Updated: Jun 4, 2025

Creating an embedded subscribe form

Embedded subscribe forms allow you to collect subscriber details — like email, name, and birthday — and automatically add them to your beehiiv audience. These forms are fully customizable and can be embedded across external websites to help grow your newsletter beyond your publication site.

Embedded subscribe forms created in beehiiv are available as standalone embeds or within a Website Beta site, where they can be added via an HTML block on your Subscribe page.

In this article, you'll get a quick overview of how embedded subscribe forms work with other beehiiv features. Then we'll walk through how to create a form, customize its design and fields, and generate the embed code to use on other websites. We’ll wrap up with a few tips and FAQs to help troubleshoot common questions.

Quick tips to get you started

Subscribe forms and survey forms serve different purposes
Embedded subscribe forms are designed for external use — like embedding on a personal or company website — and focus on capturing initial signup details such as name and email. You can also add an embedded form to your Website Beta site using an HTML block on the Subscribe page.

Survey forms, on the other hand, are added directly to posts and help you gather additional information from existing subscribers. Both types of forms use custom fields to store and organize data in your account.
Embedded subscribe forms are different from your Signup Page
Your Signup page is part of your beehiiv publication site and is customized through the Website Builder. Embedded subscribe forms are not designed for use on these Website Builder pages.

However, if you're using the Website Beta, you can customize your Subscribe page by embedding a subscribe form into an HTML block.
Embedded forms do not lead to your Signup Flow
Embedded subscribe forms let you to set up a redirect URL but do not initiate the multi-step experience of a Signup Flow. Only your hosted Signup page (built with the Website Builder or Website Beta) routes subscribers through a defined Signup Flow. Embedded forms without a Redirect URL simply add the subscriber to your list without triggering an experience.
Pair with Boosts and Recommendations
If you’re using Boosts or Recommendations, you can display a Recommendations widget after someone subscribes via an embedded form.
Build audience segments
You can craft audience segments based on which embedded form a subscriber used, helping you target specific subscriber groups more effectively.
Trigger automations when someone subscribes
Use the Email Submitted trigger to start an automation workflow whenever someone completes a subscribe form.

From the left panel in your account, go to Audience > Subscribe forms.
On the Subscribe forms page, click Create new form.
The form builder will open on the Content tab with the Header options expanded.

Using the form builder

Key controls across the top

Live Preview: The form canvas displays a live preview of your subscribe form, beginning with the default settings, which are typically your publication name and a required email field. Any changes made in the right panel are reflected immediately on the canvas.
Form Name: By default, the form is named ‘New subscribe form’. Click the pencil icon at the top of the canvas to rename it.
Undo/Redo: Use these icons to reverse or reapply recent changes to the form.
Get embed code / Save changes: If no edits have been made, click Get embed code to copy the embed code. After making changes, the button will switch to Save changes — click this to save your edits. Once saved, it will revert back to Get embed code.
Exit Builder: Click the arrow in the upper-left corner to return to your dashboard.

Content Header controls

On the Content tab, the right panel will open showing the Header settings.

Title: The title displays your publication name by default. You can update the text or toggle it off.
Subtitle: If you’ve added a One-Line Description in your publication settings, it appears as the form subtitle by default. You can toggle it off or edit the text to customize it.

Pro Tip: Toggle off the Title and Subtitle to create a subscribe form that mimics the Slim Embed style from the previous builder.

Customizing fields and button settings

While on the Content tab, click the arrow next to Form to expand the fields and button controls.

Set up the fields and button on your form

The Form section is where you add all the fields you’d like to have on the subscribe form and set the button controls.

Fields: The fields on subscribe forms are pulled from the custom fields you’ve created in your account.

The Email field is required and appears by default.
To collect additional data, click Add Field and select from your existing custom fields.
Or click Create custom field to define a new one.
You can designate fields as Required and add as many fields as you'd like to a subscribe form.
Label: To display a name for a field on the form, toggle on Label. You can edit the label text without changing the underlying custom field in your account.
Button: The button text is required and defaults to Subscribe, but you can customize it. You’ll also be able to set the message that displays after someone submits the form, under While submitting; which is also a required field.
TOS/Privacy Policy: Toggle these on to include links beneath the form to your Terms of Service and/or Privacy Policy — provided you’ve already added these links in your Publication > Security settings.

Click on the Styling tab in the right panel to design the look and feel of your subscribe form. Styling is broken into these sections: Background, Header, and Form.

