecting newsletter creators with premium advertisers. Last month alone, newsletters on beehiiv earned $1,230,881 through this network. 

The platform also offers “Boosts,” a paid recommendation feature that lets you earn passive income by promoting other newsletters or pay to have yours featured elsewhere. CPC (cost-per-click) and CPM (cost-per-thousand-impressions) payment models are available, with all tracking, reporting, and invoicing handled automatically.

Thinking of switching to beehiiv? Don’t miss our honest review covering real pros, cons, and growth potential. From referral programs to paid subscriptions, we unpack everything.

👉 Read the full Beehiiv Review

User Experience and Integrations

The interface and connectivity options often determine your daily experience with an email platform. Both beehiiv and vsFlodesk approach these elements quite differently.

1. Ease of Use: Drag-and-drop vs data-rich dashboards

Flodesk excels with its visually appealing interface centered around drag-and-drop functionality. Its design-focused approach makes creating beautiful emails intuitive, even for those without technical expertise. The platform emphasizes aesthetic elements with extensive font and color selections that appeal to creative professionals. For many small business owners, this simplicity translates directly into “more time focused on core business.”

• Effortless design tools ideal for creatives
• No coding or advanced setup is required
• Consistent flat-rate pricing model

In contrast, beehiiv offers a more comprehensive dashboard that prioritizes functionality and data. Despite having a slightly steeper learning curve initially, the interface becomes more intuitive after the setup phase. The platform uses a simple grid builder for automation that allows users to “add steps, time delays, and conditional branches,” creating more personalized subscriber experiences.

2. Integrations: Shopify, Zapier, WordPress, and more

Both platforms connect with essential third-party services, yet differ in integration depth. Flodesk integrates smoothly with WordPress, Google Sheets, Slack, Zapier, Shopify, and Typeform,” providing sufficient connectivity for most creative businesses.

beehiiv offers a broader range of integrations, including “WordPress, Webflow, Google Sheets, Google Drive, Slack, HubSpot CRM, Stripe Billing, Ghost, Shopify, Airtable, and Notion.” This extensive ecosystem makes beehiiv particularly valuable for complex workflows and automation.

3. Mobile Optimization and Deliverability

Flodesk prioritizes mobile responsiveness, ensuring emails automatically adjust to look great on any device. The platform provides features to “check your subscribers’ preferences” regarding device usage, helping optimize designs accordingly. Flodesk recommends keeping subject lines concise, using legible font sizes, and placing important content above the fold for mobile users.

beehiiv similarly offers mobile-friendly templates but focuses more on deliverability metrics and engagement analytics to ensure emails reach inboxes effectively

Beehiiv vs Flodesk Reviews: Strengths and Limitations:

Beehiiv excels in growth, monetization, and analytics, making it ideal for scaling newsletters. Flodesk shines in design, simplicity, and flat-rate pricing, which is perfect for creatives. These are some strengths and limitations users often experience, as reflected in many Beehiiv vs Flodesk reviews.

Conclusion: Choosing the Right Platform for Your Needs

When comparing beehiiv vs Flodesk, the best platform depends on your business priorities. Flodesk is ideal for creatives focused on beautiful design, simplicity, and branding. With a flat $35 monthly rate for unlimited subscribers, stunning templates, and a no-code editor, it’s perfect for visual-first businesses wanting consistent costs. The beehiiv vs flodesk cost difference becomes more pronounced as you scale, making this a critical consideration in your decision.

beehiiv, on the other hand, caters to publishers and creators looking for growth and monetization. With advanced analytics, referral systems, and paid subscriptions with zero commission, it helps turn newsletters into businesses. Its free plan for up to 2,500 subscribers offers a risk-free starting point for those testing the waters.

Choosing between them depends on your goals. If you value design and branding simplicity, Flodesk shines. If growth tools and revenue options are key, beehiiv stands out. Both are mobile-friendly, intuitive, and built for modern marketers. Ultimately, each platform brings specialized strengths, far surpassing traditional email marketing tools in 2025.