Best Newsletter Platforms for Beginners in 2026
Starting a newsletter should not require a week of research into email platforms. You need something that lets you sign up, write, and publish your first issue within an hour. The platform should get out of your way at the start and support your growth later.
We ranked every major newsletter platform by beginner-friendliness, weighing ease of setup, editor simplicity, free tier generosity, and how quickly a brand-new creator can go from zero to published.
What Beginners Should Look For
- Simple setup: You should be writing your first issue within 15 minutes of creating an account. No complex configuration or technical decisions upfront.
- Free tier: You should not pay anything until you have proven you can sustain the newsletter and want to unlock advanced features.
- Good editor: The writing experience matters. You will spend more time in the editor than anywhere else. It should feel clean and distraction-free.
- Built-in landing page: You need a place to send people to subscribe. The platform should provide this without requiring a separate website.
- Deliverability: Your emails need to reach the inbox, not the spam folder. Established platforms handle this better than obscure ones.
- Growth path: The platform should grow with you. Starting on a platform you will outgrow in 6 months means a painful migration later.
- Export option: You should be able to export your full subscriber list at any time. Never lock your audience into a platform.
Beginner-Friendliness Comparison
| Platform | Setup Time | Editor Quality | Free Tier | Growth Tools | Beginner Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Substack | 5 min | Simple | Unlimited subs | Basic | 9.5/10 |
| Beehiiv | 10 min | Modern | 2,500 subs | Excellent | 9/10 |
| Kit | 15 min | Functional | 10,000 subs | Good | 8/10 |
| Buttondown | 10 min | Minimal | 100 subs | Basic | 7.5/10 |
| Mailchimp | 20 min | Complex | 500 contacts | Limited | 6/10 |
| Ghost | 30-60 min | Excellent | Self-host only | Good | 5/10 |
Our Rankings
Substack - The Zero-Friction Option
Substack is the simplest newsletter platform that exists. You create an account, pick a name, and start writing. There are no templates to choose, no configurations to set, no design decisions to make. The editor is intentionally minimal: just text, images, and basic formatting.
Time from signup to first published issue: Under 15 minutes.
Why beginners love it:
- Zero decisions required beyond your newsletter name and description
- Built-in reader network provides initial discovery without any promotion effort
- Free for unlimited subscribers (no worrying about hitting a cap)
- Readers can subscribe, like, and comment without leaving Substack
- Mobile app for writing on the go
- Absolute simplest setup of any platform
- Built-in audience discovery network
- No subscriber cap on free plan
- Clean, distraction-free writing experience
- Community features (Notes, comments, DMs)
- 10% cut if you add paid subscriptions
- Very limited design customization
- No automations or email sequences
- No A/B testing for subject lines
- Analytics are basic (opens, clicks only)
Best for: Writers who want to start immediately with zero technical overhead and do not need advanced features.
Beehiiv - Easy Start, Serious Tools
Beehiiv is nearly as easy to set up as Substack but comes with significantly more features. The onboarding walks you through each step, and the editor is modern and intuitive. What sets it apart for beginners is that the growth tools are available from day one, even on the free plan.
Time from signup to first published issue: Under 20 minutes.
Why growth-minded beginners should start here:
- Built-in referral program on the free plan (Substack does not offer this)
- SEO-optimized web pages for every issue (drives organic discovery)
- Full analytics: opens, clicks, growth trends, subscriber geography
- Custom domain support on free plan
- Clean, block-based editor that is easy to learn
- Growth tools included on free plan
- Modern, intuitive editor
- Full analytics from day one
- Referral program out of the box
- Clean design, professional appearance
- Free plan capped at 2,500 subscribers
- Slightly more options than Substack (more to learn)
- Ad network requires paid plan
Best for: Beginners who plan to grow seriously and want the tools to do it from the start.
