Exact fee calculations for Substack, Ghost, Beehiiv, and Patreon. See what you actually keep at every revenue level.
Last updated: June 4, 2026 · 10 min read
| Platform | Platform Fee | Processing Fee | Monthly Cost | Annual Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Substack | 10% | 2.9% + $0.30 + 0.7% recurring | $0 | $0 | Effective ~13.6% total. Free for free newsletters. |
| Beehiiv | 0% | 2.9% + $0.30 (Stripe) | $49 (or $43 annual) | $588 (or $516 annual) | Scale plan required for paid subscriptions. Free plan for up to 2.5k subs (free newsletters). |
| Ghost | 0% | 2.9% + $0.30 (Stripe) | $9-199 (or $0 self-hosted) | $108-2,388 (or $0 self-hosted) | Pricing varies by audience size. Self-hosted option is free but requires technical setup. |
| Patreon | 8% (Pro plan) | ~2.9% + $0.30 (varies by region) | $0 | $0 | Effective ~10.9% total. Not newsletter-specific—designed for membership communities. |
All payment processing fees are paid directly to Stripe (or similar payment processor), not to the platform. Platform fees are retained by the respective platform.
Enter your specific subscriber count and pricing to see exact take-home revenue for each platform.
Try Free Calculator →Real-world calculations showing exactly what you keep at different revenue levels. All calculations include platform fees and payment processing.
Gross Monthly Revenue: $500
| Platform | Platform Fee | Processing Fee | Monthly Cost | Total Fees | Net Revenue | Effective % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Substack | $50.00 | $48.00 | $0 | $98.00 | $402.00 | 19.6% |
| Beehiiv | $0 | $44.50 | $43.00 | $87.50 | $412.50 | 17.5% |
| Ghost | $0 | $44.50 | $9.00 | $53.50 | $446.50 | 10.7% |
| Patreon | $40.00 | $44.50 | $0 | $84.50 | $415.50 | 16.9% |
Winner at this revenue level: Ghost saves you $34-44/month compared to other platforms.
Gross Monthly Revenue: $5,000
| Platform | Platform Fee | Processing Fee | Monthly Cost | Total Fees | Net Revenue | Effective % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Substack | $500.00 | $180.00 | $0 | $680.00 | $4,320.00 | 13.6% |
| Beehiiv | $0 | $145.00 | $43.00 | $188.00 | $4,812.00 | 3.8% |
| Ghost | $0 | $145.00 | $50.00 | $195.00 | $4,805.00 | 3.9% |
| Patreon | $400.00 | $145.00 | $0 | $545.00 | $4,455.00 | 10.9% |
Winner at this revenue level: Beehiiv saves you $485-492/month compared to Substack. Ghost is nearly identical to Beehiiv.
Gross Monthly Revenue: $10,000
| Platform | Platform Fee | Processing Fee | Monthly Cost | Total Fees | Net Revenue | Effective % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Substack | $1,000.00 | $360.00 | $0 | $1,360.00 | $8,640.00 | 13.6% |
| Beehiiv | $0 | $290.00 | $43.00 | $333.00 | $9,667.00 | 3.3% |
| Ghost | $0 | $290.00 | $199.00 | $489.00 | $9,511.00 | 4.9% |
| Patreon | $800.00 | $290.00 | $0 | $1,090.00 | $8,910.00 | 10.9% |
Winner at this revenue level: Beehiiv saves you $871-1,027/month compared to Substack. Ghost is $156/month behind Beehiiv due to higher hosting costs at this scale.
Gross Monthly Revenue: $50,000
| Platform | Platform Fee | Processing Fee | Monthly Cost | Total Fees | Net Revenue | Effective % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Substack | $5,000.00 | $1,800.00 | $0 | $6,800.00 | $43,200.00 | 13.6% |
| Beehiiv | $0 | $1,450.00 | $43.00 | $1,493.00 | $48,507.00 | 3.0% |
| Ghost | $0 | $1,450.00 | $199.00 | $1,649.00 | $48,351.00 | 3.3% |
| Patreon | $4,000.00 | $1,450.00 | $0 | $5,450.00 | $44,550.00 | 10.9% |
Winner at this revenue level: Beehiiv/Ghost save you $5,151-5,307/month compared to Substack—that's $61,812-63,684 annually. The difference between Beehiiv and Ghost is negligible ($156/month).
