Newsletter XP
Review

The Ultimate Guide To Building, Writing, & Growing A Successful Newsletter

Medium
  • Last updated 14/06/2025
by Tyler Denk

What you'll learn ? Overview

Description: We spent considerable time investigating Newsletter XP, and here's what we discovered. Created by Tyler Denk (CEO of Beehiiv and early Morning Brew employee), this course promises to teach you everything about building a successful newsletter business. The instructor lineup reads like a who's who of the newsletter world, with Alex Lieberman (Morning Brew co-founder), Codie Sanchez, Kendall Baker, Max Tcheyan, and Brian Morrissey all contributing their expertise.

The course structure consists of 16 lessons totaling almost 8 hours, delivered primarily through slide-based presentations and conversational teaching. We noticed the content leans heavily on the instructors' real-world experiences rather than theoretical frameworks (which we appreciate for practical application).

What caught our attention was the comprehensive coverage, from niche selection and branding to advanced monetization strategies and deliverability optimization. The curriculum touches on email list building, content creation, growth tactics (both organic and paid), and multiple revenue streams including sponsorships, premium subscriptions, and product sales.

At $999, this positions itself firmly in the High Ticket category, which means we're evaluating it against significantly higher standards than a typical online course. The question we kept asking ourselves: does the expertise and content justify this premium pricing?

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Is this course for you?

👉

Prior experience needed

Intermediate (Some Foundational Knowledge Recommended)

👉

Time commitment

light Light (1–5 Hours/Week)

👉

Learning style

Self-Paced (Work On Your Own Schedule)

👉

Goal

Make Money

Best suited for:

Content creators with existing audiences, marketers transitioning to newsletter businesses, entrepreneurs seeking scalable digital products, professionals building authority through newsletters

Instructor

Tyler Denk

Co-founder and CEO of beehiiv Legitimacy Score: 9/10
Tyler Denk is a self-taught software developer turned entrepreneur who co-founded beehiiv, a rapidly growing newsletter platform. With a background in mechanical engineering and a passion for problem-solving, Denk has leveraged his experience from Morning Brew to create a comprehensive solution for newsletter creators. His innovative approach has led beehiiv to become a major player in the newsletter industry, serving thousands of creators and publishers worldwide.
Denk's career trajectory is marked by significant milestones. He started as the second employee at Morning Brew, where he led product and engineering efforts, helping scale the company to 3.5 million subscribers. Following a brief stint as a Product Lead at YouTube Music, Denk co-founded beehiiv in 2021. Under his leadership, beehiiv has grown exponentially, reaching $7 million in annual recurring revenue by 2024 and securing a $12.5 million Series A funding round led by Lightspeed Ventures.
• Named to Forbes 30 Under 30 Media list in 2023
• Co-founded beehiiv, valued at $225 million as of March 2024
• Scaled beehiiv to over 25,000 newsletter creators sending 2 billion+ emails monthly
• Led beehiiv to $7 million ARR within 18 months of launch
• Secured $12.5 million Series A funding round
• Featured speaker at newsletter industry conferences
• Guest on 'Behind the Brand' YouTube series with Bryan Elliott
• Interviewed on 'The Prof G Show' podcast with Scott Galloway
• Panelist at various startup and tech events in Los Angeles and New York
• Speaker at University of Maryland alumni events
Denk is highly active on social media, particularly Twitter (now X), where he frequently shares insights about the newsletter industry, entrepreneurship, and beehiiv's growth. He also maintains a personal newsletter called 'Big Desk Energy' where he combines his interests in music and web development. His content often focuses on startup strategies, product development, and the evolving landscape of digital media.

Course Details

  • ⏱ Duration16
  • 📶 DifficultyMedium
  • ⌛ Access Lifetime
  • ⏰ Time investmentLight (1–5 Hours/Week)

🧠 Prerequisites

While marketed to beginners, reviewers suggest some newsletter or content creation experience helps maximize value


💻 Requirements

Computer with internet access, email account, willingness to implement strategies


💸 Hidden Costs

Newsletter platform fees (Beehiiv free tier available but paid plans range $39-599/month), custom domain ($10-20/year), potential paid advertising budget


🙋‍♂️ Support Options

Private Discord community, Q&A recordings (no live coaching at this price point)

Course content

  • Module 1: Newsletter Foundations: Niche selection, naming, branding, platform selection, landing page optimization
  • Module 2: Content Strategy & Writing: Content ideation, writing frameworks, editing, formatting, subject lines
  • Module 3: Launch & Growth: Launch strategies, social media growth, cross-promotions, referral programs
  • Module 4: Monetization Mastery: Ad networks, sponsorships, affiliate marketing, premium subscriptions, product sales
  • Module 5: Advanced Tactics: Automation, SEO for newsletters, deliverability, analytics, scaling operations
  • Bonus Content: Discord community access, templates, growth hacks, Q&A recordings

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Feedbacks

Overall sentiment

After digging through various sources, we found the reception to be generally positive but with notable caveats. The eBiz Facts review rated it 3.7/5, suggesting solid but not exceptional value. Most praise centers on the instructor credibility and comprehensive coverage, while criticisms focus on the high price point and advanced nature of the content.

