Growing a newsletter shouldn’t feel like pushing a boulder uphill. But for years, it did. I’ve used Mailchimp, Kit.com, and now Beehiiv across multiple digital businesses…and every time I switched platforms, my growth either exploded or stalled.

What shocked me was how much the platform itself affected my subscriber numbers. Same niche. Same content. Same promo strategy. But wildly different growth curves.

Most creators don’t realize this. They think slow growth means their content isn’t good enough. Or they need to post more. Or their niche is “too competitive.” But the truth? Your email platform can make or break your growth.

One of these tools helped me grow my list faster than anything else I’ve tried. Another slowed me down even though it has great automations. And the last one… well, it’s basically a corporate dinosaur at this point.

In this breakdown, I’ll give you the real creator-focused comparison of Beehiiv vs ConvertKit vs Mailchimp. I’m covering actual growth tools, deliverability, viral loops, pricing, and what happened when I personally used each platform to scale newsletters, landing pages, and funnels.

If you’re trying to choose the best newsletter platform for growth in 2026, this will save you months of trial and error.

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The Real Question: What Actually Drives Fast Newsletter Growth?

Most people compare email platforms the wrong way. They obsess over templates, automations, or how pretty the dashboard looks. I’ve done that too. But after growing multiple newsletters across Beehiiv, Kit, and Mailchimp, I learned something that changed everything:

Speed comes from systems, not aesthetics.

If you want to grow a newsletter fast, only three things actually matter:

1. How easy it is for someone to subscribe
Your landing pages, forms, and magic-link options matter more than any template. When a platform makes the signup flow frictionless, your list grows on autopilot.

2. Whether the platform has built-in growth features
This is where platforms separate fast vs. slow.
Referral systems, recommendations, boosted posts, viral loops…these aren’t “nice to have.” They’re the difference between adding 10 subs a week and adding 100.

3. Deliverability + smart automations
If your emails land in spam or you can’t nurture subscribers instantly, growth stalls. Consistent inboxing + simple automation = faster trust building.

I used to think growth was all about writing better emails. But once I switched platforms and watched my numbers jump without changing my content, it was obvious:

Your email platform is either accelerating your growth… or quietly killing it.

Now let’s break down Beehiiv, Kit.com, and Mailchimp with that lens. The only lens that actually matters if your goal is fast, compounding newsletter growth.

Quick Comparison Table (What Creators Actually Care About)

I’ve built newsletters on all three platforms, and here’s the truth:

Your newsletter grows faster when your platform removes friction, amplifies visibility, and makes it stupid-easy for people to subscribe.

So instead of giving you a giant checklist, here’s the only comparison that matters if your goal is growth, simplicity, and actually hitting “send” every week.

Beehiiv

If you care about growing your audience fast, Beehiiv is the easiest win.
The built-in recommendation network and referral system alone can grow your list while you sleep. No other platform gives you that.

Kit (formerly ConvertKit)

If you love advanced automations, segmentation, and building multi-step funnels, Kit is still powerful. It’s clean and flexible, but growth depends on you, not the platform.

Mailchimp

Still decent for corporate teams or anyone who wants templates and brand-heavy newsletters. But for creators? It’s slow, clunky, and not built for growth.

My Thoughts…

If your goal is speed, go Beehiiv.
If your goal is automation, go Kit.
If your goal is “looks familiar,” go Mailchimp.

Beehiiv Breakdown — Why Creators Are Switching Fast

I’ll be straight with you: the first time I tried Beehiiv, I expected it to be another “cool new platform” that felt good on the surface but didn’t actually move numbers. I was wrong.

Beehiiv is the only platform where my subscriber count grew without me grinding harder. Not because I suddenly wrote better content, but because Beehiiv has growth features the other platforms simply don’t.

Here’s why creators keep moving to Beehiiv, and why I now use it as my default newsletter engine:

1. Built-in virality (this is the cheat code)

Beehiiv has the growth loops baked in:

Recommendations
Magic links
Referrals
Boosts

These aren’t gimmicks. They work.
The first week I turned on recommendations, I gained subscribers I didn’t even promote to. No ad spend. No cross-promo deals. Just the ecosystem doing its thing.

2. Landing pages that don’t make you want to scream

Beehiiv’s landing pages are simple by design, and that’s why they convert. Clean layouts, fast load times, and no overthinking required. I’ve tested Beehiiv pages against Mailchimp and Kit, and Beehiiv consistently wins on raw signup rate.

