The Ultimate Small Business Guide
For modern creators and small businesses, newsletters have become indispensable tools for audience engagement, brand building, and revenue generation. With email marketing delivering an astounding 4,200% ROI ($42 return for every $1 spent), selecting the right platform is one of the most consequential decisions for your creative business. The newsletter software landscape has evolved dramatically, with 2025 bringing sophisticated monetization features, AI-powered tools, and growth-oriented functionality that can make or break your publishing efforts.
After extensive analysis of over 30 platforms based on creator-specific criteria—including monetization capabilities, ease of use, growth features, and pricing transparency—here are the top 10 newsletter tools that deliver exceptional value for small businesses and creators this year.
1. Beehiiv: Best for Monetization & Growth
Ideal for: Content creators and entrepreneurs building profitable newsletter businesses
Starting Price: Free for 2,500 subscribers; paid plans from $49/month
Founded by former Morning Brew executives, Beehiiv dominates as the premier growth and monetization platform. Its triple-revenue model enables earnings through:
- Native ad network (accessible even to smaller publications)
- Paid subscriptions with Stripe integration (only 3% payment fee)
- Boost program for viral audience growth through creator collaborations
Growth features include referral programs, custom domains, and SEO-optimized web hosting. The drag-and-drop editor creates polished newsletters, though watch for email size limitations that can cause Gmail clipping.
Pricing structure:
- Launch: Free (2,500 subs, unlimited sends)
- Scale: $49/month (10,000 subs, monetization tools)
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Best for: Creators prioritizing revenue diversification and rapid audience growth.
2. MailerLite: Most Cost-Effective Solution
Ideal for: Budget-conscious startups and first-time email marketers
Starting Price: Free for 1,000 subscribers; paid plans from $9/month
MailerLite delivers extraordinary value with its generous free tier (12,000 emails/month) and intuitive interface. Beyond newsletters, you get:
- Integrated website and blog builder
- E-commerce functionality for digital products
- Drag-and-drop editor with 100+ content blocks
Its automation capabilities suit basic workflows (welcome sequences, abandoned cart), though complex automations require higher tiers. Deliverability rates are consistently top-ranked.
Pricing structure:
- Free: 1,000 subs, 12,000 emails/month
- Growing Business: $9/month (1,000 subs)
- Advanced: $19/month (automation features)
Best for: Solopreneurs needing professional features without investment.
Ideal for: Digital creators, course builders, and coaches
Starting Price: Free for 10,000 subscribers; paid from $15/month
Rebranded as Kit, this platform excels at turning subscribers into customers. Creator-centric features include:
- Visual automation builder for audience nurturing
- Digital product sales (courses, ebooks) with 0% platform fees
- Customizable checkout experiences and landing pages
The referral program incentivizes audience growth, while the tagging system enables precise segmentation. Its template library is less extensive than competitors.
Pricing structure:
- Newsletter: Free (10,000 subs)
- Creator: $15/month (300 subs, product sales)
- Creator Pro: $50/month (advanced features)
Best for: Creators monetizing through digital products and courses.
4. Substack: Best for Paid Newsletters
Ideal for: Independent writers, journalists, and niche experts
Starting Price: Free; 10% platform fee on paid subscriptions
Substack remains the go-to platform for subscription-first newsletters, offering:
- Frictionless payment integration
- Built-in discovery features for audience growth
- Minimalist writing environment with no design distractions
The trade-off comes in limited branding control and no website hosting. Its 10% revenue cut makes it expensive at scale compared to Beehiiv's 0% platform fee.
Pricing structure:
- Free for free newsletters
- 10% + payment processing fees for paid newsletters
Best for: Writers prioritizing simplicity and subscription revenue.
5. Ghost: Best Ownership Experience
Ideal for: Tech-savvy creators wanting full platform control
Starting Price: $9/month (managed hosting); free (self-hosted)
Ghost stands out as the open-source alternative combining content management with newsletter functionality. Key benefits:
- 100% revenue retention on paid memberships
- Customizable themes and full CSS/HTML access
- SEO-optimized publishing with newsletter integration
The trade-off is a steeper learning curve and fewer built-in growth tools than Beehiiv or Kit.
Pricing structure:
- Starter: $9/month (500 subs)
- Creator: $25/month (1,000 subs)
- Team: $50/month (advanced features)
Best for: Creators valuing ownership and technical flexibility.
6. Brevo: Best for Multichannel Marketing
Ideal for: Businesses incorporating SMS and WhatsApp
Starting Price: Free for 300 emails/day; paid from $9/month
Formerly Sendinblue, Brevo shines with its unified communications hub:
- Email, SMS, and WhatsApp in one dashboard
- CRM with lead scoring
- Transactional email capabilities
The workflow automation builder enables cross-channel campaigns (e.g., abandoned cart SMS after email opens). Pricing is volume-based, not contact-based, benefiting growing lists.
Pricing structure:
- Free: 300 emails/day
- Starter: $9/month (5,000 emails/month)
- Business: $18/month (marketing automation)
Best for: Businesses executing coordinated email/SMS strategies.
7. GetResponse: Best All-in-One Marketing Suite
Ideal for: Businesses scaling with funnels and webinars
Starting Price: Free for 500 contacts; paid from $19/month
GetResponse transcends email with integrated marketing features:
- Webinar hosting (up to 300 attendees)
- Sales funnel builder with checkout pages
- AI content generator for subject lines and copy
The course creation feature (beta) positions it as a creator platform contender, though automations require mid-tier plans.
