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CostChoices home →Newsletter Profitability Calculator
Estimate revenue, costs, and profit — then find the best newsletter platform for your business model.
- ✓ Model sponsor, paid subscription, and affiliate revenue
- ✓ Compare 8 newsletter platforms side by side
- ✓ Get a ranked recommendation based on your goals
Assumptions last reviewed: . Not financial advice — always verify live pricing before you buy.
How it works
Three simple steps — most people finish in under two minutes.
- 1
Describe your newsletter
Audience size, business model, revenue goals, budget, and preferences — no account required.
- 2
See profitability ranges
Revenue, cost, and profit estimates using documented assumptions — conservative, base, and upside.
- 3
Get platform recommendations
Ranked tool picks based on your model, with comparison tables and next-step CTAs.
Find the right platform for your model
The calculator recommends platforms based on how you answered. Here are the categories we score for.
Best for beginners
Simple setup, gentle learning curve, and solid free plans.
Best for paid newsletters
Built-in subscription billing, tip jars, and member management.
Best for sponsorship-driven newsletters
Ad networks, growth tools, and publisher-first analytics.
Best low-cost option
Generous free tiers and competitive pricing at every list size.
Best advanced automation
Visual automation builders, segmentation, and multi-step workflows.
Platforms we compare
- Kit
Creator-focused email platform with strong automation, paid newsletter support, and a commerce layer for digital products.
View details → - beehiiv
Newsletter-first growth platform built for publishers, with a built-in ad network, referral program, and analytics.
View details → - MailerLite
Affordable, user-friendly email marketing platform with a drag-and-drop editor, landing pages, and automation.
View details → - GetResponse
Full-featured email marketing and automation platform with webinars, funnels, and landing pages.
View details → - AWeber
Established email marketing platform with simple automation, landing pages, and strong deliverability for small businesses.
View details → - Flodesk
Design-forward email marketing platform with flat-rate pricing, beautiful templates, and a focus on visual creators.
View details → - Ghost(reference only)
Open-source publishing platform for independent writers and publishers, with built-in memberships and subscription billing.
View details → - Substack(reference only)
Free-to-use newsletter and publishing platform that takes a 10% cut of paid subscription revenue.
View details →
Built for transparency
- ✓Assumptions are transparent — revenue models and provider scores are documented so you can compare our thinking to real data.
- ✓Ranges, not false precision — estimates show conservative, base, and upside scenarios because real results vary.
- ✓Transparent estimates — all assumptions are documented and editable.
FAQ teaser
Is starting a newsletter still worth it? How many subscribers do you need to make money? Which platform is cheapest?
Read the FAQ →