What Do Morning Brew, TIME, and Arnold’s Pump Club Have in Common?
They're all built on beehiiv—but that’s not the whole story.
What truly sets them apart?
Immaculate design.
These aren’t just newsletters. They’re full-blown brands. The kind that command attention, earn trust in seconds, and convert visitors without begging.
They’ve nailed something most newsletters overlook:
Design that drives growth.
Because great design isn’t just aesthetics—it’s strategy. It’s how you turn a casual browser into a loyal subscriber. It’s the feeling readers get the moment your homepage loads-the clarity of your value proposition; the trust embedded in every pixel.
Here’s what good design actually does for your newsletter:
Increases conversions: Clear layouts and CTAs reduce friction for signups.
Builds trust instantly: Professional design signals legitimacy and credibility.
Supports your brand: Colors, fonts, imagery, and voice create a cohesive experience.
Keeps people engaged: Thoughtful hierarchy and mobile-friendly layouts increase time on page.
Drives repeat visits: Great archive pages and visual consistency keep readers exploring.
For example, here is a screenshot from Oliver Darcy’s recent email. The first line clearly directs subscribers to sign up for his paid subscription tier.
With beehiiv, you're not stuck with generic templates. You can customize every part of your site—from the homepage to the archive to the paid content walls.
Key Design Principles To Follow
Before we dive into the best examples, here are the design fundamentals that every newsletter site should nail:
1. Clarity Over Cleverness
Your homepage should answer three things instantly:
What is this?
Who is it for?
Why should I care?
Take TIME Magazine, for example. Each of their newsletters opens with a crystal-clear pitch.
Who it’s for, what you'll get, and why it matters.
No guesswork, no fluff. Just value, front and center.
2. Mobile-First Thinking
Over 60% of email opens happen on mobile. If your site isn’t mobile-optimized, you’re losing readers.
Test your site on multiple devices. Use fewer columns, more vertical spacing, and thumb-friendly CTAs.
Arnold’s Pump Club leans on simple sections, bold headers, and legible copy—so whether you’re on a morning walk or mid-set at the gym, it works.
The Daily Bite is a masterclass in mobile UX. Large fonts, clean vertical flow, and a prominent subscribe button that never gets lost. Even their archive feels swipeable.
3. High-Contrast CTAs
Make your signup buttons easy to see, tap, and understand. No vague copy. “Join free,” “Subscribe now,” or “Get the daily email” work better than “Go.”
Upward News does this beautifully. The subscribe button contrasts perfectly with the background and uses action-driven copy: Need-to-know reporting and analysis you won’t find in the mainstream media.
4. Consistency in Visual Branding
Your homepage, your emails, your archives—they should all feel like they belong to the same world. Think consistency:
Fonts
Colors
Icons
Tone of voice
Girlboss gets this right. Their newsletter site uses the same aesthetic as their Shopify store—peach tones, clean fonts, and a cool, confident voice.
Pick a color palette, stick to 1-2 fonts, and reuse design elements. Familiarity builds trust. Mismatch kills it.
5. Visual Hierarchy
Not all content deserves equal attention. Use layout intentionally to guide your reader’s eye where it matters most:
Big, bold headline
Subheadline or value prop
CTA above the fold
Posts or previews next
Purposeful Performer is a great example. The homepage leads you through: headline → value → CTA → premium upsell. It feels intuitive, not overwhelming.
CoinSnacks uses font weights and sectioning to break down a lot of content without overwhelming the reader. You scroll because it’s easy—not because you’re lost.
Here’s a handpicked lineup of the best-looking (and best-converting) newsletter websites and why they work so well.
1. TodayIn Design
Minimalist design with whitespace done right. Perfect for a creative audience.
Design Wins: Subtle animations, simple subscribe flow, beautiful font pairing.
2. The Daily Bite
A fun, vibrant site that pulls you in fast.
Design Wins: Bold colors, clean emoji usage, friendly CTA ("Get your daily bite").
3. Big Desk Energy
Yes, this is beehiiv CEO Tyler Denk’s own site—and it slaps.
Design Wins: Gradient background, punchy microcopy, and strong visual brand.
4. Kristi Digital
Polished and elegant, with a premium digital freelancer vibe.
Design Wins: Clean serif font, light color palette, personal brand emphasis.
5. The Neuron Daily
Sleek and modern, perfectly tuned for the tech crowd.
Design Wins: Compact nav, large bold headlines, and frictionless subscribe UX.
6. Purposeful Performer
A masterclass in monetization.
Design Wins: Premium content previews, tiered CTAs, and engaging visuals.
7. Creator Spotlight
Feels like a media brand. Operates like a newsletter-first experience.
Design Wins: Hero imagery, feature blocks, beautiful post layouts.
8. The Future Party
Pop culture energy meets publishing polish.
Design Wins: Strong visual rhythm, bold typography, fast-loading everything.
An extension of the main brand with a stylish twist.
Design Wins: Icon-based nav, modern preferences center, great typography.
Sporty and bold, with great post layout design.
Design Wins: Vivid color scheme, content-forward structure, easy scroll archive.
11. CoinSnacks
Clean crypto without the clutter.
Design Wins: Digest-style homepage, dark/light mode vibe, strong branding.
12. AMMI.AI
AI newsletter with futuristic visuals and a bold UI.
Design Wins: Custom graphics, black-and-white color scheme, CTA button animations.
Final Thoughts: Let Your Design Do the Work
Every one of these newsletters shows what’s possible with beehiiv’s website builder: conversion-driven design that still looks damn good.
With beehiiv’s Website Builder, you get:
Full design control — Customize your homepage, archive, subscribe page, and even post layouts
Clean, fast templates — Optimized for mobile and conversion, no coding needed
Drag-and-drop modules — Add image blocks, testimonials, pricing cards, and more
Custom domains — Build on your brand, not someone else’s
Seamless paywall integration — Perfect for premium newsletters or gated content
Don’t let your layout hold your growth back.
Try beehiiv’s Website Builder and launch a site you’re proud to promote.
