Which newsletter platform has better UI design? It depends on your needs. Beehiiv offers advanced customization and tools for creators who want full control over their newsletters. Substack focuses on simplicity, ideal for writers who want to start quickly without technical hurdles. Here's a quick breakdown:
- Beehiiv: Feature-rich dashboard, advanced customization (drag-and-drop editor, detailed branding options), robust analytics, and a custom app for readers.
- Substack: Simple, text-focused layout, easy navigation, basic branding tools, and a unified app for all subscriptions.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Beehiiv | Substack |
|---|---|---|
| Layout | Modular, feature-packed | Minimalist, distraction-free |
| Customization | Advanced (drag-and-drop, custom CSS/HTML) | Basic (colors, fonts, simple layouts) |
| Navigation | Multi-task dashboard | Step-by-step simplicity |
| Mobile Experience | Custom app per newsletter | Unified app for all subscriptions |
| SEO Tools | Built-in optimization | Limited |
| Target Audience | Power users, growth-focused creators | Writers prioritizing simplicity |
Key takeaway: Choose Beehiiv for scalability and control. Pick Substack for simplicity and ease of use.
Beehiiv Vs Substack (2025) Which Is Better For Newsletters?
Layout and Visual Design
The way a platform structures its interface plays a big role in how users create and manage newsletters. Beehiiv and Substack take very different approaches, each catering to specific user preferences and goals.
Beehiiv's Dashboard Design
Beehiiv's interface is all about flexibility and control. It uses modular sections and interactive tools to offer a robust environment for users who want to manage every detail of their newsletters. The dashboard is packed with features, allowing users to access multiple tools at once without needing to jump between screens.
One standout feature is Beehiiv's website builder, which is divided into two key tabs:
- Styles: This tab provides global controls for elements like logos, colors, typography, navigation, and footer design.
- Layout: Available on paid plans, this tab gives users detailed control over specific areas, such as navigation, hero sections, side widgets, and archives.
Beehiiv also includes a drag-and-drop editor that simplifies adding elements like text, images, and buttons. Plus, the platform automatically adjusts templates for different screen sizes, ensuring your design looks great on any device.
Substack's Simple Text-Focused Design
Substack takes a completely different route, prioritizing simplicity and focus. The platform is designed to remove distractions, creating a streamlined space for writing. Its homepage displays past newsletters in a newspaper-style layout, keeping the focus on content rather than navigation.
This philosophy aligns with Substack's mission, as they explain:
"Part of the magic of Substack has always been how easy it is to start a publication - no tech or design knowledge required!"
Customization options on Substack are more straightforward. Users can adjust homepage layouts, colors, and fonts, and organize content using sections and tags. Even with these basic tools, Substack ensures a polished and consistent look across all publications.
Layout Comparison Table
| Design Element | Beehiiv | Substack |
|---|---|---|
| Layout Philosophy | Modular, feature-packed dashboard | Minimalist, distraction-free interface |
| Content Organization | Multi-section dashboard for quick access | Linear, newspaper-style presentation |
| Customization Depth | Advanced (Styles + Layout tabs, drag-and-drop) | Basic (colors, fonts, simple layouts) |
| Visual Complexity | Modern, detailed templates | Clean, text-centered design |
| Learning Curve | Higher, due to advanced features | Low - easy to use right away |
| Target User | Users seeking full creative control | Writers focusing on simplicity |
Your choice between Beehiiv and Substack depends on your needs and comfort with technical tools. With studies showing that 15% of emails get less than 2 seconds of attention, Beehiiv addresses this with advanced design tools, while Substack keeps things simple to let the writing shine.
Next, let’s dive into how these platforms approach navigation and user flow.
Navigation and User Flow
How you navigate a platform has a huge impact on your workflow, from the time it takes to publish content to how efficiently you manage tasks. Beehiiv and Substack approach navigation in very different ways, each tailored to specific user needs and working styles.
Beehiiv's Multi-Task Navigation
Beehiiv is designed for users juggling multiple tasks at once. Its navigation system is built around a central dashboard that organizes menus and features logically, making everything easily accessible.
"Starting off strong, let's talk about Beehiiv's user-friendly and intuitive interface."
From this unified dashboard, you can seamlessly switch between content creation, analytics, automation, and subscriber management. Beehiiv also integrates built-in SEO tools, like customizable slugs and meta descriptions, which simplify the process of optimizing newsletters for search engines. Its comprehensive dashboards provide quick access to detailed analytics, making it a powerful tool for creators who want to manage everything in one place. This multi-tasking approach stands in contrast to Substack's more linear design.
Substack's Step-by-Step Navigation
Substack, on the other hand, takes a simpler, more linear approach. Its navigation is designed to guide users step by step, prioritizing ease of use over complexity.
"Substack is known for its straightforward, user-friendly interface that caters particularly well to writers and journalists. Its design focuses on simplicity, making it easy for creators to start writing without much technical know-how."
