When it came time to choose a new email system, I really did not want “sufficient.” I required something much better– something developed for development, smarter money making, and a smoother experience on the whole. After virtually a years aiding others with email marketing (and two years running my own newsletter), I had not been trying to find just a device– I was searching for a correct companion Matt Mcgarry Podcast.
And that’s exactly how Beehiiv got in the picture.
Currently, I understand what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv just one more Substack alternative?” I thought that as well at first. Yet after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve obtained a whole lot to say– both the victories and the strange peculiarities. If you’re trying to determine whether Beehiiv is the appropriate system for you, work out in. You will get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be honest– most email company (ESPs) are built like they’re still embeded 2013. I needed a tool that can in fact aid grow my checklist and make some money while I went to it. My old ESP just had not been cutting it anymore.
So I began comparing alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the normal suspects. Each had its benefits, yet I was checking out this via the lens of a person who takes e-mail seriously– and who wanted full control over my audience and content.
The Substack Problem: Looks Excellent Until You Look Closer
Substack was my first quit. It’s polished. It’s simple. And yeah, it’s preferred.
Yet dig a little deeper, and cracks start showing. The largest one? You do not in fact possess your fans.
That “comply with” button you see on Substack? It’s mainly smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack app or on their website. You can’t email them straight. Can not export them. You’re essentially renting out an audience you can never fully get to.
It’s like carrying out on a phase where the lights just turn on if the location decides to let the crowd see you. Doesn’t really feel great.
And after that there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid registrations. Stripe takes an additional 3%. That’s 13% of your earnings– gone. You ‘d think they were running a bar, not an e-mail system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, Yet Was It As well Excellent to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv stand out?
In the beginning, it was the pledge of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter list growth devices, and zero system charges (aside from the common Stripe cut). But pledges are very easy. Implementation? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the reviews were encouraging. The Reddit threads didn’t seem like robots or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– moving to a brand-new system usually feels like pulling teeth. But Beehiiv? Remarkably painless.
Importing my listing? Smooth. Setting up kinds? No meltdowns. Connecting my custom-made domain? A few minor hiccups, however absolutely nothing that called for swearing at the screen.
One thing I really appreciated was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly presents your domain name to inbox companies, piggybacking off their very own sending domain. Translation? Fewer spam folder nightmares.
Also, their assistance material– videos, aid docs, and walkthroughs– in fact felt human. Like somebody sat down and said, “Let’s not frustrate the heck out of our users today.” Revitalizing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Matt Mcgarry Podcast
Currently below’s where things obtained a little … interesting.
Beehiiv’s automation system is good, but don’t anticipate it to compete with heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. As an example, each kind can just be connected to a single automation. That makes it complicated to individualize welcome sequences based upon exactly how a person registered.
I wound up going full investigator setting– dabbling with sectors, using different landing pages, reviewing rare Reddit strings– simply to construct a couple of customized workflows.
Is it manageable? Definitely. Yet if you’re used to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this might feel like stepping back a bit.
Email Builder: Mostly Terrific, Yet Not Perfect
I have actually got a bit of a love-hate relationship with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Aesthetically? It’s glossy. Drag, go down, layout, sneak peek– it feels like it was made by somebody who’s in fact written a newsletter or 2.
However default templates took a few tweaks to solve. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can obtain big. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That implies your wonderfully crafted message could obtain chopped in half if you’re not mindful. I discovered this by hand– after that went down a bunny hole of testing tools to maximize HTML dimension and stay clear of that dreadful clipping.
My go-to approach?
- Downloading examination e-mails from Gmail and inspecting dimension
- Running the HTML via Parcel.io’s e-mail customer
- Ascertaining with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Little bit of a manual process, yet it functions. I even connected to Beehiiv regarding adding much better size cautions. Fingers crossed.
Right Stuff That Really Actions the Needle
Alright, let’s get into the meat of it– what’s made a concrete difference considering that changing to Beehiiv?
Audience Growth
In simply 3 months, I included over 160 new subscribers to a rather specific niche e-newsletter. That has to do with 60% more than what I was seeing previously– and I wasn’t even running paid ads.
Most of that growth came from Beehiiv’s built-in tools: the referral program, Boosts (assume newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can really track what’s functioning and where clients are coming from. Makes tweaking your approach a whole lot less complicated.
Money Making That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s chat money since for a lot of makers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid registrations. Simply Stripe’s cost. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% far better than Substack (essentially).
However there’s more: their ad network is user-friendly and passive. Within 3 months, I was currently fielding passion from advertisers. Beehiiv’s companion network connects designers with brands in a manner that does not really feel sickening or compelled. It’s integrated revenue potential, ordinary and easy Matt Mcgarry Podcast.
And when I’m ready to introduce a premium membership? I know exactly what cut I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Development Tools
What truly sets Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve got adjustable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Multiple landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can turn your viewers right into advocates without dangling awkward swag or one-time tricks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv seems like a system that desires you to be successful. Not one that just desires a piece of your pie.
Points I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No system is ideal, and Beehiiv’s got its quirks.
Support can be sluggish when you hit an odd insect or need deep help.
Some automations still feel also fundamental.
Email dimension surveillance needs much better in-app alerts (please and thanks).
No built-in countdown timers (long face if you enjoy FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Essentially missing.
So if you’re selling physical products or want deserted cart circulations, Beehiiv most likely isn’t your best option.
Conclusion
If you’re a creator who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, growing a checklist, or just tired of out-of-date platforms– Beehiiv’s a strong choice.
You’ll like it if:
You want full possession of your target market
You’re seeking to grow quickly without paying system tax
You desire something that really feels constructed by developers, for designers
Will it resolve every trouble? No. However in three months, it’s helped me grow much faster, gain a lot more, and anxiety much less about the little things.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you prepare to stop resolving and actually range your e-newsletter with real tools that appreciate your job and target market– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Take place. Give it a spin. You just may fall in love like I did.