Background Styling

Background base styling

Base styling

Color: Click the color swatch to open the background options.
- Once opened, use the Color, Gradient, or Image tabs to set the background of the subscribe form. You can only use one option for your background color.
Border color: Click the color swatch to choose a color for the form’s border.
Border style: Select a Solid, Dashed, or Dotted style for the form’s border.
Shadow: Choose a size for the shadow of the form’s border, or select None.
Border thickness: Set the thickness of the background border in pixels, individually or all sides together.

Background Sizing

Width: Set the percentage of the width, and select if it should appear as Fit Content, Fixed, Relative, or Fill.

Pro Tip: Select Fill to create a full-width subscribe form — similar to how forms appeared in the previous builder.
Height: Fix the height in pixels or allow it to fit content.

Background Alignment

Direction: Set the form layout to be vertical or horizontal.
X-Align: Set the form content on the x-align to be left, center, or right.
Y-Align: Set the form content on the y-align to be left, center, or right.
Padding: Adjust the background padding in pixels, either individually or all sides together.
Gap: Adjust the background gap or margin in pixels, either individually or all sides together
Corner radius: Adjust the corner radius of the form in pixels, either individually or all sides together.

Header Styling

Header customizations

The styling options for the Header are broken into these sections: Base, Title, and Subtitle.

Pro Tip: If you don’t have a Header or Subtitle, you can skip these options and proceed to customizing your form.

Header Base styling options

Background color: Click the color swatch to choose a color for the header’s background.
Border color: Click the color swatch to choose a color for the header’s border.
Border style: Select a Solid, Dashed, or Dotted style for the header’s border.
Shadow: Choose a size for the shadow of the header’s border, or select None.
Border thickness: Set the thickness of the header border in pixels, individually or all sides together.
Width: Set the percentage of the width, and select if it should appear as Fit Content, Fixed, Relative, or Fill.
Height: Choose to Fix the height and enter in the pixel amount, or have it Fit Content.
Direction: Set the header layout to be vertical or horizontal.
X-Align: Set the header content on the x-align to be left, center, or right.
Y-Align: Set the header content on the y-align to be left, center, or right.
Padding: Adjust the header padding in pixels, either individually or all sides together.
Gap: Adjust the header gap or margin in pixels, either individually or all sides together.
Corner radius: Adjust the corner radius of the header in pixels, either individually or all sides

Header Title styling options

Font family: Select a font family to be used for the title styling.
Font weight: Set the thickness (Regular or Bold) of title text.
Font size: Select the font size in pixels for the title.
Line height: Select the line height in pixels for the title.
Font color: Click the color swatch to choose a color for the title.
Alignment: Choose the title text alignment: left, center, or right.
Width: Select Fill, Fixed, or Fit Content for the title.

Header Subtitle styling options

Font family: Select a font family to be used for the subtitle styling.
Font weight: Set the thickness (Regular or Bold) of subtitle text.
Font size: Select the font size in pixels for the subtitle.
Line height: Select the line height in pixels for the subtitle.
Font color: Click the color swatch to choose a color for the subtitle.
Alignment: Choose the subtitle text alignment: left, center, or right.
Width: Select Fill, Fixed, or Fit Content for the subtitle.

Form Styling

Advanced base form customizations

The styling options for the Form are broken into these sections: Base, Fields, Button, and Terms.

Form Base styling options

Background color: Click the color swatch to choose a color for the base of the form.
Border color: Click the color swatch to choose a color for the border of the form.
Border style: Select a Solid, Dashed, or Dotted style for the header’s border.
Direction: Set the form direction to be vertical or horizontal.
Border thickness: Set the thickness of the form border in pixels, individually or all sides together.
Form width: Set the width of the form in pixels, and select if it should appear Fixed or choose Fill.
Field and button height: Set the fields and button height in the pixels.
Padding: Adjust the form padding in pixels, either individually or all sides together.
Gap: Adjust the form gap or margin in pixels, either individually or all sides together.
Corner radius: Adjust the corner radius of the form in pixels, either individually or all sides together.

Form Fields styling options

Advanced form fields customizations

Fields styling

Font family: Select a font family to be used for the form fields styling.
Font weight: Set the thickness (Regular or Bold) of form fields text.
Font size: Select the font size in pixels for the form fields text.
Input text: Select the line height in pixels for the field input text.
Placeholder text: Click the color swatch to choose a color for the words in the field that are seen before typing.
Background color: Click the color swatch to choose a color for the background of the fields.
Border color: Click the color swatch to choose a color for the border of the fields.
Border style: Select a Solid, Dashed, or Dotted style for the field’s border.
Border thickness: Set the thickness of the field border in pixels, individually or all sides together.
Corner radius: Adjust the corner radius of the fields in pixels, either individually or all sides together.

