How To Start A Newsletter For Free In 2026 (The Simple Way)

The 15-Minute Deal:

Most people ghost their own ideas because they get stuck on the tools.

Stop searching for “Best Newsletter Platform.” If you want the no-BS blueprint on how to start a newsletter in 2026 for $0, you’re home.

You just gotta pick a side:

1. Writers: Use Substack (The “iPhone” of newsletters).

2. Creators: Use Beehiiv (Best for growth and SEO).

This guide gets you published before your coffee gets cold. We cover the setup, the first post, and how to get your first 100 readers for free.I have a buddy who has been “starting a newsletter” for three years.

He is stuck in analysis paralysis.

Launching a newsletter in 2026 is simpler than ordering takeoff. It costs zero dollars. The tech is invisible. If you can email your mom, you can build a media business.

Here is the 15-minute path to getting published.

Table of Contents

Step 1: Pick Your Lane (And Don’t Look Back)

Ignore those “Top 50 Marketing Tools” lists. Ignore the Twitter threads. For 99% of beginners, you only have two real moves.

Option A: The Writer (Substack)

Choose this if: You just want to write. You hate tech. You don’t care about “customizing fonts” or “funnels.”

Why: It just works. Plus, their network sends you free subscribers via their app. It is the easiest way to start a writing business.

Option B: The Creator (Beehiiv)

Choose this if: You want to build a brand. You want to run referrals or ads later. You want a custom website.

Why: Beehiiv for beginners is incredible because it gives you enterprise tools (like 3D analytics) for free. If you want to compare more options, check our guide on the 5 best newsletter platforms for creators.

Expert Advice: Just pick one. Seriously. If you panic later, you can export your subscribers and switch tools in five minutes. The only wrong move is waiting.

Wait, what about Brevo or Kit?

Great tools, but they need more setup.

Brevo: Best for unlimited contacts (Cheaper at scale).
Kit: Best for advanced automation.

Read our full comparison here if you want to geek out on details. For now, keep it simple.

Step 2: How to Start (Detailed Setup)

Here is exactly which buttons to click depending on your choice.

Path A: The Substack Setup

If you chose Option A, follow this.

1. The Signup

Go to Substack.com. Click “Start Writing.” It will ask for your email. Connect it.

2. The “Good Enough” Profile

Most people stall here because they want a perfect name. Don’t. Call it “[Your Name]’s Newsletter” for now. You can change it next week.

Name: Marius’s Weekly Thoughts.
One-Line Bio: “I write about [Topic] every Tuesday.” (Commit to a day. It builds trust).
Photo: Use your face. People subscribe to humans, not logos.

3. Skip the Import

It will ask you to upload a CSV of contacts. Skip this for now. We don’t want to spam people yet.

Boom. You have a newsletter. Timer check: 4 minutes.

Path B: The Beehiiv Setup

If you chose Option B, the process is similar but looks different.

Go to Beehiiv: Click here to get the 30-day trial (it reverts to free forever if you don’t pay, so no risk).
The Wizard: Beehiiv has a “wizard” that asks about your goals. Select “Just Starting.”
Domain: It will give you a `name.beehiiv.com` subdomain. Keep it. You don’t need a custom domain today.

Done. You are ready to write.

Step 3: Write “Issue Zero” (The Hello World)

Your first post is terrifying. What do you say?

Here is a template you can steal. It lowers the pressure because you aren’t trying to be smart—you are just setting expectations.

Subject: Welcome to the experiment

Hey everyone,

I’m finally starting that newsletter I’ve talked about.

What is this?
Every Tuesday, I’m dropping one thing I learned about [Topic: e.g., Gardening / Coding / Marketing].

Why?
I’m learning in public, and I think this might help you too.

The first “real” issue drops next week. Thanks for being here early.

– Marius

Hit Publish. Then hit Send to Everyone (which is currently just you).

Boom. You’re a publisher.

Bonus: 3 Rookie Mistakes That Kill Growth

Beginners make these unforced errors constantly. Avoid them, and you’re already ahead of 90% of the pack.

1. The “Big Launch” Illusion

You wait until your design is perfect.

You wait until you have 10 articles written.

You wait until you have a logo.

Stop.

Nobody cares about your launch. Seriously. You launch to nobody. Gain momentum by doing, not planning. Launch ugly. Fix it later. This is how to start a newsletter the right way: by actually starting.

2. The “Niche” Trap

You tell yourself, “It’s a lifestyle newsletter.”

Wrong.