3. Zero-fee monetization = more money stays in your pocket

If you’re planning paid newsletters, Beehiiv is the only platform where you keep 100% of your revenue. Not 90%. Not 85%. One hundred.

4. The workflow actually feels fun

This matters more than people admit. When you enjoy hitting “send,” you publish more often. And publishing more = faster growth.

Beehiiv has this rare balance of power + simplicity that makes writing and sending feel natural. No clutter. No endless settings. Just write → send → grow.

5. Creator-focused, not corporate-focused

Beehiiv feels like it was built for the solo operator, the creator, the indie publisher. Kit is better for complex funnels. Mailchimp is better for brands and big teams.

But Beehiiv? It’s built for speed, and built for people who want to grow, not tinker.

My Bottom Line on Beehiiv

If you want newsletter growth without reinventing your entire workflow, Beehiiv is the platform I recommend. It’s the one I use. It’s the one I trust. And it’s the only one where growth feels baked in from day one.

👉 Start your Beehiiv newsletter (free) — and pair it with my growth prompts to accelerate even faster.

Kit — Where It Wins and Where It Slows You Down

Kit (formerly ConvertKit) has been a powerhouse in the creator space for years. I’ve used it across multiple funnels, product launches, and email sequences, and when it comes to automation, Kit is still one of the strongest platforms out there.

But if you want fast growth, it falls short in a few key areas. Not because it’s bad… but because it was built with a different philosophy than Beehiiv.

Here’s the real-world breakdown from someone who’s built profitable funnels on both.

1. Automations Are Still Best-in-Class (This Is Where Kit Shines)

If you love mapping subscriber journeys, tagging segments, and building “if/then” logic, Kit is your playground.
It does automation better than any creator-focused platform, period.

When I was running more complex funnels — onboarding sequences, upsell paths, lead scoring — Kit handled all of it cleanly.
No hacky workarounds. No fighting the UI.
Just smooth, logical setups that fire exactly when you expect them to.

If that’s your priority, Kit might be the best choice.

2. The Downside: Growth Depends Entirely on You

Here’s the friction I ran into:

Kit doesn’t have the built-in viral loops that Beehiiv gives you. No recommendation network, no magic links, no referral engine that compounds your growth for you.

So anytime I wanted to grow faster on Kit, I had to push harder:

More content
More collaborations
More promotions
More manual effort

Nothing wrong with that… but it means growth is on you, not the platform.

Beehiiv grows with you.
Kit grows because of you.

That’s a big difference.

3. Landing Pages Are Good — But Not Built for Speed

Kit’s landing page builder is flexible and clean. I’ve used it for lead magnets, waitlists, and product funnels.

But compared directly to Beehiiv?

Beehiiv wins on:

Faster load times
Simpler layouts
Higher default conversions

Kit pages look great, but design flexibility can be a trap. The more choices you give a creator, the easier it is for them to overthink everything.

I’ve fallen into that trap many times.

4. Pricing Gets Painful As You Scale

When your list is small, Kit feels affordable.
Once you start growing fast, the pricing jumps hit hard.

I’ve had months where I scaled quickly and watched my bill climb right alongside it.
Beehiiv’s free plan and predictable pricing make growth feel… safer.

5. Great for Funnels. Not the best for newsletter-first growth.

This is the cleanest way to say it:

If you’re a funnel-heavy creator → Kit is strong.
If you’re a newsletter-first creator → Beehiiv is faster.

I’ve run both models, and Kit always wins on logic and automation… but Beehiiv wins on raw audience growth.

My Bottom Line on Kit

Kit is still one of the best tools for creators who want smart automation, segmentation, and clean subscriber management.

But if your #1 goal is to grow your newsletter quickly, Kit isn’t built for that kind of compounding momentum.

👉 If you want automations, Kit is fantastic.
👉 If you want speed, Beehiiv is the move.

My Kit automations for my two websites — A few automations on my Kit account for two websites I own

Mailchimp — The OG That’s Showing Its Age

Mailchimp was the first email platform I ever used. Back then, it felt like every entrepreneur started their newsletter on Mailchimp because… well, that’s just what everyone did.

But after building multiple lists across Mailchimp, Kit, and Beehiiv, here’s the truth:

Mailchimp works, but it works in that “corporate tool from 2012” kind of way.
It’s functional…not fast. Capable, but not creator-friendly.