While this simplicity is great for beginners, it does come with some limitations. Accessing key features often requires multiple clicks, and the presence of several "Home" pages can be confusing. Substack's clean editor is perfect for diving straight into writing but offers fewer customization options for content presentation.
Navigation Comparison Table
Here’s a quick look at how Beehiiv and Substack stack up in terms of navigation:
| Navigation Aspect | Beehiiv | Substack |
|---|---|---|
| Task Management | Multi-task dashboard with parallel workflows | Linear, step-by-step process |
| Content Creation | Drag-and-drop builder with advanced options | Simple, text-focused editor |
| Analytics Access | Integrated robust dashboards | Basic stats requiring navigation |
| Learning Curve | Steeper due to comprehensive features | Minimal - immediate usability |
| SEO Tools | Built-in optimization within editor | Limited SEO capabilities |
| Menu Structure | Logically organized, feature-rich | Minimal but potentially confusing with multiple "Home" pages |
Ultimately, these differences reflect the platforms’ core philosophies. Beehiiv appeals to creators who want more control and advanced features, while Substack is ideal for writers who value simplicity and a no-fuss content creation process.
sbb-itb-2653e19
Customization and Branding
Both Beehiiv and Substack take unique approaches to customization, shaping how your newsletter looks and feels.
Design Tools and Templates
Beehiiv offers a flexible and detailed design experience. It allows you to create reusable custom templates, making it easier to maintain consistency and save time. As the platform explains:
"Thankfully, with the beehiiv email platform, you can create custom templates that can be used repeatedly, saving you time, while providing you with a host of features to make your newsletter stand out from the crowd."
Its drag-and-drop editor eliminates the need for coding by offering pre-made embed codes and flexible sections you can easily add. Plus, you can preview your designs on both mobile and desktop devices before hitting send, ensuring they look polished across all platforms.
Substack, on the other hand, keeps things simple with preset layouts designed for ease of use. According to Substack:
"Part of the magic of Substack has always been how easy it is to start a publication - no tech knowledge is required. While maintaining that ease, we want to give you customization where it counts, with tools that help you match your brand and style to your writing."
Its Theme editor lets you tweak layouts, colors, and fonts, but it doesn’t offer the same level of design flexibility as Beehiiv. This simplicity works well for users who want to get started quickly without navigating complex design tools.
Brand Customization Options
Beehiiv provides robust branding features. You can adjust layouts, apply custom color schemes, tweak font styles, and even set up custom domains. For advanced users, Beehiiv supports custom CSS and HTML, giving complete control over design details.
You can personalize everything from typography and button styles to image formatting. Options include choosing between default or newspaper-styled layouts, altering button shapes, and customizing how images are displayed throughout your newsletter.
Substack focuses on essential branding tools that are straightforward and easy to use. You can upload a custom logo (minimum 256 x 256 pixels), add a wordmark for your navigation bar (at least 1,344 x 256 pixels), and include a cover photo for your welcome page. Substack also supports custom domains and allows you to modify button accent colors by entering specific hex codes.
Dark Mode and Accessibility
Both platforms recognize the growing importance of dark mode for improving user experience and accessibility. In 2022, an average of 35% of email opens occurred in dark mode.
Beehiiv enables users to customize global colors and typography, ensuring that designs look great in both light and dark modes. Substack offers a built-in dark mode feature for its web reader, which enhances readability in low-light settings - a thoughtful option for subscribers who want to reduce eye strain.
When designing for dark mode, both platforms benefit from using transparent backgrounds and light, translucent elements in logos. For images and graphics, adding translucent outlines to transparent PNGs with dark text ensures they remain visible in any mode. These design strategies improve readability and ensure a better experience across devices and viewing conditions.
Next, we’ll explore how each platform optimizes its design for mobile users.
Mobile Experience
Mobile design plays a crucial role in engaging readers and ensuring accessibility. With over half of emails now opened on mobile devices, optimizing for mobile is no longer optional - it's essential. Both Beehiiv and Substack address this need, but they take different paths to enhance the mobile experience.
Beehiiv on Mobile
Beehiiv provides a dedicated app that focuses on seamless touch interactions, easy navigation, and well-sized buttons for smaller screens. One standout feature is the ability for readers to install a custom app specifically for your newsletter, making it easier for them to stay connected to your content. Beehiiv also allows creators to produce content on mobile devices, although its advanced editing tools are reserved for desktop use. For readers, Beehiiv ensures newsletters are fully responsive, adapting well to any screen size.
Substack on Mobile
Substack takes a different approach with its mobile editor, designed for content creation directly on iOS and Android devices. This editor supports on-the-go writing and publishing, making it a handy tool for creators. Substack's mobile app is highly rated, with scores ranging from 4.8 to 4.9 out of 5. Beyond content creation, the app offers features like ad-free videos, podcasts, livestreams, chats, and the ability to support creators.
However, Substack's app isn't without its flaws. Some Android users have reported issues such as limited explore functionality, editing constraints, and technical glitches like disappearing from recent apps or audio playback problems. While the app is great for consuming content, its creation and editing tools are more robust on the web version.