Substack's 10% fee costs $50 at $500/month revenue but $5,000 at $50,000/month. The dollar amount paid grows proportionally with your revenue forever, making it increasingly expensive at scale.
Beehiiv's $43/month costs 17.5% at $500/month revenue but only 3.0% at $50,000/month. Fixed monthly costs become proportionally cheaper as your revenue increases.
Beehiiv becomes cheaper than Substack once you exceed approximately $430-490/month in revenue (depending on whether you pay annually or monthly). Below this threshold, Substack's percentage-based model with no fixed costs is cheaper.
At most revenue levels, Ghost and Beehiiv have nearly identical costs (within $7-156/month). Ghost is slightly cheaper at lower revenue levels; Beehiiv is slightly cheaper at higher revenue levels. The strategic choice should be based on features (Ghost = ownership, Beehiiv = growth tools) rather than economics.
All platforms charge ~2.9% + $0.30 per transaction for payment processing because this is paid directly to Stripe. These fees are consistent across platforms and cannot be avoided (they're the cost of accepting credit card payments).
At $10,000/month revenue, choosing Beehiiv over Substack saves $1,027/month or $12,324/year. At $50,000/month, the savings are $5,307/month or $63,684/year. Platform choice has massive long-term financial impact.
Calculate take-home revenue for your specific subscriber count and pricing.
Use Free Calculator →Substack charges 10% as their platform fee. However, payment processing adds 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction (standard Stripe fees) plus an additional 0.7% recurring billing fee. The combined effective rate is approximately 13.6% of revenue plus $0.30 per subscriber per month. Substack is transparent about this in their documentation, but the headline "10%" doesn't include payment processing.
Payment processing fees (typically 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction) are paid directly to the payment processor (usually Stripe), not to the newsletter platform. These fees are the same across all platforms because they're determined by Stripe's pricing structure, not the newsletter platform. The platform fee is separate and retained by the platform company (e.g., Substack's 10%, Patreon's 8%).
The main fees are platform fees, payment processing, and monthly hosting costs. However, some platforms have additional considerations: Substack includes a 0.7% recurring billing fee on top of standard Stripe fees. International payments may incur currency conversion fees. Some platforms charge extra for features like migration assistance or custom integrations. Always check the official pricing documentation for your specific use case.
Beehiiv becomes more cost-effective than Substack at approximately $430-490/month in revenue (depending on annual vs monthly billing). Ghost becomes cheaper around $100-300/month depending on which Ghost plan you need. As a general rule, once you're consistently earning $500+/month, the economics strongly favor 0% platform fee platforms like Beehiiv or Ghost. The savings compound dramatically as you scale.
No. Platform fees only apply to paid subscriptions. Free subscribers cost you nothing on percentage-based platforms (Substack, Patreon). On fixed-cost platforms (Beehiiv, Ghost), free subscribers don't incur additional fees beyond the base monthly cost. Beehiiv offers a free plan for up to 2,500 subscribers if you're only running free newsletters.
Annual subscriptions are typically processed as a single transaction. For percentage-based platforms, the platform fee (e.g., 10% for Substack) applies to the full annual amount. Payment processing fees are charged once on the full transaction (2.9% + $0.30 on the total annual price). This means annual subscriptions have slightly lower effective fees because the $0.30 fixed fee is only charged once per year instead of 12 times.
Generally yes, platform fees and payment processing fees are deductible business expenses if you're operating as a business. However, tax treatment varies by jurisdiction and your specific business structure. Consult a tax professional for advice specific to your situation. Platform fees reduce your gross revenue to net revenue, which is what you'd typically report as income.
When you switch platforms, you'll typically need to export your subscriber list from your old platform and import it to the new one. Existing subscribers will need to re-enter their payment information on the new platform (you cannot transfer payment data due to PCI compliance). During the transition, you may pay fees on both platforms temporarily. Most platforms allow you to cancel at any time without penalty, though some (like Ghost) may have different refund policies depending on your billing cycle.
All fee calculations and pricing data verified from official platform documentation as of June 4, 2026:
All calculations assume US-based payments with credit/debit cards. International payments, alternative payment methods, and currency conversion may have different fee structures. Processing fee calculations include the $0.30 fixed fee multiplied by the number of subscribers.
Disclaimer: Platform pricing changes regularly. Always verify current rates from official sources before making decisions. These calculations are estimates for comparison purposes. Actual fees may vary based on payment methods, subscriber location, currency, and specific platform plans chosen.