Plan types and subscriber plan tier pricing

This article covers the pricing structure for beehiiv’s plan types and plan tiers. Before diving in, please review this quick glossary of terms:

• Plan Type: A type of account we offer that provides you access to certain beehiiv features and limits. We currently offer 4 plans: Launch, Scale, Max, and Enterprise.
• Subscriber: Someone who has subscribed to a publication/newsletter within your account, also commonly referred to as a 'contact' or 'email'.
• Active Subscriber: A subscriber who you are sending to that has not unsubscribed or been marked as inactive.
• Plan Tier: Represents the amount you would pay on your plan type, which is dependent on your current active subscriber count.
• Subscriber Limit: The maximum allowable amount of active subscribers on that plan type.

Our beehiiv plan options are Launch, Scale, Max, and Enterprise. Plan types determine what features and limits are available to the plan you’re subscribed to.

Our Pricing page provides a complete rundown of the features and pricing for all beehiiv plans. 

Each plan type includes subscriber plan tiers, meaning your monthly cost can vary based on the number of active subscribers you have. While your plan type determines the features available on that plan, the cost of your plan also depends on your subscriber plan tier.

While the Scale and Max plans have a subscriber limit of 100k, it's important to understand that this limit applies collectively to all publications within a workspace. As your active subscribers increase, you’ll pay according to your plan tier’s tiered amounts until reaching 100k subscribers, at which point an upgrade to our Enterprise plan would be required.

On our Pricing page, you can use our automated plan calculators to see how much your plan would cost based on your active subscriber count. 

Simply select how often you want to pay, Monthly or Yearly, then use the slider to calculate your subscribers and the cost per month/year will be reflected in each price option.  

How do I access my free trial on these plan types?
Upon first creating a beehiiv account, you'll immediately receive a trial of our Scale or Max plan, whichever you prefer. No upgrade or credit card is required. During your trial, your account is subject to the sending limits of the Launch plan, including a 2,500 active subscriber cap. For a full breakdown of what's included, check out: What's included in the beehiiv Scale and Max trial.
Can I use a pre-paid credit card to purchase a paid plan?
At this time, we aren't able to allow payment by pre-paid credit card. Please use an alternate payment method.
How do I upgrade or downgrade my plan type or plan tier?
You can upgrade or downgrade your plan type or plan tier directly from your account. From the left panel, go to Settings > Billing & Plan. Under Your Current Plan, click Change. For a full walkthrough, check out: How to change your beehiiv plan type and plan tier.
Why does my paid Scale plan show a lower subscriber limit than the free Launch plan's 2,500 subscribers?

This typically comes from comparing two different concepts: plan types and plan tier

The free Launch plan allows up to 2,500 active subscribers total — that is the subscriber limit for that plan type.

When you upgrade to a paid plan like Scale or Max, you select a plan tier based on your current active subscriber count. Paid plan tiers start at lower increments (such as 1,000 subscribers) and scale upward as your list grows. While Scale and Max plans support up to 100,000 active subscribers total, your monthly cost is determined by which tier you're currently on.

Example: If you're on Scale with 800 active subscribers, you would be on the 1,000-subscriber plan tier. This means you're paying for capacity up to 1,000 — not that you're limited to 1,000. You can move to the next tier (2,500, 5,000, 10,000, and so on) at any time as your list grows.

To see all available plan tiers and their pricing, visit the Pricing page and use the plan calculator.

How do I apply a promo code or affiliate discount to my subscription?
You can apply a promotional code when upgrading or changing your plan:
1. From the left panel, go to Settings > Billing & Plan.
2. Under Your Current Plan, click Change.
3. Select your desired plan type, subscriber tier, and billing cadence.
4. Click Add Promotion Code, then enter your code in the field.
5. Click Go to Checkout once everything looks correct.
Note: If you received a discount through an affiliate link, apply the link directly rather than entering a code manually. The discount will be reflected at checkout.
Can I pause my beehiiv subscription instead of canceling it?
Yes, but only on a monthly billing plan. If you're on a monthly plan, you can pause your subscription for up to 30 days, beginning at the end of your current billing cycle. During the pause, your account reverts to the feature set of the free Launch plan, which includes a sending limit of 2,500 active subscribers. When the pause period ends, your paid plan and features are automatically restored.
To pause your subscription, follow the downgrade steps in How to change your beehiiv plan type and plan tier. The pause option appears during the downgrade confirmation steps.
Tech Note: The pause option is not available on annual billing plans. If you need to reduce costs on an annual plan, consider downgrading to a lower plan tier or to the Launch plan instead.