Constant Contact vs beehiiv: Which is Better in 2026?
Choosing between Constant Contact and beehiiv comes down to understanding what each tool does best. This comparison breaks down the key differences so you can make an informed decision based on your specific needs, not marketing claims.
Bottom line: beehiiv wins this matchup. Our overall Email Marketing pick is ActiveCampaign. Our free Email Marketing pick is SendPulse. Pick Constant Contact if you need email marketing.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
We've tested both tools. Here's who should pick what:
Constant Contact
Established email marketing for small businesses
Best for you if:
- • You want easy to use
- • You want good for beginners
beehiiv
Newsletter platform for growth
Best for you if:
- • You want generous free tier
- • You want great growth features
| At a Glance | Constant Contact | beehiiv |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | FreeFree tier available | FreeFree tier available |
Best For | Email Marketing | Newsletter Tools |
Rating | 4.2/5 | 4.5/5 |
Free plan | Yes | Yes |
Choose Constant Contact or beehiiv?
Choose Constant Contact if
Established email marketing for small businesses
- You want easy to use
- You want good for beginners
- Your work is email marketing-shaped, not newsletter tools-shaped
Choose beehiiv if
Newsletter platform for growth
- You want generous free tier
- You want great growth features
- Your work is newsletter tools-shaped, not email marketing-shaped
| Feature | Constant Contact | beehiiv |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Freemium |
| User Rating | ★4.2/5 10,413 reviews | ★4.5/5 56 reviews |
| Categories | Email MarketingMarketing Automation | Newsletter ToolsEmail Marketing |
In-Depth Analysis
Constant Contact
Established email marketing for small businesses
Constant Contact's pricing is on the higher side compared to some market alternatives, especially for the Lite tier at $12/month which offers limited features and contacts.
Watch out
Potential for increased costs with additional users on Lite.
Strengths
- +Easy to use
- +Good for beginners
- +Event marketing
- +Templates
- +Phone support
Weaknesses
- -Expensive for features
- -Limited automation
- -Dated interface
- -Competitors better value
- -Per-contact pricing
Key features
beehiiv
Newsletter platform for growth
beehiiv's pricing is quite generous, especially with its robust free 'Launch' tier supporting up to 2,500 subscribers.
Strengths
- +Generous free tier
- +Great growth features
- +Built-in monetization
- +Modern interface
Weaknesses
- -Learning curve
- -Some features need higher tiers
- -Limited customization on free
Key features
Pricing: Constant Contact vs beehiiv
| Plan | Constant Contact | beehiiv |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | $12 month Lite | $0 Launch |
| Tier 2 | $35 month Standard | $43 Scale |
| Tier 3 | $80 month Premium | $96 Max |
| Tier 4 | N/A | Custom Enterprise |
Pricing verified from each vendor's public pricing page. Compare in detail on Constant Contact pricing and beehiiv pricing.
Who Should Use What?
On a budget?
Both are freemium. Compare plans on their websites.
Go with: Constant Contact
Want the highest-rated option?
Constant Contact: 4.2/5 (10,413 reviews). beehiiv: 4.5/5 (56 reviews).
Go with: beehiiv
Value user reviews?
Constant Contact: 10,413 reviews (4.2/5). beehiiv: 56 reviews (4.5/5).
Go with: Constant Contact
3 Questions to Help You Decide
What's your budget?
Both are freemium. Pricing won't help you decide here.
What's your use case?
Constant Contact is a email marketing tool. beehiiv is in newsletter tools. Pick the category that matches your needs.
How important are ratings?
beehiiv is rated higher: 4.5/5 vs 4.2/5.
Key Takeaways
beehiiv
- Higher user rating: 4.5/5 vs 4.2/5
- Free tier available
- Our pick for this comparison
Constant Contact
- Larger review base (10,413 reviews)
- Better fit for email marketing
The Bottom Line
beehiiv wins this matchup. Our overall Email Marketing pick is ActiveCampaign. Our free Email Marketing pick is SendPulse.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Constant Contact or beehiiv better?
beehiiv is rated in our evaluation. Both are freemium.
What are Constant Contact and beehiiv used for?
Constant Contact: Established email marketing for small businesses. beehiiv: Newsletter platform for growth.
What does Constant Contact cost vs beehiiv?
Constant Contact is freemium (free tier + paid plans). beehiiv is freemium (free tier + paid plans). Visit their websites for detailed pricing.