When it came time to pick a brand-new e-mail system, I really did not want “adequate.” I needed something much better– something developed for growth, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience on the whole. After nearly a years helping others with e-mail marketing (and 2 years running my own e-newsletter), I wasn’t trying to find simply a device– I was hunting for a proper partner Inbox Income Beehiiv.
And that’s just how Beehiiv got in the picture.
Now, I recognize what you’re assuming: “Isn’t Beehiiv just an additional Substack choice?” I thought that also initially. However after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve obtained a great deal to state– both the success and the odd quirks. If you’re attempting to decide whether Beehiiv is the ideal platform for you, settle in. You’re about to get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be sincere– most email service providers (ESPs) are built like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a tool that might in fact assist grow my checklist and make some cash while I went to it. My old ESP simply wasn’t sufficing anymore.
So I began comparing choices. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the usual suspects. Each had its perks, but I was checking out this with the lens of a person who takes e-mail seriously– and who wanted complete control over my target market and material.
The Substack Problem: Looks Excellent Up Until You Look Closer
Substack was my very first quit. It’s brightened. It’s straightforward. And yeah, it’s prominent.
But dig a little much deeper, and splits begin revealing. The most significant one? You do not really have your fans.
That “adhere to” switch you see on Substack? It’s mostly smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall– inside the Substack app or on their website. You can’t email them directly. Can not export them. You’re generally renting a target market you can never fully reach.
It resembles executing on a stage where the lights just switch on if the place determines to allow the crowd see you. Does not really feel great.
And after that there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid memberships. Stripe takes one more 3%. That’s 13% of your income– gone. You would certainly think they were running a nightclub, not an e-mail system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It Too Excellent to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stand out?
In the beginning, it was the promise of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter list growth devices, and no system charges (besides the common Stripe cut). But guarantees are simple. Implementation? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the reviews were encouraging. The Reddit strings really did not seem like robots or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– migrating to a brand-new platform typically seems like drawing teeth. Yet Beehiiv? Surprisingly pain-free.
Importing my list? Smooth. Establishing kinds? No meltdowns. Connecting my customized domain name? A couple of minor hiccups, yet absolutely nothing that needed swearing at the display.
One thing I really appreciated was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly presents your domain to inbox carriers, piggybacking off their very own sending out domain. Translation? Less spam folder headaches.
Likewise, their assistance web content– videos, assistance docs, and walkthroughs– really really felt human. Like somebody took a seat and stated, “Let’s not discourage the heck out of our users today.” Revitalizing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Inbox Income Beehiiv
Currently below’s where points obtained a little … intriguing.
Beehiiv’s automation system is respectable, however don’t expect it to take on heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each form can just be linked to a solitary automation. That makes it tricky to customize welcome sequences based upon just how a person subscribed.
I ended up going complete investigator mode– tinkering with sectors, utilizing separate landing pages, reviewing unknown Reddit strings– just to build a few tailored workflows.
Is it manageable? Absolutely. But if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this could feel like going back a little bit.
Email Builder: Primarily Wonderful, However Not Perfect
I have actually got a little a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Aesthetically? It’s slick. Drag, drop, style, sneak peek– it feels like it was designed by someone who’s really written a newsletter or two.
But default templates took a couple of tweaks to solve. And below’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can obtain large. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb big.
That indicates your beautifully crafted message might get sliced in half if you’re not mindful. I discovered this the hard way– after that decreased a bunny hole of testing devices to maximize HTML size and avoid that dreadful clipping.
My go-to method?
- Downloading and install test emails from Gmail and examining size
- Running the HTML via Parcel.io’s email customer
- Verifying with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Bit of a manual procedure, but it functions. I even connected to Beehiiv concerning including far better size cautions. Fingers crossed.
Right Stuff That Actually Steps the Needle
Alright, let’s enter the meat of it– what’s made a substantial distinction given that changing to Beehiiv?
Target market Growth
In simply three months, I added over 160 brand-new clients to a pretty niche newsletter. That’s about 60% more 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 newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can actually track what’s working and where customers are coming from. Makes tweaking your approach a whole lot easier.
Money Making That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s chat money due to the fact that for many creators, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid subscriptions. Just Stripe’s cost. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% much better than Substack (essentially).
But there’s even more: their ad network is instinctive and passive. Within 3 months, I was currently fielding interest from marketers. Beehiiv’s partner network connects creators with brand names in a manner that doesn’t feel nasty or required. It’s integrated income capacity, plain and basic Inbox Income Beehiiv.
And when I prepare to launch a costs subscription? I understand exactly what cut I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Growth Tools
What really establishes Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve obtained adjustable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Numerous landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can transform your visitors into advocates without dangling awkward boodle or single gimmicks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv seems like a system that desires you to prosper. Not one that simply wants an item of your pie.
Things I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No system is perfect, and Beehiiv’s obtained its traits.
Assistance can be slow-moving when you struck a weird pest or require deep assistance.
Some automations still feel too fundamental.
Email dimension tracking requires much better in-app signals (please and thanks).
No built-in countdown timers (long face if you love FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Generally nonexistent.
So if you’re marketing physical products or desire abandoned cart circulations, Beehiiv possibly isn’t your best choice.
Verdict
If you’re a maker who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, growing a checklist, or just tired of obsolete systems– Beehiiv’s a solid option.
You’ll like it if:
You desire complete possession of your audience
You’re seeking to expand quick without paying platform tax
You want something that really feels developed by makers, for developers
Will it address every trouble? No. However in three months, it’s aided me grow faster, make more, and stress and anxiety less about the little points.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you prepare to stop clearing up and really scale your newsletter with real tools that appreciate your work and target market– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Take place. Provide it a spin. You simply may fall in love like I did.