We've all been losing our minds over artificial intelligence (AI) and TikTok lately. 🤯 Well, maybe just me. 🤷‍♀️

But email newsletters are still absolutely crushing it, and nobody's really talking about it.

And honestly? In 2025, they're not just surviving; some of them are basically printing money. 💰

I was reviewing beehiiv recently (it's one of the newsletter platforms that's been growing rapidly), and the numbers surprised me. They're hosting over 75,000 newsletters now. Not those boring corporate updates your boss makes you read; these are actual media businesses.

Andrei Nedelcu, founder of There’s An AI For That, mentioned beehiiv in an interview, saying, “I think beehiiv is partially responsible for the resurgence of newsletters. What they did was drastically lower the price of sending emails. They’re [beehiiv] moving super fast. It’s just amazing.”

Fun fact: By mid-2025, beehiiv reached 350 million people. 😲 Just think about that for a second.

Want to know another crazy fact? Take the Marketing Examined newsletter; they have 200,000+ subscribers with open rates around 40%. If you know anything about email marketing, you know that's insane. Most people are happy to hit 20%.

Get this: beehiiv publishers made over $25 million in 2025, from newsletters.

That got me curious.

I started digging into these newsletters to figure out what the heck they're doing right. So, I'm going to show you the ones that are killing it, what makes them different, and honestly? The exact things you could steal for yourself.

Whether you're just nosy like me or you've had “start a newsletter” on your to-do list for months, I think you'll get something out of this.

What makes these newsletters successful? They aren't just randomly sending emails.

These top beehiiv newsletters are successful because of three key factors:

Essentially, beehiiv is more than an email tool; it's a comprehensive platform that personalizes content with AI, tracks analytics, and generates revenue passively. Some earn $92/month with 1,000 subscribers, while larger lists build million-dollar businesses.

The potential is limitless.

Let’s get into the good stuff.

Here are eight newsletters absolutely crushing it on beehiiv right now, along with what makes each one special and what you can learn from them.

Subscribers: 200,000+ 

Frequency: Every Thursday

The Hook: Deep-dive marketing “teardowns” you can actually use

Marketing Examined is a masterclass in newsletter growth, and why it's especially fascinating is how lean the operation is. Alex grew this newsletter from zero to 200,000+ subscribers in under three years- completely solo. 

Let that sink in.

His secret? He test-ran every idea on social media first, aiming for at least 15 comments per post before expanding it into long-form newsletter content. It’s social validation meets newsletter strategy, and it works beautifully.

What Makes Them Stand Out: The "Rabbit Hole Reads" section offers additional resources and actionable breakdowns of real-world marketing campaigns. Readers don't just consume content; they get blueprints they can actually implement.

Takeaway For You: Before committing to full newsletter issues, test your content concepts on social media. Engagement on social media predicts engagement in inboxes.

Subscribers: 4.4+ million 

Frequency: Daily 

The Hook: Impactful stories of the day, expertly curated and explained

Named after the year the printing press was invented (and the exact number of minutes in a day, how clever is that?), 1440 is the definition of newsletter success.

Their growth is staggering- from 1 million to 2 million subscribers in just a single year. Their open rates consistently exceed 55%, despite having millions of readers.

Their editorial model is "an inch deep and a mile wide." With each issue curating news from 100+ sources, fact-checking everything, and presenting it without bias, opinion, or sensationalism. Readers get the facts first, with links to deeper articles if they want them.

What Makes Them Stand Out: They're split evenly across the political spectrum, geographies, and demographics. That's not easy to achieve. Their earning is 95%+ advertising, and brands pay premium rates because of that engaged, diverse audience.

Takeaway For You: Consistency and trust always beat flashiness. 1440 publishes daily without fail, and readers know exactly what they're getting.

Subscribers: 2+ million

The Hook: Iconic news brand goes newsletter-first

TIME's newsletter strategy in 2025 is a case study in legacy media adaptation. By leveraging beehiiv's infrastructure, they've created multiple newsletter verticals that reach millions while maintaining the credibility that comes with over a century of journalism.

What Makes Them Stand Out: Segmentation is doing the grunt work. TIME offers 13 newsletters covering politics, health, and entertainment, allowing readers to subscribe to exactly what they're interested in. beehiiv's tagging and segmentation features make this scalable.

After migrating to beehiiv, Inside TIME newsletter saw a 63.8% increase in open rates, and Health Matters rose from 51% to 60.4%.

Burhan Hamid, former CTO of TIME, summarized his team’s experience with beehiiv:

“Our editors just work in beehiiv... They don’t need to fit a square peg into a round hole.”

Takeaway For You: Don't try to be everything to everyone. Niche down or create clear segments. 