Kit (ConvertKit) - For Beginners Who Sell
Kit is slightly more complex than Substack or Beehiiv because it is designed for creators who sell products: courses, downloads, coaching, memberships. If you plan to build a business around your newsletter (not just a newsletter for its own sake), Kit is the right starting point.
Time from signup to first published issue: Under 30 minutes.
Why it suits creator-entrepreneurs:
- 10,000 free subscribers (most generous free tier by subscriber count)
- Digital product sales built into the platform
- Landing page builder for products, not just newsletter signups
- Subscriber tagging and segmentation even on free plan
- Visual automation builder (paid plan) makes complex sequences easy
- 10K free subscriber limit
- Sell digital products natively
- Strong tagging and segmentation
- Landing pages and forms builder
- Large integration ecosystem
- Email editor is functional but not as polished as Beehiiv
- More setup steps than Substack
- No built-in referral program
- Web archive/SEO is not as strong
Best for: Beginners who plan to sell courses, templates, coaching, or other digital products alongside their newsletter.
#4 Buttondown - For Minimalist Beginners
Buttondown is a small, indie-built newsletter tool that appeals to people who want something simple and no-nonsense. The interface is minimal, the editor supports Markdown, and there is very little to configure. The downside is the free tier only covers 100 subscribers, so you will be paying within weeks if you promote actively.
Best for: Developers and minimalists who value simplicity over features.
#5 Mailchimp - Not Recommended for Beginners
Mailchimp was once the default choice for email newsletters, but it is no longer a good option for beginners in 2026. The interface has become bloated with features designed for e-commerce businesses. The free plan is extremely limited (500 contacts, 1,000 sends/month). The editor is complex and template-heavy. And it charges for unsubscribed contacts.
Best for: E-commerce businesses that need deep Shopify/WooCommerce integration. Not recommended for newsletter creators.
#6 Ghost - Not for Non-Technical Beginners
Ghost is a powerful platform with an excellent editor, but it is not beginner-friendly. Self-hosting requires server management. Ghost(Pro) managed hosting starts at $9/month with no free tier beyond a 14-day trial. Setup involves choosing themes, configuring membership tiers, and understanding content structure. The result is professional, but the effort to get there is higher than any other platform on this list.
Best for: Technical users or developers who want full ownership and zero platform fees.
Getting Started: Step by Step
Step 1: Pick Your Platform (5 minutes)
Use this decision tree:
- Want the easiest possible start? Substack.
- Want easy start plus growth tools? Beehiiv.
- Plan to sell digital products? Kit.
Do not overthink this. You can always migrate later. Every platform lets you export your subscribers.
Step 2: Create Your Account and Set Up Basics (10-20 minutes)
- Choose your newsletter name (can change later)
- Write a one-sentence description of what subscribers will get
- Upload a profile photo or logo
- Configure your sender name and email
Step 3: Customize Your Landing Page (15 minutes)
Every platform provides a default signup page. Customize it with:
- A clear headline explaining what the newsletter covers
- A subheadline saying who it is for and how often it publishes
- A prominent email signup form
That is enough. You do not need testimonials, subscriber counts, or fancy design at this stage. Those come later.
Step 4: Write and Publish Your First Issue (30-60 minutes)
Your first issue does not need to be perfect. It needs to exist. Write about something you know well, keep it under 800 words, and hit publish. You will improve with every issue.
After publishing, share the link on social media, in your email signature, and with 10-20 people you know personally. Your first 10-50 subscribers will come from your existing network.
Step 5: Set a Schedule and Stick to It
Weekly is the most common starting cadence. Pick a specific day and time. Tell your subscribers when to expect your newsletter. Consistency builds trust, and trust drives word-of-mouth growth.
If weekly feels like too much, start biweekly. Publishing every two weeks consistently beats publishing weekly inconsistently.
Our recommendation for most beginners: Start with Beehiiv. It is almost as easy as Substack but gives you growth tools from day one that you will need within months.
Start with Beehiiv Free