When it came time to select a brand-new email platform, I really did not desire “sufficient.” I required something much better– something constructed for development, smarter money making, and a smoother experience on the whole. After virtually a years aiding others with e-mail marketing (and two years running my very own newsletter), I had not been searching for just a tool– I was searching for an appropriate companion Link Mail Beehiiv.
Which’s just how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Now, I recognize what you’re thinking: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply one more Substack alternative?” I assumed that also initially. But after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually obtained a lot to state– both the wins and the unusual peculiarities. If you’re trying to choose whether Beehiiv is the appropriate system for you, work out in. You’re about to get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be straightforward– most email service providers (ESPs) are constructed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a device that could actually aid grow my checklist and make some money while I went to it. My old ESP simply had not been sufficing anymore.
So I began contrasting choices. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the usual suspects. Each had its rewards, however I was looking at this through the lens of someone who takes e-mail seriously– and who desired full control over my target market and material.
The Substack Trouble: Looks Good Till You Look Closer
Substack was my first stop. It’s polished. It’s basic. And yeah, it’s popular.
However dig a little much deeper, and fractures begin showing. The largest one? You do not actually possess your fans.
That “comply with” button you see on Substack? It’s primarily smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall– inside the Substack application or on their website. You can’t email them straight. Can’t export them. You’re generally renting a target market you can never ever totally reach.
It’s like carrying out on a phase where the lights only turn on if the venue makes a decision to let the crowd see you. Does not feel great.
And then there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid subscriptions. Stripe takes another 3%. That’s 13% of your income– gone. You would certainly believe they were running a nightclub, not an email platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, However Was It As well Good to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stand apart?
At first, it was the pledge of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter listing development devices, and absolutely no system charges (apart from the common Stripe cut). Yet pledges are very easy. Implementation? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the reviews were encouraging. The Reddit threads didn’t seem like bots or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– migrating to a new system normally seems like pulling teeth. But Beehiiv? Remarkably pain-free.
Importing my list? Smooth. Setting up kinds? No disasters. Linking my custom domain name? A couple of small hiccups, however nothing that called for swearing at the display.
One thing I really valued was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly introduces your domain name to inbox carriers, piggybacking off their very own sending out domain name. Translation? Less spam folder problems.
Also, their assistance content– videos, help docs, and walkthroughs– really felt human. Like someone took a seat and stated, “Let’s not annoy the hell out of our customers today.” Rejuvenating.
Automation on Beehiiv: Link Mail Beehiiv
Now here’s where points obtained a little … intriguing.
Beehiiv’s automation system is good, however do not expect it to compete with heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each form can only be linked to a solitary automation. That makes it difficult to individualize welcome series based upon just how a person registered.
I ended up going complete investigator setting– tinkering with sectors, utilizing different landing pages, checking out odd Reddit strings– just to develop a few customized workflows.
Is it achievable? Definitely. But if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this might seem like stepping back a little bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Excellent, However Not Perfect
I’ve got a little bit of a love-hate relationship with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Aesthetically? It’s glossy. Drag, go down, style, preview– it seems like it was designed by a person who’s really composed an e-newsletter or more.
Yet default templates took a couple of tweaks to solve. And right here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can get big. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb large.
That suggests your wonderfully crafted message might get chopped in half if you’re not mindful. I learned this by hand– then went down a rabbit hole of screening tools to maximize HTML size and prevent that dreadful clipping.
My go-to approach?
- Downloading test emails from Gmail and examining size
- Running the HTML via Parcel.io’s e-mail customer
- Ascertaining with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little bit of a hands-on process, but it functions. I also reached out to Beehiiv concerning including better dimension warnings. Fingers crossed.
Right Stuff That Actually Relocations the Needle
Alright, let’s enter into the meat of it– what’s made a concrete difference considering that switching to Beehiiv?
Audience Development
In just three months, I added over 160 brand-new subscribers to a quite niche newsletter. That’s about 60% greater than what I was seeing previously– and I wasn’t also running paid ads.
Most of that development originated from Beehiiv’s integrated tools: the referral program, Boosts (think e-newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can actually track what’s functioning and where subscribers are coming from. Makes tweaking your approach a lot less complicated.
Monetization That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk cash due to the fact that for most makers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid memberships. Just Stripe’s cost. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% far better than Substack (actually).
Yet there’s even more: their advertisement network is intuitive and passive. Within 3 months, I was already fielding passion from marketers. Beehiiv’s companion network links designers with brands in such a way that does not feel disgusting or required. It’s integrated revenue potential, simple and straightforward Link Mail Beehiiv.
And when I’m ready to launch a premium subscription? I recognize precisely what reduced I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Growth Devices
What really establishes Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve obtained personalized referral programs. Boosts for e-newsletter cross-promotion. Numerous landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can turn your readers into supporters without hanging unpleasant swag or single gimmicks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv feels like a system that wants you to prosper. Not one that simply wants an item of your pie.
Points I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No platform is excellent, and Beehiiv’s got its quirks.
Assistance can be slow when you struck a weird insect or need deep aid.
Some automations still really feel too standard.
Email dimension monitoring requires much better in-app alerts (please and thank you).
No integrated countdown timers (sad face if you love FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Generally nonexistent.
So if you’re selling physical products or desire abandoned cart flows, Beehiiv possibly isn’t your best bet.
Conclusion
If you’re a maker who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, expanding a list, or just tired of outdated systems– Beehiiv’s a solid option.
You’ll like it if:
You want complete ownership of your target market
You’re looking to expand fast without paying system tax
You want something that feels constructed by designers, for makers
Will it solve every trouble? No. But in three months, it’s helped me grow much faster, gain much more, and anxiety much less about the little things.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to quit resolving and in fact range your e-newsletter with actual devices that value your job and target market– yeah, I think it’s time.
Take place. Provide it a spin. You just could fall in love like I did.