You've decided to start a podcast newsletter. Good move. The next question is where to send it. The newsletter platform you choose affects everything — deliverability, design options, monetization, and how much time you spend each week hitting "send."
This guide compares the four most popular platforms for podcasters: Substack, Beehiiv, ConvertKit (now Kit), and Mailchimp. Each has genuine strengths. The right choice depends on what you value most.
What Podcasters Need From a Newsletter Platform
Podcaster requirements are slightly different from a typical email marketer's. You're publishing on a schedule tied to your episode releases. You need to embed audio links. You want your newsletter to complement your show, not compete with it for time.
The key things to evaluate:
- Ease of importing content — can you paste in HTML or Markdown from an external tool?
- Deliverability — does the platform have a good reputation with inbox providers?
- Free tier limits — how far can you get before paying?
- Monetization options — paid subscriptions, sponsorship tools, or referral programs?
- Design flexibility — can you make it look the way you want?
Substack
Substack is the default recommendation you'll hear from most people. It's free to start, has a built-in network effect, and the reading experience is clean and distraction-free.
Pros:
- Completely free until you enable paid subscriptions (then 10% cut).
- Built-in discovery through the Substack network and app. New readers can find you through recommendations from other writers.
- Native podcast hosting — you can publish audio directly on Substack, though most podcasters already have a dedicated host.
- Simple, clean editor. Easy to paste content and publish quickly.
- Good deliverability out of the box.
Cons:
- Limited design customization. Every Substack newsletter looks more or less the same.
- You're building on Substack's platform — you don't fully own the distribution. They could change terms.
- No advanced automation, segmentation, or A/B testing on the free tier.
- The 10% revenue cut on paid subscriptions is steep compared to flat-fee alternatives.
Best for: Podcasters who want the simplest possible setup and value built-in audience discovery. Ideal if you're just starting out and don't want to think about infrastructure.
Beehiiv
Beehiiv has emerged as the power-user alternative to Substack. It was built by ex-Morning Brew team members and focuses on growth tools and monetization.
Pros:
- Generous free tier — up to 2,500 subscribers with no Beehiiv branding on the paid launch plan.
- Built-in referral program (like Morning Brew's referral engine). Subscribers share your newsletter to unlock rewards.
- Ad network — Beehiiv connects you with advertisers once you hit certain subscriber thresholds.
- Custom domains, website builder, and more design flexibility.
- Excellent analytics including click maps, subscriber engagement scoring, and attribution.
Cons:
- The learning curve is steeper than Substack. More features means more decisions.
- Paid plans start at $39/month to remove branding and unlock full features.
- No built-in podcast hosting or audio features.
Best for: Podcasters who are serious about growing their newsletter as a business. If you plan to monetize through ads or paid subscriptions and want growth tools built in, Beehiiv is hard to beat.
ConvertKit (Kit)
ConvertKit — recently rebranded to Kit — was built for creators: bloggers, YouTubers, podcasters, and course creators. It's an email marketing platform first, newsletter platform second.
Pros:
- Powerful automation and sequences. Set up welcome series, drip campaigns, and conditional logic based on subscriber behavior.
- Tagging and segmentation are best-in-class. You can send different content to different segments of your audience.
- Landing pages and opt-in forms included. Helpful for building your email list from your podcast.
- Creator-focused paid newsletter support with a 3.5% + $0.30 transaction fee.
- Free tier up to 10,000 subscribers (with limits on automation).
Cons:
- The email editor is more functional than beautiful. Design options are limited compared to Mailchimp.
- Paid plans start at $25/month for full automation features.
- No built-in discovery network like Substack. Growth is entirely on you.
Best for: Podcasters who want sophisticated email marketing — automations, segmentation, and funnels. Especially good if you sell courses, coaching, or digital products alongside your podcast.
Mailchimp
Mailchimp is the oldest and most well-known email platform. It's evolved significantly over the years, adding a website builder, e-commerce features, and social scheduling.
Pros:
- The most design flexibility of any platform on this list. Drag-and-drop templates, custom HTML, and a mature design system.
- Excellent deliverability backed by years of reputation management.
- Integrates with virtually every other tool you might use.
- Free tier up to 500 contacts and 1,000 sends/month.
Cons:
- Pricing scales aggressively. Once you pass the free tier, costs climb fast — $13/month for 500 contacts on the Essentials plan, and it goes up from there.
- The interface is bloated. There are dozens of features most podcasters will never use.
- No built-in monetization tools for paid newsletters.
- Free tier removes access to scheduling, A/B testing, and other features that used to be included.
Best for: Podcasters who care about email design and already use Mailchimp for other projects. Good if you want granular control over how your newsletter looks. For tips on making the most of any platform's design tools, see our guide on newsletter design tips.
How PodDistill Works With All of Them
PodDistill doesn't lock you into a specific email platform. When you generate a newsletter from your podcast episode, you get three export options:
- Copy HTML — paste directly into Substack, Beehiiv, ConvertKit, Mailchimp, or any platform that accepts HTML.
- Download Markdown — use the raw Markdown in any CMS or writing tool.
- Send directly — on the Pro plan, PodDistill can email your newsletter to your audience via Resend, skipping the platform step entirely.
Most podcasters use the HTML export to paste into their platform of choice. It preserves formatting, headings, bold text, and links — you just paste and send.
Which One Should You Pick?
If you're just starting and want the easiest path, go with Substack. If you're growth-focused and want monetization tools, Beehiiv is the better bet. If you need marketing automation and segmentation, ConvertKit is purpose-built for creators. If design control matters most, Mailchimp wins.
The honest truth: the platform matters less than consistency. Sending a good newsletter every week on any platform will outperform a perfect setup that publishes once a month. Pick one, start sending, and switch later if you outgrow it.
Ready to create your first newsletter? Sign up for PodDistill, generate a newsletter from your latest episode, and export it to whichever platform you choose.