Pricing structure:
- Free: 500 contacts
- Email Marketing: $19/month (1,000 contacts)
- Marketing Automation: $59/month (advanced workflows)
Best for: Multi-channel marketers needing webinar and funnel tools.
8. Flodesk: Best Visual Design
Ideal for: Brand-focused creators prioritizing aesthetics
Starting Price: $35/month (no free plan)
Flodesk differentiates with stunning templates and unlimited subscribers:
- Design-focused editor with typography controls
- Flat-rate pricing regardless of list size
- E-commerce integrations with Shopify/WooCommerce
The absence of a free plan makes it less accessible for starters, but visual flexibility justifies the cost for design-led brands.
Pricing structure:
- Email: $35/month (unlimited everything)
- Email + Website: $56/month
Best for: Visual artists, photographers, and design-centric brands.
9. Curated: Best for Curated Newsletters
Ideal for: Industry experts sharing third-party content
Starting Price: Free for 1,500 subscribers; paid from $39/month
Specializing in content curation workflows, Curated offers:
- Browser extension for one-click content saving
- Automated sourcing suggestions
- Collaboration tools for team curation
The platform streamlines finding, annotating, and organizing external content into digestible newsletters—perfect for "industry update" formats.
Pricing structure:
- Free: 1,500 subscribers
- Standard: $39/month (2,500 subscribers)
- Premium: $149/month (10,000 subscribers)
Best for: Analysts and consultants publishing industry digests.
10. ActiveCampaign: Best for Advanced Automation
Ideal for: E-commerce and scaling businesses
Starting Price: $19/month (no free plan)
ActiveCampaign leads in behavior-triggered marketing:
- 850+ automation templates
- Site tracking for personalized messaging
- CRM with deal pipelines
The learning curve is steeper than MailerLite or Beehiiv, but conversion-focused workflows justify the investment for growth-stage businesses.
Pricing structure:
- Starter: $19/month (500 contacts)
- Professional: $59/month (advanced automations)
Best for: Businesses leveraging behavioral data for hyper-personalization.
Comparative Analysis: Pricing & Key Features
Entry-Level Plan Comparison (1,000 Subscribers)
Platform |
Free Tier |
Starting Paid Plan |
Key Strengths |
Monetization Tools |
Beehiiv |
2,500 subs |
$49/month |
Growth features, ad network |
Ads, subscriptions, boosts |
MailerLite |
1,000 subs, 12K emails |
$9/month |
Ease of use, unlimited emails |
Digital products |
Kit |
10,000 subs |
$15/month |
Creator commerce, visual automations |
Digital products, courses |
Substack |
Unlimited free subs |
10% revenue fee |
Subscription simplicity |
Paid newsletters only |
Ghost |
None (self-hosted free) |
$9/month |
Ownership, no revenue cut |
Memberships, donations |
Brevo |
300 emails/day |
$9/month |
Multichannel campaigns |
Transactional emails |
GetResponse |
500 contacts |
$19/month |
Webinars, funnels |
Course sales (beta) |
Flodesk |
None |
$35/month |
Design flexibility |
E-commerce integrations |
Curated |
1,500 subs |
$39/month |
Curation workflow |
Sponsorships |
ActiveCampaign |
None |
$19/month |
Behavioral automation |
E-commerce triggers |
Strategic Selection Framework
Choose your ideal platform based on your primary business objective:
- Monetization-First Approach → Beehiiv or Ghost
- Beehiiv: Multiple revenue streams with ad network and subscriptions
- Ghost: Keep 100% of subscription revenue with membership tools
- Budget Constraints → MailerLite or Brevo
- MailerLite: Unlimited emails on free tier with website builder
- Brevo: Volume-based pricing ideal for growing lists
- Creator Products & Courses → Kit or GetResponse
- Kit: Seamless digital product sales
- GetResponse: Course creation + webinar funnels
- Design & Branding → Flodesk
- Professionally designed templates with typography control
- Scalable Automation → ActiveCampaign
- Sophisticated behavioral triggers for e-commerce
Critical Implementation Tips
- Prioritize Deliverability: Authenticate domains and warm up IPs (Beehiiv includes automated domain warming)
- Leverage AI Wisely: Use generative tools for subject lines (GetResponse) or content ideas (ActiveCampaign), but maintain authentic voice
- Audit Costs Proactively: Monitor subscriber growth monthly; shift to volume-based pricing (Brevo) if sending infrequently to large lists
- Combine Platforms: Use Ghost for membership management + MailerLite for broad newsletters
The Future of Creator Newsletters
Platforms are increasingly integrating AI personalization, cross-channel orchestration (SMS/chat), and owned audience analytics as third-party cookies phase out. Beehiiv's Boost network exemplifies the shift toward collaborative growth ecosystems, while Ghost's open-source model responds to demands for platform independence.
For small businesses, the 2025 newsletter landscape offers unprecedented opportunity—if you align platform capabilities with business model, technical comfort, and growth ambitions. Whether launching your first newsletter or scaling a six-figure publication, these tools provide the infrastructure to own your audience and monetize your expertise.