If you're a solo operator or content creator trying to grow a newsletter quickly, Mailchimp feels like dragging a wagon uphill. It actually started causing some big problems on my Wordpress site a couple of years ago.

Let me break it down.

1. The UX Feels Heavy and Overbuilt

Mailchimp isn’t “bad.” It’s just built for a different type of user.

Large teams.
Corporate marketers.
People who need brand consistency and templates across departments.

But when you’re a creator?
It feels slow, clunky, and full of settings you never asked for.

Every time I logged in, I felt like Mailchimp wanted me to build a campaign… not a newsletter.

2. Zero Built-In Growth Features

This is the deal-breaker.

Mailchimp has:

No referral engine
No recommendations
No native virality
No magic links
No growth loops

Which means this:

Your list only grows if you manually hustle for every subscriber.

No compounding.
No network effects.
No help from the platform.

When you see creators exploding to 10k, 20k, 50k subscribers… they aren’t doing it on Mailchimp. There’s a reason for that.

3. Landing Pages Are… Fine. But Not High-Converting

Mailchimp’s landing pages look like something you’d use if you were trying to promote a local event, not build a fast-growing digital business.

They’re functional, but they don’t hit the level of simplicity or conversion power that Beehiiv and Kit bring.

I’ve split-tested Mailchimp pages vs. Beehiiv’s:

Beehiiv wins every time.
Mailchimp didn’t even come close.

4. Pricing Gets Expensive Fast

Mailchimp has the classic “cheap at first, expensive later” business model.

It feels free and friendly in the beginning…
then hits you with a wall of pricing tiers as soon as you start gaining momentum.

As a creator scaling a newsletter, that’s the last thing you want to worry about.

5. Still Useful for Certain People

I’m not here to trash Mailchimp. It still has a place.

It’s good if:

You’re running a local business
You want branded email templates
You need team access + roles
You’re sending campaigns, not newsletters

But for creators? For growth? For speed?

It’s not the one.

Bottom Line on Mailchimp

Mailchimp is a safe, familiar option, but not a fast-growth platform. If you’re a creator who wants momentum, simplicity, and better conversions, Beehiiv or Kit will serve you better.

👉 TL;DR: Mailchimp is fine. But “fine” doesn’t scale a newsletter.

Email Deliverability — Who Actually Hits the Inbox More?

Here’s something creators don’t talk about enough:
if your emails don’t hit the inbox, nothing else matters.

I’ve had launches where deliverability alone swung revenue up or down. Same copy. Same offer. Completely different results, simply because one platform delivered cleanly and another didn’t.

Here’s the real-world breakdown of Beehiiv vs Kit vs Mailchimp when it comes to deliverability:

1. Beehiiv — Surprisingly Strong (Especially for Creators)

Beehiiv’s deliverability has improved massively over the last year.
My open rates are consistently high, especially with:

Clean import tools
Strong default sending infrastructure
Clear monitoring tools
Automatic warmup assistance
Straightforward DNS setup

Most importantly: Beehiiv’s audience tends to be creator-focused, not spammy, which helps the entire ecosystem maintain strong sender reputation.

It’s simple and it works.

2. Kit — Excellent Deliverability, Especially for Funnels

Kit has always been known for great inbox placement.

Their infrastructure is dialed in, and if you’re doing:

Lead nurturing
Multi-step email funnels
Segmented campaigns
Automated journeys

…Kit’s deliverability stays rock-solid.
Opens and clicks remain stable even during heavy automation weeks.

If you care about deep funnels or behavior-based sequences, Kit’s deliverability is a major selling point.

3. Mailchimp — A Mixed Bag

Mailchimp can deliver well… if your list is pristine, highly warmed up, and branded.
But in my experience:

Creators see lower engagement
Lists with varied sources hit more spam filters
Mailchimp is stricter about list imports
Campaign-style emails sometimes get flagged

For corporate newsletters, it’s fine.

For creators trying to grow? It feels uneven.

So Who Actually Wins Deliverability?

If you’re a creator running a newsletter:

1. Beehiiv — consistently strong for simple newsletters
2. Kit — best for complex automation and heavy email volume
3. Mailchimp — okay, but inconsistent and overly restrictive

All three can work… but I’ve never regretted sending from Beehiiv or Kit.
Mailchimp? Plenty of regrets.