If you write for everyone, you write for no one. Be specific. “Gardening for people in apartments” is 10x better than generic “Gardening tips.”

3. The “Promotion” Fear

You write great stuff but feel “cringe” sharing it. You think people will judge you.

They won’t.

The harsh truth? Most people aren’t thinking about you. They’re too busy thinking about themselves. If your content helps them, they will welcome it. If you don’t share it, you are stealing value from them.

If you are worried about costs scaling up later, read our breakdown of Brevo pricing for 2026 to see how affordable growth can be.

Step 4: Get Your First 10 Subs (The “Mom” Strategy)

Do not post this on LinkedIn yet. Do not buy ads.

Start with your inner circle.

Text 5 friends: “Hey, I finally started that newsletter about [Topic]. I think you’ll dig it. Can I add you?”
Manual Add: If they say yes, add them manually in the Dashboard.

Why do this? Because these 5 people will open your email. This teaches Gmail that you are a “Safe Sender.” If you start by blasting 1,000 strangers who mark you as spam, you will damage your sender reputation significantly.

Step 5: How To Come Up With Endless Content Ideas

The #1 reason people quit isn’t tech. It’s Staring at a blank screen.

You sit down, and your brain freezes. Fix it by stopping the urge to be “Original”. Just be “Useful.” Here are the 3 Content Engines that work in 2026:

1. The “Found It” Engine (Curator)

You don’t have to write essays. Just be a filter for the internet.

The Play: “Here are 3 things I read this week on [Topic].”

We are drowning in content. Save people time, and you win. That is the exact playbook The Hustle and Morning Brew used.

2. The “Learned It” Engine (Student)

Don’t try to be a Guru. Be a Student.

The Format: “I tried to fix my sink this weekend. Here is what I screwed up, and here is the one YouTube video that actually helped.”

This is relatable. People trust someone who is just one step ahead of them more than they trust a distant expert.

3. The “Observed It” Engine (Analyst)

Grab a headline and break down why it matters.

The Angle: “Everyone is hyping AI, but here is how it actually hits [Your Niche].”

These are just a few newsletter ideas for 2026 that work for almost any industry.

The Growth Playbook: getting to 100 Subscribers

You have your tech. You have your content. Now you need eyeballs. Do not spend money on ads yet. Use “Sweat Equity.”

1. The Social Bio Hack

Go to Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Change your bio link.

Bad: “My Website.”

Good: “Join 500+ people learning about [Topic] weekly.” (Link directly to your Substack/Beehiiv signup page).

2. The “Reddit Value” Drop

Go find a subreddit in your niche. Do NOT just post your link. You will get banned.

The Strategy: Copy-paste your entire newsletter into a Reddit post. Give them the whole value for free.

At the very bottom, add a small P.S.: “I wrote this for my newsletter originally. If you want deep dives like this in your inbox, jump on the list here.”

It is hands down the fastest way to get traction for free.

3. Cross-Promotion

Find other tiny newsletters (writers with 50-100 subs). Email them:

“Hey, I love your stuff. If I recommend you to my 50 readers, would you recommend me to yours?”

Beehiiv makes this automated, but you can do it manually on Substack too. It is the fastest way to grow for free.

Show Me The Money

Everyone obsesses over monetization on day one. Wrong question.

In 2026, here is the roadmap:

0 – 500 Subs: Make $0. Focus on finding your voice.
500 – 2,000 Subs: Turn on Affiliate Links. Recommend books or tools you use (like Beehiiv itself!).
2,000+ Subs: Launch a “Paid” tier. Ask your superfans for $5/month for extra content.
5,000+ Subs: Sponsorships. Brands will start emailing you.

If you prefer a simpler model, check out how to use free SMTP servers to verify your own domain properly before sending at scale.

Common Beginner Questions

Do I need a “Business Email”?

Eventually? Yes. Today? No. Substack handles the delivery for you. Your emails will come from [email protected]. It’s fine when you are learning how to start a newsletter.

How often should I hit send?

Consistency > Intensity. Posting once a month beats sprinting for a week and then vanishing. Pick a schedule you can handle on your worst day.

What if nobody reads it?

Good. That means you can suck in private. Use the early days to find your voice. By the time you hit 1,000 readers, you’ll actually be good at this.

Final Step: Commit

The tools don’t matter. The logo doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is pressing “Send.”

If you chose Beehiiv (the power route), click here to create your account.

If you chose Substack (the simple route), go sign up.

See you in the inbox.