Subscribers: 100,000+

Frequency: Daily

The Hook: Inside media industry news from someone who knows the players

Oliver Darcy built Status into a must-read for anyone who cares about media by doing something simple: telling the truth about what's really happening behind the scenes.

After years covering media at CNN, he knew where all the “scoop-driven reporting” was buried. Now he's sharing those insights with subscribers who are hungry for real talk about the news business.

What Makes Them Stand Out: The insider access. Every issue feels like you're getting texts from a friend who works at the top media companies. Darcy doesn't just report on media; he understands how these organizations operate, and it shows.

Takeaway For You: Your experience is your edge. Darcy couldn't build Status without years in the trenches. Whatever your background is, that's your unfair advantage. Lean into it.

The Hook: Institutional-grade crypto and finance insights

Blockworks proves that technical, niche content can scale if done right. They've created seven newsletters under the Blockworks umbrella, each targeting specific subsectors of finance and crypto.

What Makes Them Stand Out: Depth over breadth. They don't dumb things down, and their audience rewards them for it with high engagement and strong retention.

Takeaway For You: Don't be afraid to go deep on your topic. The riches really are in the niches.

Subscribers: 1.5+ Million

Frequency: Daily

The Hook: Travel hacking and points strategy daily

Daily Drop has turned credit card points and travel deals into a seven-figure newsletter business. They send valuable, actionable tips every single day, building trust through consistent value delivery.

What Makes Them Stand Out: Specificity. They don't just say "travel for less,” they show you exactly which cards to get, which points to transfer, and which flights to book.

Takeaway For You: Tactical, specific advice beats general inspiration. If readers see something they can act on immediately, they’re more likely to come back.

Subscribers: 2.2+ million 

Frequency: Multiple times weekly 

The Hook: Your #1 AI newsletter

In a world drowning in AI newsletters (beehiiv hosted 3,159 AI-focused newsletters in 2023 alone), There's An AI For That rose above the noise by focusing relentlessly on curation and utility. They showcase new AI tools, provide tutorials, and offer prompts that work.

What Makes Them Stand Out: Practical value. Every issue helps readers do something better, faster, or cheaper with AI. It's not hype; it's help.

Takeaway For You: In crowded markets, utility wins. Don’t try to be the cleverest voice- be the most helpful.

Frequency: Daily

The Hook: Everything happening in tech, before your first coffee

TechCrunch's daily newsletter is basically required reading if anyone working in tech. They cover the funding rounds, the drama, the product launches, and the occasional dumpster fire-all delivered before most people have finished their morning routine.

What Makes Them Stand Out: Speed and authority. When something big happens in tech, TechCrunch has it in your inbox the next morning, with context that matters. They're not just reporting news; they're connected enough to explain what it means and why you should care.

Takeaway For You: Timeliness plus credibility is a powerful combo. If you can be the first person your audience trusts to explain what just happened in your niche, you've got something valuable.

Linda Hwang has extensive experience in B2B marketing and previously worked at a renowned international facilities management company. There, she played a crucial role in creating effective content and social media marketing plans. Now, Hwang is a marketing consultant who helps small businesses create compelling brand stories.

Here’s the truth: more newsletters die from inconsistent publishing than from bad writing. I've seen it happen over and over again.

Look at the newsletters that actually last:

And it's not just about being disciplined (though yeah, that helps). It's about building a habit with your readers. 

When people know you're coming every Wednesday at 7 am, they start looking for you. You become part of their morning routine. Skip a week, and suddenly they forget you exist.

Here's something interesting: studies show that content sent at consistent times gets 12-15% better engagement. Readers start anticipating your content.  It's like knowing when your favorite show releases new episodes.

But consistency isn't just about when you send; it's also about how your newsletter feels. The best newsletters keep a similar structure every time. Same sections, similar length, same kind of value. It's like your favorite podcast. The episodes are different, but you know what you're getting.

One thing I learned the hard way: pick a schedule you can stick to forever. Seriously. It's way better to send one great newsletter every week for years than to go daily for three months and then burn out completely.

I know "create high-quality content" sounds like the most useless advice ever. Like, duh.

But hear me out, because what counts as "quality" in 2025 is probably different from what you think.

Quality isn't about being the best writer in the world or making your newsletter look like a design magazine.

The newsletters that work focus on three things:

Here's what I love about beehiiv: the AI writing tools can help you polish your writing, but they can't replace what makes you… YOU. Your perspective, your experience, your voice. Use the AI to write better, not to write for you.

And yes, the technical details matter too. beehiiv's data shows that newsletters with a clear structure, easy-to-skim formatting, and layouts that work well on phones achieve 20-30% higher engagement. 