Label styling

Tech Note: If Label is not toggled on for your custom field, the display options below will not apply.

Font family: Select a font family to be used for the label styling.
Font weight: Set the thickness (Regular or Bold) of label text.
Font size: Select the font size in pixels for the label.
Label color: Click the color swatch to choose a color for the label of the field.

Radio/checkbox styling

These settings apply to True/False and List (Multi-Select) custom fields.

Accent color: Click the color swatch to choose a color for the label of the field.
Background color: Click the color swatch to choose a color for the background of the field.

Form Button styling options

Advanced form button customizations

Button styling

Font family: Select a font family to be used for the button text.
Font weight: Set the thickness (Regular or Bold) of button text.
Font size: Select the font size in pixels for the button.
Input text: Select the line height in pixels for the button.
Placeholder text: Click the color swatch to choose a color for the button.
Background color: Click the color swatch to choose a color for the background of the button.
Border color: Click the color swatch to choose a color for the border of the button.
Border style: Select a Solid, Dashed, or Dotted style for the button’s border.
Border thickness: Set the thickness of the button border in pixels, individually or all sides together.
Corner radius: Adjust the corner radius of the button in pixels, either individually or all sides together.

Form Terms styling options

Advanced form terms customizations

The Terms section is only relevant when the ToS and Privacy Policy options have been enabled in your publication’s security settings, which means that subscribers must check a box to agree before signing up.

Terms styling

Font family: Select a font family to be used for the ToS and Privacy Policy label styling.
Font size: Select the font size in pixels for the ToS and Privacy Policy label styling.
Font color: Click the color swatch to choose a color for the ToS and Privacy Policy label styling.

Checkbox styling

Accent color: Click the color swatch to choose a color for the checkbox.
Background color: Click the color swatch to choose a color for the checkbox.

Click on the Settings tab in the right panel to control what happens after someone submits the form.

Show a success message: Enter a confirmation message (up to 80 characters) that appears after submission.
Redirect to an external website: Add a URL to redirect subscribers after they sign up.
- Make sure the URL you entered is correct and properly formatted. Use the full URL, including https:// — for example: https://website.com.
- You can also toggle on Remove emails from the redirect URL to replace the email with a unique subscription ID.
Require double opt-in: Force all new subscribers from this form to confirm their email via a double opt-in message.

Tech Note: This setting is strictly for this embedded subscribe form. It will override your publication-wide opt-in setting only if double opt in is disabled at the publication level.

If you haven’t done so already, give your form a clear, descriptive name. This name will appear as the Embed name in a subscriber’s profile under acquisition details, and is also used to identify the form in automations. Choose a name that helps you remember where or how the form is being used.

At the top of the canvas, click the pencil icon next to the form name, enter a new name into the field, and then click Save.
Once you're happy with your form design, click Save changes in the top-right corner of the form builder.

Copy and configure the embed code

After saving a subscribe form, you’ll receive a confirmation message at the top of your screen. The top-right corner option will update to Get embed code — click on it.
When you are ready to place the subscribe form script into another website, click Get embed code in the top-right corner of the form builder. A modal will popup with your form's embed code, ready to copy and paste. Paste the code into your website.

For advanced setups, such as attribution tracking:

Copy the Attribution tracking script to forward UTM parameters to beehiiv.
Paste this script just before the closing <body> tag of the web page where your form will appear on your website.

Click Close on the popup when you're done.

To return to your list of forms, click the arrow in the top-left corner of the canvas.

Script embedding tips

Always preview your site after embedding the script to ensure the form displays and functions as expected.
Double check the form on mobile and desktop to ensure it performs across multiple devices.
If you're unsure where to paste the embed code, check your platform’s documentation or reach out to their support team.

Please Note: Our chatbot assistant and support team can help with embedded subscribe form issues should they arise, but for help embedding a form on an external website, contact that platform’s support.

What is the embed code made of?

The embed code for our subscribe forms is HTML that includes an iframe element and a script element. The iframe displays the form, and the script contains the JavaScript needed for functionality.

What kind of information security practices does beehiiv use for embedded subscribe forms?

Our embedded subscribe forms follow modern Infosec best practices. Each form includes a secure iframe and script combination, and all communication with beehiiv’s servers is encrypted via HTTPS to ensure that subscriber data is transmitted securely. Each embed code is designed to work safely across external websites without exposing sensitive data.

Can I change the color of the beehiiv logo?

