When it came time to choose a brand-new email system, I didn’t want “good enough.” I required something much better– something developed for growth, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience generally. After virtually a years assisting others with e-mail marketing (and two years running my very own newsletter), I wasn’t looking for simply a tool– I was hunting for a correct partner Female Startup Club Beehiiv.
And that’s exactly how Beehiiv went into the picture.
Now, I understand what you’re thinking: “Isn’t Beehiiv just one more Substack alternative?” I assumed that as well at first. But after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve obtained a lot to say– both the success and the weird peculiarities. If you’re attempting to determine whether Beehiiv is the ideal system for you, settle in. You’re about to obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be honest– most email provider (ESPs) are developed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a tool that can actually aid grow my listing and make some cash while I was at it. My old ESP just had not been sufficing anymore.
So I started comparing alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the typical suspects. Each had its rewards, yet I was taking a look at this via the lens of somebody who takes e-mail seriously– and who wanted complete control over my audience and web content.
The Substack Issue: Looks Excellent Until You Look Closer
Substack was my very first stop. It’s polished. It’s easy. And yeah, it’s preferred.
But dig a little much deeper, and splits begin showing. The greatest one? You do not actually have your fans.
That “follow” switch you see on Substack? It’s mostly smoke and mirrors. Those followers 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 an audience you can never ever fully reach.
It resembles performing on a phase where the lights just switch on if the place determines to let the group see you. Does not feel fantastic.
And afterwards there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid registrations. Stripe takes another 3%. That’s 13% of your earnings– gone. You would certainly think they were running a club, not an e-mail system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It Also Great to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv stick out?
In the beginning, it was the assurance of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter list growth tools, and no system costs (aside from the normal Stripe cut). However guarantees are very easy. Execution? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the reviews were motivating. The Reddit threads really did not sound like bots or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– migrating to a new system typically seems like drawing teeth. But Beehiiv? Surprisingly painless.
Importing my list? Smooth. Setting up types? No crises. Connecting my customized domain name? A few small missteps, but nothing that required swearing at the display.
One point I really appreciated was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv progressively presents your domain name to inbox companies, piggybacking off their very own sending domain. Translation? Less spam folder problems.
Likewise, their support web content– videos, aid docs, and walkthroughs– actually really felt human. Like a person sat down and stated, “Let’s not frustrate the heck out of our individuals today.” Refreshing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Female Startup Club Beehiiv
Currently below’s where points obtained a little … intriguing.
Beehiiv’s automation system is respectable, yet don’t expect it to compete with heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For example, each form can only be attached to a solitary automation. That makes it tricky to customize welcome sequences based on just how someone subscribed.
I ended up going complete investigator setting– tinkering with sectors, making use of separate landing pages, reviewing odd Reddit strings– just to construct a few tailored workflows.
Is it achievable? Absolutely. But if you’re used to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this might feel like going back a bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Fantastic, But Not Perfect
I have actually got a bit of a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Visually? It’s slick. Drag, drop, style, preview– it seems like it was designed by a person who’s really written a newsletter or more.
But default templates took a few tweaks to solve. And below’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can get large. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That indicates your perfectly crafted message may get cut in half if you’re not careful. I learned this the hard way– then decreased a bunny opening of screening tools to maximize HTML dimension and prevent that dreadful clipping.
My best strategy?
- Downloading examination emails from Gmail and examining size
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s e-mail visitor
- Ascertaining with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Little bit of a hands-on process, yet it works. I even connected to Beehiiv concerning adding much better size cautions. Fingers crossed.
The Stuff That Actually Relocations the Needle
Alright, let’s enter into the meat of it– what’s made a tangible distinction since switching to Beehiiv?
Audience Growth
In just 3 months, I included over 160 brand-new clients to a quite specific niche newsletter. That has to do with 60% more than what I was seeing in the past– and I wasn’t even running paid advertisements.
The majority of that development originated from Beehiiv’s built-in tools: the referral program, Boosts (believe e-newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can really track what’s functioning and where customers are originating from. Makes tweaking your approach a whole lot easier.
Money Making That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s speak cash because for a lot of designers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid registrations. Just Stripe’s fee. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% better than Substack (literally).
But there’s more: their ad network is intuitive and passive. Within 3 months, I was currently fielding rate of interest from marketers. Beehiiv’s partner network connects makers with brands in a way that doesn’t feel nasty or compelled. It’s integrated income possibility, simple and straightforward Female Startup Club Beehiiv.
And when I prepare to launch a premium membership? I understand precisely what reduced I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Development Tools
What really sets Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually got adjustable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Numerous landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can turn your viewers right into supporters without hanging uncomfortable swag or single gimmicks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv seems like a system that wants you to succeed. Not one that simply desires an item of your pie.
Things I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No system is ideal, and Beehiiv’s got its traits.
Support can be sluggish when you hit a strange pest or require deep assistance.
Some automations still really feel also basic.
Email dimension tracking requires far better in-app alerts (please and thank you).
No integrated countdown timers (long face if you love FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Generally missing.
So if you’re marketing physical items or want deserted cart circulations, Beehiiv possibly isn’t your best choice.
Conclusion
If you’re a designer who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, expanding a list, or just tired of outdated systems– Beehiiv’s a solid choice.
You’ll like it if:
You want full ownership of your target market
You’re seeking to expand fast without paying system tax obligation
You want something that feels developed by developers, for designers
Will it solve every problem? No. However in three months, it’s helped me grow quicker, make extra, and stress and anxiety less about the little things.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you prepare to quit settling and really scale your newsletter with real tools that appreciate your work and audience– yeah, I think it’s time.
Go on. Provide it a spin. You just could fall in love like I did.