beehiiv vs Keap
beehiiv is a newsletter platform while Keap is a all-in-one marketing platform. Keap has been around since 2001, giving it a 20-year head start over beehiiv (founded 2021). beehiiv is the more affordable option at $49/mo, which is $250 less than Keap's $299/mo entry point. beehiiv offers a free plan (2,500 subscribers), while Keap does not. Keap has the edge with SMS marketing.
Quick Verdict
beehiiv wins on price, deliverability, rating, free tier.
Keap wins on 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%.
Keap
CRM-powered sales and marketing automation for small businesses
Keap (formerly Infusionsoft, founded 2001, acquired by Thryv in 2024) is a premium all-in-one CRM and marketing automation platform built for sales-driven small businesses that need contact management, email sequences, SMS marketing, invoicing, and appointment scheduling in a single tool. Its strength lies in powerful automation workflows and a dedicated Customer Success Manager, but the $299/month starting price for just 1,500 contacts makes it one of the most expensive options in its category.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | beehiiv | Keap |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.5/5 | 4.2/5 |
| Starting Price | $49/mo | $299/mo |
| Free Plan | 2,500 subscribers | No free plan |
| Founded | 2021 | 2001 |
| Email Templates | 20 | 70 |
| Integrations | 40 | 5,000 |
| Deliverability Rate | 98% | 93% |
| Marketing Automation | Yes | Yes |
| A/B Testing | Yes | Yes |
| Landing Pages | Yes | Yes |
| Segmentation | Yes | Yes |
| Drag & Drop Editor | Yes | Yes |
| SMS Marketing | No | Yes |
| Ecommerce Features | Yes | Yes |
| API Access | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-Language | No | No |
| Web Push Notifications | No | No |
| Live Chat | No | Yes |
| Advanced Analytics | Yes | Yes |
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)
Keap: Pros & Cons
Pros
- + Powerful drag-and-drop automation builder that handles complex multi-step sales workflows with conditional triggers
- + True all-in-one platform combining CRM, email, SMS, invoicing, payments, and appointment scheduling
- + Dedicated Customer Success Manager included with every plan for hands-on onboarding and support
- + Deep contact management with tagging, segmentation, and centralized views that reduce manual data entry
- + Built-in text marketing with tiered messaging plans and voice minutes integrated directly into automations
Cons
- − Extremely expensive at $299/month for only 1,500 contacts, with costs escalating quickly for additional contacts and users
- − Steep learning curve with complex campaign builder layouts and no undo button, causing frustration during setup
- − Email marketing capabilities feel half-baked compared to dedicated email platforms despite the premium pricing
- − Invoicing feature is rigid and does not support hourly billing or flexible customization
- − Dated mobile experience and slow feature development compared to more agile competitors like GoHighLevel
The Verdict
beehiiv edges ahead with a 4.5/5 rating compared to Keap's 4.2/5. The gap comes mainly from value for money (4.5 vs 3.7) and deliverability (4.5 vs 3.9). On deliverability, beehiiv reports 98% compared to 93% for Keap — a meaningful difference if inbox placement is critical for your campaigns.
| Criterion | Weight | beehiiv | Keap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | 30% | $49/mo Winner | $299/mo |
| Deliverability | 25% | 98% Winner | 93% |
| Rating | 25% | 4.5/5 Winner | 4.2/5 |
| Integrations | 10% | 40 | 5000 Winner |
| Free Tier | 10% | Yes Winner | No |
Weights determine how much each criterion counts toward the final score. See full methodology
Choose beehiiv if…
- + You want lower starting costs ($49/mo)
- + You need a free plan to get started
- + You're a newsletter creators
- + You're a media companies
Choose Keap if…
- + You need SMS marketing
- + You're a sales driven small businesses
- + You're a service based businesses