Beehiiv has a free Launch plan that supports up to 2,500 subscribers with unlimited emails. The Scale plan at $39/month adds monetization features, custom domains, and removes Beehiiv branding. The Max plan at $99/month adds priority support and advanced features.

How to Switch from Mailchimp to Beehiiv (Step-by-Step 2026 Guide)

Q: Is Beehiiv better than Mailchimp for newsletters?

For newsletter creators, yes. Beehiiv was built specifically for newsletters with features like built-in ad network, referral programs, paid subscriptions, and website hosting. Mailchimp is a general email marketing tool. If your primary use case is running a newsletter, Beehiiv is purpose-built for it.

Q: Can I make money with Beehiiv?

Yes. Beehiiv has multiple monetization features: Beehiiv Ad Network (display ads in your newsletter), Boosts (get paid to recommend other newsletters), paid subscriptions (charge readers), and premium content. These features are not available in Mailchimp and are the main reason creators switch.

By ToolVS Research Team · Last Updated April 2026

Share:𝕏 in f r/

Easy2-3 hoursNewsletter

Migration takes 2-3 hours and unlocks newsletter monetization. Beehiiv was purpose-built for newsletter creators with a built-in ad network, referral programs, and paid subscriptions that Mailchimp does not offer. Export your Mailchimp subscribers as CSV and import directly into Beehiiv.

Migration Checklist

Step 1: Export Subscribers from Mailchimp

Log into Mailchimp and go to Audience → All Contacts
Click the Export Audience dropdown and select Export as CSV
Wait for the email with download link (1-10 minutes)
Download and extract the ZIP file
Also export campaign reports from Campaigns → Reports for reference

Step 2: Clean Subscriber Data

Open the CSV in Google Sheets or Excel
Remove rows with UNSUB or CLEANED status
Keep columns: Email Address, First Name, Last Name
Remove duplicates
Beehiiv requires minimum: just email address
Save as a clean CSV

Step 3: Set Up Your Beehiiv Publication

Create your account at beehiiv.com
Set up your publication: name, logo, description, and colors
Configure your custom domain: Settings → Publication → Website → Custom Domain
Set up your sender email address and verify your domain
Choose your Beehiiv plan (free Launch plan for up to 2,500 subscribers)

Step 4: Import Subscribers to Beehiiv

Go to Audience → Import Subscribers
Upload your cleaned CSV file
Map columns: email, first_name, last_name
Select Active status for imported subscribers
Click Import and wait for completion

Important: Beehiiv will not send confirmation emails to imported subscribers since they already opted in via Mailchimp.

Step 5: Set Up Monetization

Beehiiv Ad Network: Go to Monetize → Ad Network to enable (requires Scale plan + 1,000 subscribers)
Boosts: Go to Monetize → Boosts to earn by recommending other newsletters
Paid subscriptions: Go to Monetize → Premium to set up paid tiers
Referral program: Go to Growth → Referral Program to reward subscribers who share

This is the main reason creators switch from Mailchimp. None of these monetization features exist in Mailchimp.

Step 6: Test Everything

Send a test email to yourself
Check formatting, images, and links on desktop and mobile
Test your signup forms and landing pages
Verify your custom domain loads correctly

Step 7: Update Signup Forms

Replace all Mailchimp embed forms on your website with Beehiiv embeds
Get embed code from Growth → Subscribe Forms
Update any Zapier or API integrations
Update social media bio links to point to your Beehiiv landing page

Step 8: Run Parallel for 1-2 Weeks

Send your next 2-3 newsletters via Beehiiv while keeping Mailchimp active. Compare open rates and delivery rates. Beehiiv typically has higher deliverability since it is newsletter-focused.

Step 9: Deactivate Mailchimp

Download a final Mailchimp export for backup
Pause all automations
Go to Account → Settings → Pause or Delete Account
Downgrade to free or fully delete

What You Will Lose

Email engagement history — open rates and click data stay in Mailchimp
Complex automations — Mailchimp has more advanced automation triggers than Beehiiv
E-commerce integrations — Mailchimp Shopify/WooCommerce integration is deeper
Template library — Mailchimp has hundreds of email templates; Beehiiv is simpler
A/B testing depth — Mailchimp has more A/B options for subject lines and content

What You Will Gain

Built-in monetization — ad network, boosts, paid subscriptions, and premium content
Referral program — built-in referral system to grow your list organically
Newsletter website — free hosted website for your newsletter with SEO
Better deliverability — newsletter-focused infrastructure means fewer spam issues
Growth tools — recommendations engine, magic links, and subscriber segmentation
Free up to 2,500 subscribers — Mailchimp free is limited to 500 contacts

Gotchas and Common Mistakes

Warm up your sending: Even with imported subscribers, send to your most engaged segment first (10-20%). This warms up your Beehiiv sending reputation.
Mailchimp merge tags: Tags like *|FNAME|* do not work in Beehiiv. Beehiiv uses its own personalization syntax.
Automation limitations: Beehiiv automations are simpler than Mailchimp. If you rely on complex drip campaigns, plan for how to replicate them.
E-commerce workflows: If you use Mailchimp for abandoned cart emails or product recommendations, Beehiiv is not the right replacement. Keep Mailchimp for e-commerce and use Beehiiv for your newsletter.

Data Export Formats

Data Type	Mailchimp Export	Beehiiv Import
Subscribers	CSV (ZIP archive)	CSV upload
Tags	Included in CSV	Map as segments
Past emails	HTML (manual copy)	Paste into editor
Automations	No export	Rebuild manually
Analytics	CSV reports	Not importable

Migration Timeline

When	Task	Time Needed
Day 1	Export Mailchimp + set up Beehiiv	1 hour
Day 1	Clean data + import subscribers	30 min
Day 1-2	Configure monetization + update forms	1 hour
Day 2-14	Run parallel + monitor	10 min/day
Day 14	Cancel Mailchimp	10 min

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Beehiiv better than Mailchimp for newsletters?

For newsletter creators, yes. Beehiiv has built-in monetization (ad network, boosts, paid subscriptions), referral programs, and a hosted website. Mailchimp is better for e-commerce email marketing.

Can I make money with Beehiiv?

Yes. Multiple ways: Beehiiv Ad Network (display ads), Boosts (paid recommendations), paid subscriptions, and premium content gating. These features require the Scale plan ($39/month) and a minimum subscriber count.

Is Beehiiv free?

The Launch plan is free for up to 2,500 subscribers with unlimited emails. The Scale plan at $39/month adds monetization and custom domains. Max plan at $99/month adds advanced features.

Not sure yet? Read our full Mailchimp vs Beehiiv comparison to see pricing, features, and which newsletter platform fits your needs.

Share:𝕏 in f r/

Last updated: April 9, 2026. All steps verified.