beehiiv vs EmailOctopus
beehiiv is a newsletter platform while EmailOctopus is a email marketing platform. EmailOctopus has been around since 2014, giving it a 7-year head start over beehiiv (founded 2021). EmailOctopus is the more affordable option at $9/mo — that's $34 less than beehiiv's $43/mo entry point. Both offer free plans to get started. beehiiv has the edge with A/B testing, ecommerce integrations, advanced analytics. Both tools work well for bloggers.
Quick Verdict
beehiiv wins on deliverability, rating.
EmailOctopus wins on price, integrations.
Best for most users: beehiiv (newsletter creators).
beehiiv
The newsletter platform built for growth
beehiiv was built by the team behind Morning Brew's growth to 4 million subscribers. It's specifically designed for newsletter businesses with built-in monetization through ad networks, paid subscriptions, and referral programs. The highest affiliate commission in the space at up to 60%.
EmailOctopus
Email marketing made easy
EmailOctopus is a stripped-back email marketing tool that focuses on simplicity and affordability. It's ideal for small businesses and creators who want the essentials without paying for features they won't use. Built on Amazon SES for reliable deliverability.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | beehiiv | EmailOctopus |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.5/5 | 4.2/5 |
| Starting Price | $43/mo | $9/mo |
| Free Plan | 2,500 subscribers | 2,500 subscribers |
| Founded | 2021 | 2014 |
| Email Templates | 20 | 30 |
| Integrations | 40 | 45 |
| Deliverability Rate | 98% | 97.5% |
| Marketing Automation | ✓ | ✓ |
| A/B Testing | ✓ | ✕ |
| Landing Pages | ✓ | ✓ |
| Segmentation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Drag & Drop Editor | ✓ | ✓ |
| SMS Marketing | ✕ | ✕ |
| Ecommerce Features | ✓ | ✕ |
| API Access | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multi-Language | ✕ | ✕ |
| Web Push Notifications | ✕ | ✕ |
| Live Chat | ✕ | ✕ |
| Advanced Analytics | ✓ | ✕ |
beehiiv: Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Purpose-built for newsletter businesses
- +Built-in ad network for monetization
- +Referral program to grow subscribers
- +Paid subscription support
- +Founded by ex-Morning Brew team
Cons
- −Limited to newsletter use case
- −Fewer templates than established tools
- −Smaller integration ecosystem
- −No SMS marketing
- −Relatively new platform (2021)
EmailOctopus: Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Generous free plan (2,500 subscribers)
- +Very affordable Pro plan
- +Simple and clean interface
- +Good deliverability using Amazon SES
- +Easy migration from other platforms
Cons
- −Limited feature set compared to competitors
- −No A/B testing
- −Small template library
- −Basic automation capabilities
- −No ecommerce features
The Verdict
beehiiv edges ahead with a 4.5/5 rating compared to EmailOctopus's 4.2/5. The gap comes mainly from feature depth (4.4 vs 3.9) and deliverability (4.5 vs 4.1). On deliverability, beehiiv reports 98% compared to 97.5% for EmailOctopus — a meaningful difference if inbox placement is critical for your campaigns.
| Criterion | Weight | beehiiv | EmailOctopus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | 30% | $43/mo | $9/mo |
| Deliverability | 25% | 98% | 97.5% |
| Rating | 25% | 4.5/5 | 4.2/5 |
| Integrations | 10% | 40 | 45 |
| Free Tier | 10% | Yes | Yes |
Weights determine how much each criterion counts toward the final score. See full methodology
Choose beehiiv if…
- + You need ecommerce integrations
- + You need A/B testing
- + You need advanced analytics
- + You're a newsletter creators
Choose EmailOctopus if…
- + You want lower starting costs ($9/mo)
- + You're a beginners
- + You're a startups