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The Price Hike That Changed Everything
In late 2024, AWeber — one of the oldest email platforms in the industry, founded in 1998 — quietly made two changes that sent creators to Google searching for alternatives. First, they cut the free plan from 500 subscribers to 300. Second, they raised prices across all paid tiers by 50% to 150% depending on your subscriber count.
A creator with 5,000 subscribers went from paying around $30/month to $60/month overnight. A creator at 10,000 subscribers saw their bill nearly triple. The timing was particularly bad: Beehiiv had just launched its full monetisation suite, and the contrast between “pay more for the same thing” vs “pay less and actually earn money” was stark.
- Free tier: 500 → 300 subscribers (40% reduction)
- Lite plan: Price increased 50–80% depending on list size
- Plus plan: Price increased 100–150% at higher subscriber tiers
- No new features shipped to justify the increase
AWeber has not officially commented on the reasoning beyond “market alignment.” The email marketing community hasn't been forgiving.
AWeber vs Beehiiv: Full Feature Comparison
Based on current 2026 pricing and features. Primary keyword: AWeber vs Beehiiv.
| FEATURE | AWEBER | BEEHIIV |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | 300 subscribers | ✓2,500 subscribers |
| Starting price | $15/mo (Lite) | ✓$0 (Launch) |
| Deliverability | ✓99.8% (own infra) | Third-party ESP |
| Built-in monetisation | None | ✓Ad Network + Boosts + Paid subs |
| Growth tools | None | ✓Boosts, Magic Links, Referrals |
| AI tools | Minimal | ✓Writer, image gen, website builder |
| Automation | Advanced (conditional branching) | Automations v3 + Workflows |
| Support | ✓24/7 phone + live chat | Scale+ only |
| Interface | Dated, complex | ✓Modern, intuitive |
| Best for | Enterprise / B2B teams | Newsletter creators |
Pricing: The Numbers Don't Lie
At the 0–2,500 subscriber level, the comparison isn't even close. Beehiiv is free. AWeber costs $15/month and gives you a fraction of the features. Here's what both platforms charge at key subscriber milestones:
The key inflection point: at 5,000 subscribers, Beehiiv Scale ($49/mo) includes full monetisation features and costs less than AWeber's equivalent tier. By the time you hit 10,000 subscribers, Beehiiv Max ($109/mo) vs AWeber ($70–100/mo) is nearly the same price — but Beehiiv gives you tools to earn from your list.
What Each Platform Looks Like
Monetisation: Beehiiv's Biggest Advantage
AWeber is an email marketing platform. Beehiiv is a creator revenue platform that happens to send email. That distinction matters more than any pricing comparison.
AWeber has zero built-in monetisation features. If you want to earn from your list, you need third-party tools, manual sponsorship outreach, and separate payment processors. Beehiiv bakes all of this in:
Brands pay to appear in your newsletter. Beehiiv matches you with advertisers — you accept or decline, they pay directly. Beehiiv takes 20% of earnings. Available on Scale ($49/mo).
Get paid $1–5 per new subscriber you send to other newsletters in Beehiiv's network. Run cross-promotions that pay out directly into your account. Beehiiv takes a 20% platform fee.
Charge readers monthly or annually for premium content. Stripe handles payments; Beehiiv manages tiers. Build a recurring revenue stream directly from your newsletter audience.
Reward existing subscribers for referring new ones. Set up automated reward milestones (exclusive content, merch, etc.) that incentivise word-of-mouth growth.
The bottom line:A Beehiiv newsletter with 5,000 engaged subscribers can realistically earn $500–2,000/month from Boosts and Ad Network alone — before you count paid subscriptions. AWeber offers none of this natively. You'd need to build that infrastructure yourself.