Mobile Experience Comparison
| Feature | Beehiiv | Substack |
|---|---|---|
| Custom Reader App | ✅ Dedicated app per newsletter | ❌ Unified platform app |
| Mobile Content Creation | ⚠️ Basic functionality | ✅ Full mobile editor |
| App Store Ratings | Not specified | 4.8–4.9/5 stars |
| Responsive Email Design | ✅ Fully responsive | ✅ Fully responsive |
| Touch Optimization | ✅ Well-optimized | ✅ Generally good |
Key Differences
Beehiiv and Substack differ in both philosophy and execution. Beehiiv emphasizes individuality by offering a custom app for each newsletter, which helps creators build a distinctive brand presence. However, this requires readers to download separate apps for each subscription. Substack, in contrast, opts for a unified app that consolidates all subscriptions in one place. This makes managing multiple newsletters more convenient but sacrifices the unique branding that Beehiiv provides.
Both platforms recognize that mobile-friendly emails lead to higher engagement, such as increased open rates and click-throughs. They achieve this through single-column layouts for better readability, clear text formatting, and interactive elements designed for easy tapping.
Final Thoughts
Beehiiv and Substack take very different approaches to user interface (UI) design. Their layouts, navigation, customization options, and mobile responsiveness reflect these differences, each catering to specific audiences and goals.
Which Platform Has Better UI Design?
After comparing the two, it's clear that each platform has its own strengths. The right choice depends on what matters most to you. Substack prioritizes simplicity, making it easy for writers to dive straight into creating content. However, not everyone finds its interface intuitive. Michael Magoon, a seasoned User Experience Designer with over 20 years of experience, shared his thoughts on Substack:
"I love writing for Substack, but I find the User Interface to be very confusing. As a professional User Experience Designer with 20+ years of industry experience, I find it exasperating."
On the other hand, Beehiiv delivers a more polished and feature-rich experience. It’s designed to minimize friction when starting and offers tools that go beyond Substack’s more basic setup. Beehiiv’s modern, clean design is a draw for creators who want more control over their newsletters’ appearance and functionality.
These differences are reflected in how users rate the platforms, with each excelling in areas that suit their respective design philosophies.
Choosing the Right Platform
If simplicity and ease of use are your top priorities, Substack might be the better fit. Its minimalist interface keeps the focus on writing, making it ideal for those who want to get started without distractions.
Beehiiv, however, is the go-to choice for creators who value growth, monetization, and advanced customization. Its tools for SEO, automation, and diverse revenue options make it a strong contender for those looking to scale their newsletters or explore more complex strategies.
Your long-term goals should guide your decision. If you’re planning to expand, implement advanced segmentation, or explore monetization options beyond basic subscriptions, Beehiiv’s robust features could give you an edge. On the flip side, if you prefer a straightforward platform that lets you start writing right away, Substack’s simplicity might be more appealing - even with its navigation quirks and limited customization.
Both platforms are evolving, so their current differences in UI may shift over time. Ultimately, your choice comes down to whether you prioritize ease of use or the ability to fine-tune and grow your newsletter.
FAQs
How do Beehiiv and Substack differ in terms of design customization?
Beehiiv stands out by offering extensive design customization options, giving users the tools to fully tailor their newsletters and websites. From branding to layouts and styling, you can tweak nearly every aspect to create a look that resonates with your audience. This makes Beehiiv a fantastic choice for anyone who values creative freedom and wants their content to have a distinctive visual identity.
Substack, in contrast, is all about keeping things simple. It provides basic theme and layout options but doesn't include the advanced customization features that Beehiiv offers. This simplicity makes it a great fit for those who want a hassle-free setup and are less concerned with intricate design adjustments.
What are the key differences in mobile usability between Beehiiv and Substack for creators and readers?
Beehiiv offers a highly flexible mobile experience through its dedicated app, making it easy for creators to manage newsletters and engage with their audience. The app’s sleek design and intuitive interface make it a great choice for those who want to stay productive while on the move.
Substack takes a different approach, focusing on simplicity and ease of use. Its mobile platform is clean and straightforward, making it ideal for writing and reading newsletters without distractions. However, it doesn’t include some of the advanced customization features that Beehiiv provides. While both platforms serve mobile users effectively, Beehiiv’s app stands out with its broader range of tools for creators.
Which platform is better for users focused on SEO and analytics in their newsletter strategy?
If you're focused on SEO and analytics, Beehiiv stands out as the stronger option. It comes with built-in SEO tools, flexible customization options, and detailed analytics, making it easier to boost your content's visibility and monitor its performance effectively.
Meanwhile, Substack has some drawbacks in the SEO department, primarily because of its domain structure, which can make climbing the search rankings more challenging. For those looking to fine-tune their newsletter strategy with advanced SEO capabilities and in-depth performance tracking, Beehiiv provides a solution that's better suited to those needs.