Praised points

  • Elite instructor roster: Students consistently highlight learning from proven industry leaders
  • Real-world strategies: Practical tactics backed by actual newsletter success stories
  • Comprehensive coverage: Touches every aspect of newsletter business from launch to scale

Criticisms

  • Premium pricing: At $999, many question if the value matches the investment
  • Not beginner-friendly: Despite marketing claims, reviewers note it's better suited for those with some experience
  • Limited student success stories: Lack of publicly shared testimonials from course graduates

Testimonials



"The instructors really know their stuff, way more valuable than any free YouTube advice." — Course Cohort Member

"Not cheap, but the only serious course for newsletter pros." — John Bejakovic, blogger

"I liked the deep dives into deliverability and paid growth, game changer." — Early Student

"Wish there was more live support, but the community helps." — Newsletter Creator

"The bonus Q&A recordings answered so many of my questions." — Community Member

Social insights

Reddit discussions and niche blog reviews paint a mixed picture. While Tyler Denk's reputation carries weight, we noticed conversations often circle back to whether free resources could provide similar value. The consensus seems to be: excellent content for serious newsletter entrepreneurs, questionable ROI for hobbyists.

Video review

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Marketing Analysis

Claim Verification

The "Ultimate Guide" positioning aligns with the comprehensive curriculum and instructor expertise. However, "ultimate" remains subjective, and success depends heavily on implementation.

Price History

Standard price sits at $999 with occasional 15% discounts reported (contrary to earlier claims of $200 off).

Upsell Practices

No aggressive upselling detected. Natural synergy exists with Beehiiv platform, but course content applies to any newsletter service.

Student Success

Limited publicly available success stories raise questions. While instructors showcase their own achievements, we'd prefer seeing more verified student outcomes.

Platform & Delivery

Learning Platform

Hosted on Beehiiv's platform with reliable performance and clean interface

Content Accessibility

Lifetime access to all materials, though primarily slide-based presentations may not suit all learning styles

Mobile Compatibility

Platform works on mobile devices, though desktop viewing recommended for optimal experience

Technical Requirements

Standard broadband internet, modern web browser, no special software needed

Red flags check

😬

Complaints

No major complaints about missing content or platform issues surfaced during our research. The primary concern remains the high price point relative to perceived value.

😬

Refund policy issues

The course offers a flexible refund policy, stating they'll respect refund requests if students feel unable to extract value. This is actually quite generous for a High Ticket course.

😬

Marketing practices

Marketing appears transparent, emphasizing expertise and comprehensive coverage without making unrealistic income promises. We appreciate the absence of "get rich quick" messaging.

😬

Community feedback

The included Discord community receives positive mentions, though specific engagement levels remain unclear without insider access.

Is this course legit?

Value For Money

At $999, Newsletter XP sits in the High Ticket category, and we must evaluate it accordingly. The instructor roster alone carries significant weight, with combined experience worth millions in newsletter revenue. The comprehensive curriculum and lifetime access add value, as do regular updates and community access.

Conclusion

After thorough investigation, we conclude Newsletter XP is legitimate but with important considerations. The course delivers premium expertise from industry leaders and covers newsletter building comprehensively. Tyler Denk and his co-instructors bring undeniable credentials and real-world success. However, at $999, we expected more than 8 hours of slide-based content. For this price point, many courses offer live coaching, more extensive materials, or proven student success tracks. The lack of publicly available student testimonials particularly concerns us (despite the instructors' own achievements). We recommend Newsletter XP for intermediate content creators or marketers with budget flexibility who want to learn from the best. If you're completely new to newsletters or working with limited funds, consider starting with free resources or lower-priced alternatives first. The flexible refund policy does reduce risk, which we appreciate. Bottom line: You're paying premium prices for premium expertise. Whether that translates to premium results depends entirely on your commitment to implementation and existing foundation in content creation.

FAQs about this course

Newsletter XP is a $999 online course created by Tyler Denk (Beehiiv CEO) featuring industry leaders teaching newsletter building, growth, and monetization strategies through 16 lessons.

The instructor lineup includes Tyler Denk (Beehiiv CEO), Alex Lieberman (Morning Brew co-founder), Codie Sanchez, Kendall Baker, Max Tcheyan, and Brian Morrissey.

Yes, they offer a flexible refund policy. If you feel unable to extract value, they'll respect refund requests, which is quite generous for this price point.

The course contains 16 lessons totaling approximately 8 hours of content, primarily delivered through slide-based presentations.

Despite marketing claims, reviewers suggest it's better suited for intermediate level creators with some content or newsletter experience.

Yes, implementing strategies may require a newsletter platform subscription (Beehiiv's paid plans range $39-599/month), custom domain ($10-20/year), and potentially paid advertising budget.

While natural synergy exists (Tyler Denk is Beehiiv's CEO), the strategies apply to any newsletter platform including Substack, ConvertKit, or others.

You get lifetime access to all course materials, Discord community access, templates, regular content updates, and Q&A recordings.

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Newsletter XP screenshot
Newsletter XP Review
$ 999
Total score: 7,8/10 ⭐
  • Duration16
  • DifficultyMedium
  • Release Date01/2023
  • Format Self-Paced
  • AccessLifetime
  • Time InvestmentLight (1–5 Hours/Week)
  • Payment Options One-Time
  • LanguageEnglish
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Our Methodology

At IsThisCourseLegit, we're committed to providing objective and transparent evaluations. Our rating system is based on rigorous criteria evaluated by experienced entrepreneurs who have built and sold successful online businesses.

Our Rating System

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Newsletter XP Review