If you’re looking to start a blog or newsletter, you’ve probably come across both Beehiiv and WordPress as potential platforms.
While they might seem similar at first glance, they serve quite different purposes.
I’ve been creating content for over a decade and created my first WordPress website in 2012. I’ve also used Beehiiv for a few weeks and tested the platform personally.
Let’s break down the key differences to help you make an informed decision.
đ¯ The Main Differences
Beehiiv and WordPress were built with different primary goals in mind.
Beehiiv is primarily an email newsletter platform that includes blogging capabilities.
Think of it as an email marketing tool first like Kit, with a blog as an added feature. It’s designed for creators who want to focus on building and maintaining an email list while also repurpose their email newsletters as standalone blog posts.
WordPress, on the other hand, is the world’s most popular content management system (CMS), powering about 43% of all websites on the internet.
It’s absolutely NOT an autoresponder.
It’s a blogging platform at its core, with the flexibility to become virtually anything else through its extensive plugin ecosystem.
đĩ Pricing
When it comes to costs, there’s a significant difference between these platforms:
Beehiiv operates on a subscription model:
- It requires a monthly payment to access its features
- Different pricing tiers offer varying levels of functionality
- All hosting and technical maintenance is included
WordPress follows a different approach:
- The software itself is free and open-source
- You’ll need to pay for hosting (typically $5-30 per month)
- Domain name costs (around $10-15 per year)
- Optional premium themes and plugins may add to the cost
While WordPress might seem more expensive initially due to separate hosting and domain costs, it often works out cheaper in the long run, especially for basic websites.
đ¨ Design & Customization
One of the most striking differences between these platforms lies in their approach to design and customization.
Beehiiv offers a simple, almost plug-and-play experience with a handful of clean, professional templates.
This means you can get started quickly without getting bogged down in design decisions.
WordPress, however, presents what many new creators find to be an overwhelming array of choices. With thousands of themes and plugins available, you’ll need to make decisions about everything from your site’s basic layout to specific functionality.
â Should you choose a free theme or invest in a premium one?
â Which security plugin should you install?
â Do you need an SEO plugin?
While this flexibility is ultimately one of WordPress’s greatest strengths, it can feel like decision paralysis for newcomers who just want to start creating content.
Many new WordPress users find themselves spending hours comparing themes and plugins instead of focusing on what matters most â creating content.
đŽ Control and Ownership
This is perhaps the most crucial difference between the two platforms:
With Beehiiv:
- Your content lives on their platform
- You’re subject to their terms of service
- If your account is suspended or if Beehiiv shuts down you lose access to your content
- SEO efforts and rankings are tied to their domain (unless you choose to link your own domain.)
With WordPress:
- Your website lives on your own domain
- You have complete control over your content
- All SEO value built up stays with your domain
- You can backup and export your content easily
- You can move hosts anytime without losing content or rankings
đšī¸ Ease of Use
Beehiiv shines in simplicity:
- Clean, modern interface
- Limited customization options
- No technical knowledge required
- Everything is integrated (email, analytics, blog)
WordPress offers more flexibility but requires more learning:
- Highly customizable
- Steeper learning curve
- Requires basic technical understanding
- Huge community for support and resources
đ¤ Making the Right Choice
For beginners, here’s a simple way to decide:
Choose Beehiiv if:
- Your primary focus is building an email newsletter
- You want an all-in-one solution for newsletters and blogging
- You prefer a simpler, more streamlined experience
- You don’t mind paying a monthly subscription
Choose WordPress if:
- Building a long-term web presence is your goal
- You want complete control over your content
- You’re willing to learn some technical basics
- You want unlimited customization options
- SEO and content ownership are priorities
đēī¸ Long-term Considerations
When thinking about the future of your online presence, WordPress offers more stability and control.
While Beehiiv is an excellent platform, particularly for newsletter creators, building your content on WordPress provides several long-term advantages:
- Your SEO efforts remain under your control
- No risk of platform dependency
- Ability to expand your site’s functionality as needed
- Complete ownership of your content and audience
Migrating a well-established site with good SEO rankings can be challenging, so it’s worth considering your long-term goals before making a decision.
I’d recommend using WordPress as your primary blog and Beehiiv as your autoresponder â that way you get the best out of both worlds.