Deliverability: The One Area AWeber Still Wins
AWeber's 99.8% deliverability rate is backed by infrastructure the company has built over 27 years. They own their sending domain, operate their own servers, and have dedicated teams managing inbox relationships with Gmail, Yahoo, and Microsoft. This matters for:
- High-volume senders (100k+ per send) where small deliverability differences compound
- B2B transactional email where inbox placement is critical
- Regulated industries (finance, healthcare) where compliance is non-negotiable
Beehiiv uses a third-party ESP for sending — deliverability is solid in practice but not independently audited. For most newsletter creators sending 2–4 emails a month to engaged audiences, the difference is negligible. For enterprise senders, it's worth considering.
Who Should Use Which Platform
How to Switch from AWeber to Beehiiv (Under 2 Hours)
Go to AWeber → Subscribers → Export. Download as CSV. Include all subscriber fields you want to keep (email, name, tags, custom fields).
Sign up at Beehiiv via the link below for your 14-day trial + 20% OFF. Set up your newsletter name, description, and branding before importing.
Beehiiv → Audience → Import Subscribers. Upload your CSV. Map fields appropriately. Beehiiv supports custom fields and tags on import.
Notify your list you've moved. This also cleans inactive subscribers and protects your deliverability score on the new platform.
Apply for the Ad Network, configure Boosts, and optionally set up paid subscription tiers — things you couldn't do on AWeber at all.
Ready to Make the Switch?
Beehiiv gives you 2,500 free subscribers, a built-in Ad Network, Boosts, and AI tools — everything AWeber charges extra for and still doesn't offer. Via ToolStack you get a 14-day free trial plus 20% OFF your first 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is AWeber still worth it after the 2024 price increase?
For enterprise teams needing complex B2B automation, AWeber's 99.8% deliverability and advanced conditional workflows still justify the cost. For solo newsletter creators, the 50–150% price hike makes Beehiiv the better value — especially since Beehiiv's free tier covers 2,500 subscribers vs AWeber's 300.
How much can I make with Beehiiv Boosts?
Beehiiv Boosts earnings vary by niche and audience size. Creators report $1–5 per new subscriber driven through Boosts, with Beehiiv taking a 20% platform fee on earnings. The Ad Network also allows direct sponsorship deals. Most creators with 5,000+ engaged subscribers see meaningful passive income from the built-in monetisation tools.
Can I switch from AWeber to Beehiiv without losing subscribers?
Yes — Beehiiv has a direct migration import tool. Export your subscriber list from AWeber as a CSV, upload to Beehiiv, and subscribers transfer over. You may want to send a re-engagement email to clean the list. The process typically takes under 2 hours.
What is the Beehiiv free plan limit?
Beehiiv's free Launch plan supports up to 2,500 subscribers with unlimited sends and core features including the newsletter builder, landing pages, and analytics. No credit card required. AWeber's free tier was cut to 300 subscribers in late 2024.
Does AWeber allow affiliate marketing?
Yes — AWeber is one of the most affiliate-friendly email platforms and permits affiliate links in emails as long as you follow CAN-SPAM/GDPR rules. Many platforms like Mailchimp restrict affiliate content. AWeber also runs a 30% recurring commission affiliate program.
What is Beehiiv's deliverability compared to AWeber?
AWeber uses its own sending infrastructure with a 99.8% deliverability rate, backed by 27 years of inbox relationship building. Beehiiv uses a third-party ESP — deliverability is not independently audited. For high-stakes transactional or B2B email, AWeber's own infrastructure is an advantage.
Which is better for beginners — AWeber or Beehiiv?
Beehiiv wins for beginners. The interface is modern and designed for newsletter creators rather than enterprise marketers. The free plan covering 2,500 subscribers means you can build a real audience before paying anything. AWeber has a steeper learning curve and a dated interface.
Does Beehiiv have a free trial?
Beehiiv offers a 14-day free trial on paid plans. Via our link below, you get 20% OFF for your first 3 months. The Launch plan is permanently free up to 2,500 subscribers — no trial period needed.