The color of the beehiiv logo cannot be changed. However, if you're on a Max or Enterprise plan, you can enable Private Branding in your account settings to remove the beehiiv logo entirely, including from any embedded subscribe forms.

Can I add a description to my form?

Not yet — this option isn’t currently available, but it’s on the roadmap and should be coming soon.

How do I delete an embedded subscribe form?

To delete an embedded subscribe form, locate it on your Subscribe forms page, then click the 3 dots menu for it, and select Delete.

You’ll be prompted to confirm the deletion, as this action will immediately disable the form if embedded. Click Confirm to permanently delete the form.

Reminder: If you delete an embedded subscribe form that was used to collect subscriber information, any data collected through that form — including how a subscriber joined — will be removed from their profile in beehiiv. Proceed with caution when deleting active or previously used forms.

Are there any custom field types that can’t be used on an embedded subscribe form?

Nope, all custom field types can be used on a subscribe form. This includes fields like True/False (which display as radio buttons) and List: Single/Multi-Select.

Why isn’t my Terms of Service(ToS) or Privacy Policy showing on the embedded subscribe form?

If either field is left blank or the URL isn’t properly formatted, it won’t appear on your form. Make sure you include the full URL, starting with https:// — for example, https://yourwebsite.com.

What if I already embedded a legacy subscribe form on my website? Will it still work?

Yes, any legacy subscribe forms you’ve already embedded will continue to work as expected. While you can no longer create new forms using the legacy form builder, we currently have no plans to discontinue support for the older subscribe forms.

Can I add an embedded subscribe form to my Beta website?

Yes — if you're using the Website Beta, you can embed a subscribe form by adding an Custom HTML block and pasting in the form’s embed code.

Note: If the form appears too wide for the block, adjust the form width in the Styling tab to better fit the layout.

If I’m not using the Website Beta, can I add a subscribe form to my current beehiiv site?

At this time, subscribe forms are intended for use on external sites and can't be added to a Website Builder website. We recommend using your Signup Page to collect subscribers directly on your publication site.

How do I add a beehiiv subscribe form to an external website?

The following instructions may vary depending on the website builder or CMS you’re using.

Disclaimer: The platform-specific steps below were generated using AI as a courtesy to help you get started. beehiiv cannot guarantee their accuracy or completeness and is not liable for how this information is used. Always consult your website platform’s official documentation or support team for the most accurate and up-to-date instructions.

General steps for most websites

Create and customize your subscribe form at Audience > Subscribe forms.
Click on Get embed code to copy the script to embed.
- If needed, copy the advanced attribution tracking script (JavaScript) to pass UTM parameters.
Paste the embed code into your website’s HTML wherever you want the form to appear (e.g., footer, sidebar, or a specific page).

Platform-specific instructions

WordPress

With a plugin (e.g., WPForms):

Install and activate your chosen form plugin (like WPForms).
Create your form within the plugin.
Use the Embed button in the form editor to add it to a page, or use the WPForms block to insert it in the block editor.

With custom HTML:

In the WordPress editor, add a Custom HTML block.
Paste your beehiiv subscribe form embed code into the block and save.

Shopify

Create your beehiiv form and copy the embed code.
In Shopify admin, go to Online Store > Pages.
Select the page where you want the form.
Click the Show HTML icon in the editor.
Paste your embed code, save the page, and preview it live.

Squarespace

Create and publish your beehiiv form, then copy the embed code.
In the Squarespace editor, go to the section where you want the form.
Click + Add Block and choose the Embed block.
Paste your embed code into the Code Snippet tab, then save and preview.

Alternative: Using Code Injection for global placement

Go to Settings > Advanced > Code Injection.
Paste your subscribe form code into the Footer field.
Save changes.

Use this method if your form includes JavaScript or needs to appear site-wide.

Wix

For built-in subscribe forms:

In the Wix Editor, go to Add Elements > Interactive > Subscribe.
Drag the subscribe form onto your page and customize it as needed.

For custom HTML forms:

Go to Add > Embed > Custom Embeds > Custom Element.
Place the element on your page.
Set its attributes and paste the embed code provided by beehiiv.
Publish the page to make the form live.

BigCommerce, WooCommerce, and other platforms

Paste the beehiiv embed code into your site’s HTML or use an HTML/code block in your editor.
For WooCommerce (on WordPress), add a Custom HTML block or widget and paste the code there.

Article Contents

Quick tips to get you started
How to create a custom subscribe form
Customizing fields and button settings
Copy and configure the embed code
Script embedding tips
Frequently asked questions about embedded subscribe forms