So, break up your text. Use subheadings. Add images when they make sense. Make it easy to read while someone's on the train.

Oliver Darcy, founder of Status Newsletter, once said, “[Status News] has already attracted tens of thousands of free subscribers, a feat attributed to Darcy's keen understanding of his audience and the power of exclusivity.”

"If you have information that no one else has, people will come to you for that," Darcy emphasizes.

Your subject line is everything. If people don't open the email, it literally doesn't matter how good the content inside is. Nobody will see it.

Here's something cool I found in beehiiv's data: subject lines under 20 characters crush longer ones. Look at Morning Brew and The Hustle. They almost always use like 1 or 2 words with an emoji:

 "⚡ Wednesday" or 

"🚀 Markets" or 

"☕ Break." 

That's it.

But here's the catch: what works for them might not work for you. A subject line that kills it for a newsletter about startups might totally flop for a newsletter about retirement planning. Your audience is different.

So, what do you do? Test everything. 

beehiiv lets you A/B test subject lines, which is honestly one of my favorite features. Send different versions to different parts of your list and see what works. Try short vs. long. Emoji vs. no emoji. Curiosity vs. being super direct. Just see what your people respond to.

Now, let's talk about CTAs (calls to action). Every newsletter needs a clear next step you want people to take. Maybe it’s: 

Quick tip I learned: put your main CTA about 60% of the way through your newsletter. At that point, people are engaged but not tired yet. Then add a second CTA at the very end for readers who read all the way through.

You know what separates a newsletter from an actual media business? Community.

The best newsletters don't just broadcast. They create spaces where readers can talk to each other, not just consume what you write. And this matters more than ever because organic reach on social media is basically dead.

Here's how successful beehiiv newsletters do it:

Want to start? Keep it simple:

Community takes time, but the payoff is massive: better retention, higher lifetime value, and basically impossible to compete with. 

Anyone can copy your content. Nobody can copy your community.

Alright, let's talk platforms. After analyzing the best newsletters 2025, one pattern emerges: the most successful creators choose platforms that grow with them.

Let's break down your options:

Best For: Creators who want to scale and earn seriously

Pricing: Free up to 2,500 subscribers, then $43/month (Scale plan) for up to 1,000 subscribers

Why It Wins:

The Downside: It’s newer to the market than some OG platforms, and the learning curve can be steeper than with simpler platforms, but the payoff is worth it.

I use multiple platforms for my clients and myself, but beehiiv always stands out. When a client gets frustrated with their current platform, I recommend they try beehiiv for their newsletters. The migration process has always been smooth and hassle-free.

Months later? They are still happy with the change.

Best For: Writers who want dead-simple publishing

Pricing: Free, but takes 10% of all paid subscriptions.  Read this article for more pricing details.

Why Consider It:

The Downside: Limited customization, no real growth tools, and a 10% revenue cut adds up quickly.

Substack remains my favorite secondary platform. I have a few clients who are starting new newsletters, and they really enjoy the free features it offers, though they know there will be fees once they begin earning.

Best For: Existing businesses adding a newsletter

Pricing: Free for up to 10,000 subscribers, but with limited functions and tools

Why Consider It:

The Downside: Newsletter-specific features lag behind beehiiv, and the ad network takes a 23.5% cut. Additionally, those on the free plan are limited to just one basic visual automation, one email sequence, and zero ad network features.

Best For: Tech-savvy creators who want full control

Pricing: $15/month for up to 1,000 subscribers

Why Consider It:

The Downside: Requires more technical know-how and fewer built-in growth features.

If you're serious about “how to grow a newsletter audience” and actually making money, beehiiv is the clear winner in 2025. The ecosystem is designed for creators looking to scale. 

The free plan is generous enough to validate your idea. Once you're ready to earn, all the features you need are already available.

The other platforms have their place, but beehiiv is the only one purpose-built for turning newsletters into businesses, not just inboxes.

Here's what I've learned from studying all these newsletters.

The ones killing it in 2025 aren't just lucky. They understand something important: when everything else is algorithms and AI slop, having a direct line to people's inboxes is incredibly valuable.

beehiiv makes much of this possible. Over 75,000 newsletters reaching 350 million people. Creators earning $25M+ in 2025. These aren't flukes. The model works.

So, what should you do with all this?

The people building million-dollar newsletters right now? They're not geniuses. They just started. They kept showing up. They gave people something valuable. And they used tools like beehiiv to make it all easier.

Now it’s your turn.

Ready to start your newsletter? Sign up for beehiiv free today and join creators who are building real audiences and making real money. No credit card needed. Just you, your ideas, and a platform that helps you grow.