When it came time to pick a brand-new email system, I didn’t desire “good enough.” I needed something better– something built for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience overall. After virtually a decade helping others with email marketing (and two years running my own e-newsletter), I wasn’t searching for just a tool– I was searching for an appropriate partner Half Baked Beehiiv.
Which’s just how Beehiiv got in the picture.
Now, I understand what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv just one more Substack choice?” I believed that too in the beginning. Yet after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually got a great deal to state– both the wins and the odd traits. If you’re trying to determine whether Beehiiv is the right system for you, work out in. You’re about to get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be truthful– most email company (ESPs) are developed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I required a device that can in fact aid expand my list and make some cash while I went to it. My old ESP just had not been sufficing any longer.
So I started contrasting alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the usual suspects. Each had its advantages, but I was taking a look at this via the lens of someone who takes e-mail seriously– and who wanted full control over my audience and content.
The Substack Trouble: Looks Excellent Until You Look Closer
Substack was my first stop. It’s brightened. It’s easy. And yeah, it’s popular.
However dig a little deeper, and fractures begin revealing. The largest one? You don’t actually own your fans.
That “comply with” switch you see on Substack? It’s primarily smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack app or on their website. You can not email them straight. Can’t export them. You’re basically renting an audience you can never ever completely get to.
It’s like executing on a phase where the lights only turn on if the location makes a decision to allow the group see you. Does not feel excellent.
And afterwards there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid memberships. Stripe takes one more 3%. That’s 13% of your revenue– gone. You would certainly assume they were running a club, not an e-mail system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, Yet Was It Also Excellent 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 listing growth devices, and no system fees (apart from the typical Stripe cut). However guarantees are very easy. Implementation? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the testimonials were encouraging. The Reddit threads really did not seem like bots or brand plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– migrating to a new platform normally seems like pulling teeth. Yet Beehiiv? Remarkably pain-free.
Importing my checklist? Smooth. Setting up kinds? No disasters. Attaching my custom-made domain? A couple of small hiccups, but absolutely nothing that needed swearing at the display.
One point I actually valued was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly presents your domain to inbox providers, piggybacking off their very own sending domain name. Translation? Less spam folder problems.
Also, their assistance web content– video clips, aid docs, and walkthroughs– really really felt human. Like someone sat down and claimed, “Let’s not discourage the heck out of our customers today.” Refreshing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Half Baked Beehiiv
Now below’s where things obtained a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is decent, yet don’t expect it to compete with heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each kind can just be connected to a solitary automation. That makes it difficult to individualize welcome sequences based upon exactly how someone subscribed.
I ended up going full investigator setting– tinkering with sections, utilizing different landing pages, checking out odd Reddit threads– just to construct a few customized workflows.
Is it manageable? Definitely. However if you’re used to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this could feel like going back a bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Excellent, Yet Not Perfect
I’ve got a little bit of a love-hate relationship with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Aesthetically? It’s slick. Drag, go down, layout, sneak peek– it feels like it was made by somebody who’s in fact composed an e-newsletter or two.
Yet default templates took a couple of tweaks to solve. And right here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can get large. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb big.
That implies your magnificently crafted message could get chopped in half if you’re not mindful. I discovered this the hard way– after that went down a bunny hole of testing tools to optimize HTML size and stay clear of that dreaded clipping.
My best strategy?
- Downloading test e-mails from Gmail and inspecting size
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s email customer
- Verifying with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little bit of a hand-operated process, but it functions. I even reached out to Beehiiv regarding adding much better dimension warnings. Fingers crossed.
Right Stuff That In Fact Steps the Needle
Alright, let’s get involved in the meat of it– what’s made a substantial difference because switching to Beehiiv?
Target market Growth
In simply 3 months, I added over 160 brand-new clients to a quite niche e-newsletter. That has to do with 60% greater than what I was seeing in the past– and I wasn’t even running paid ads.
The majority of that growth originated from Beehiiv’s integrated devices: the referral program, Boosts (believe e-newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can really track what’s working and where subscribers are originating from. Makes tweaking your technique a great deal much easier.
Money Making That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk cash due to the fact that for the majority of creators, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid subscriptions. Just Stripe’s fee. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% far better than Substack (literally).
But there’s even more: their advertisement network is intuitive and passive. Within three months, I was currently fielding interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s partner network connects makers with brand names in such a way that doesn’t really feel sickening or compelled. It’s built-in revenue potential, plain and easy Half Baked Beehiiv.
And when I prepare to launch a costs subscription? I know exactly what cut I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Growth 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 e-newsletter cross-promotion. Multiple landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can turn your readers into advocates without dangling uncomfortable boodle or one-time gimmicks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv seems like a platform that wants you to be successful. Not one that just wants an item of your pie.
Things I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No system is perfect, and Beehiiv’s got its traits.
Support can be slow-moving when you struck an unusual pest or need deep aid.
Some automations still really feel also basic.
Email size surveillance needs much better in-app alerts (please and thanks).
No integrated countdown timers (long face if you like FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Essentially nonexistent.
So if you’re marketing physical products or desire deserted cart circulations, Beehiiv most likely isn’t your best choice.
Verdict
If you’re a designer who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, growing a list, or just tired of out-of-date systems– Beehiiv’s a solid option.
You’ll like it if:
You desire full ownership of your target market
You’re looking to grow quickly without paying platform tax
You desire something that feels built by creators, for developers
Will it resolve every trouble? No. However in three months, it’s aided me grow quicker, earn more, and stress and anxiety much less about the little things.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you prepare to quit resolving and actually scale your e-newsletter with real tools that appreciate your work and target market– yeah, I believe it’s time.
Go on. Give it a spin. You simply may fall in love like I did.