Pricing Comparison — What You Actually Pay As You Grow

Most platforms hook you with a cheap starter plan, then quietly crank up the price once your list starts growing. I’ve felt that pain personally…especially during big growth months where your subscriber count jumps fast.

Here’s the real breakdown of Beehiiv vs Kit vs Mailchimp from someone who’s paid for all three. NOTE: my pricing data is updated as of November 2025.

1. Beehiiv — Predictable, Creator-Friendly Pricing

Beehiiv is the most generous platform when you’re just starting out:

Launch (Free): $0/month — Up to 2,500 subscribers + unlimited sends + core features.
Scale: $43/month (or $517/year) — Paid plan starting tier. Features include ad network, email automations, 0% take rate on paid subs. Up to 100,000 subscribers.
Max: $96/month (or $1,151/year) — For higher needs: remove branding, more publications, advanced features.

The biggest win? Beehiiv doesn’t punish you for growing fast.
Their tiers feel fair, predictable, and actually built with creators in mind.

2. Kit — Amazing Features, Price Creeps Up

Kit’s pricing starts reasonable… but increases quickly as your list gets bigger.

Free (“Newsletter” plan): $0/month — Up to 10,000 subscribers; unlimited emails/landing pages/forms; limited automation.
Creator plan: From $29–$39/month for ~1,000 subscribers — includes full automation & more features.
Creator Pro: From ~$59/month for ~1,000 subscribers — advanced analytics, referral system, priority support. Pricing scales steeply as subscriber count goes up (e.g., ~$199/month for 25k subs).
Additional tiers: 10,000 subs ~$139/month; 25k ~$199/month; 50k ~$379/month.

You’re paying for:

Best-in-class automations
Flexible segmentation
Creator-friendly workflows
High deliverability

It’s worth it if you love automation or run multiple funnels. But if you’re growing quickly and don’t need heavy automation, Kit can feel expensive fast.

I’ve had months where my subscriber count spiked and my Kit bill jumped right with it.

3. Mailchimp — The Most Expensive (Especially Long-Term)

Mailchimp starts cheap, but once you:

Add more subscribers
Need better automations
Want advanced segmentation
Use more sending volume

…the pricing skyrockets.

It’s a classic corporate SaaS move: “Affordable until you really need us.”

Free plan: Up to 500 contacts included.

Essentials: Starts around $13/month for 500 contacts.
Standard: Starts around $20/month for 500 contacts, with higher sends and more features.
Premium: Starts around $350/month for enterprise-level features and large contact base.

Out of all three platforms, Mailchimp is consistently the most expensive for creators trying to scale a newsletter.

Pricing Verdict

If you care about affordable growth, Beehiiv wins.
If you care about advanced automation, Kit justifies the cost.
Mailchimp ONLY makes sense if your brand requires it, otherwise, it’s overpriced for what creators get.

Which Platform Actually Grows a Newsletter Faster? (Final Verdict)

After running newsletters, funnels, and digital products on all three platforms… here’s the truth I wish someone told me years ago:

If your goal is fast, compounding newsletter growth — Beehiiv wins.
If your goal is advanced automation and segmentation — Kit wins.
If your goal is corporate-style email campaigns — Mailchimp is fine but not built for creators.

Growth is the metric that matters most.
And Beehiiv is the only platform where my subscriber count grew even when I wasn’t actively promoting.

The built-in referral system, recommendations, magic links, and the overall creator ecosystem do something the others simply don’t: they remove friction and give you momentum.

When I moved my main newsletter to Beehiiv, I saw the difference almost immediately. Same content. Same cadence. Same niche.
But the numbers moved faster because the platform helped push them.

Kit still plays an important role in my world — especially when I’m building complex funnels or running multi-step onboarding. It’s powerful and reliable.
Mailchimp… I’ve outgrown it. It served its purpose early on, but creators scaling newsletters in 2025 need more than templates and campaigns.

So here’s the cleanest way to think about it:

Want to grow fast? Start with Beehiiv.
Want advanced logic and automation? Consider Kit.
Want a familiar, corporate-style email tool? Mailchimp’s there.

But if I had to start over today, from scratch, with zero subscribers and one goal — grow a newsletter that turns into a real business — I’d choose Beehiiv every time.

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Beehiiv vs Kit vs Mailchimp: Which Grows a Newsletter Faster?