When it came time to choose a new e-mail platform, I didn’t want “sufficient.” I required something much better– something constructed for growth, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience on the whole. After virtually a years aiding others with email marketing (and two years running my own newsletter), I wasn’t looking for simply a tool– I was searching for a correct companion AI Researches Beehiiv.
Which’s just how Beehiiv got in the picture.
Currently, I recognize what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply another Substack choice?” I thought that as well at first. But after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve obtained a great deal to claim– both the victories and the strange traits. If you’re attempting to make a decision whether Beehiiv is the best platform for you, work out in. You’re about to obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be straightforward– most email provider (ESPs) are built like they’re still stuck in 2013. I required a device that might in fact assist grow my listing and make some money while I went to it. My old ESP just wasn’t sufficing anymore.
So I started comparing options. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the typical suspects. Each had its advantages, yet I was taking a look at this through the lens of somebody who takes email seriously– and who wanted full control over my target market and material.
The Substack Trouble: Looks Good Till You Look Closer
Substack was my first quit. It’s polished. It’s straightforward. And yeah, it’s popular.
However dig a little much deeper, and splits start revealing. The largest one? You don’t actually have your fans.
That “follow” 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 not export them. You’re essentially renting out an audience you can never completely reach.
It resembles executing on a phase where the lights only turn on if the place makes a decision to allow the group see you. Doesn’t feel terrific.
And afterwards there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid subscriptions. Stripe takes another 3%. That’s 13% of your earnings– gone. You ‘d assume they were running a nightclub, not an e-mail system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It As well Excellent to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv attract attention?
At first, it was the promise of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter list development devices, and no system charges (aside from the common Stripe cut). However pledges are simple. Implementation? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the evaluations were motivating. The Reddit threads really did not seem like robots or brand plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– moving to a new system usually feels like pulling teeth. But Beehiiv? Remarkably pain-free.
Importing my checklist? Smooth. Establishing kinds? No disasters. Attaching my custom domain? A couple of minor missteps, yet nothing that required swearing at the display.
One point I actually appreciated was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly introduces your domain to inbox suppliers, piggybacking off their very own sending domain. Translation? Less spam folder nightmares.
Also, their assistance web content– video clips, aid docs, and walkthroughs– really really felt human. Like somebody sat down and stated, “Let’s not frustrate the heck out of our individuals today.” Revitalizing.
Automation on Beehiiv: AI Researches Beehiiv
Currently here’s where things got a little … intriguing.
Beehiiv’s automation system is decent, however don’t expect it to take on heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. As an example, each type can only be linked to a single automation. That makes it difficult to customize welcome sequences based on exactly how someone joined.
I ended up going complete investigator mode– playing with sections, making use of separate landing pages, reading unknown Reddit strings– just to build a few tailored workflows.
Is it practical? Absolutely. Yet if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this might seem like going back a bit.
Email Builder: Primarily Excellent, Yet Not Perfect
I have actually obtained a little bit of a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Visually? It’s glossy. Drag, drop, format, preview– it feels like it was designed by a person who’s really written a newsletter or more.
However default templates took a couple of tweaks to get right. And below’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can obtain huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb large.
That indicates your wonderfully crafted message might obtain sliced in half if you’re not mindful. I learned this by hand– then went down a rabbit opening of testing devices to optimize HTML size and stay clear of that dreadful clipping.
My best method?
- Downloading and install examination e-mails from Gmail and examining dimension
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s e-mail viewer
- Verifying with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little bit of a manual process, however it functions. I even connected to Beehiiv concerning including better size cautions. Fingers crossed.
The Stuff That Actually Actions the Needle
Alright, let’s get into the meat of it– what’s made a tangible distinction considering that switching over to Beehiiv?
Target market Growth
In simply 3 months, I included over 160 brand-new customers to a rather particular niche newsletter. That has to do with 60% greater than what I was seeing previously– and I had not been also running paid advertisements.
Most of that growth came from Beehiiv’s built-in tools: the referral program, Boosts (think e-newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can in fact track what’s functioning and where customers are coming from. Makes tweaking your approach a lot less complicated.
Money Making That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s chat money because for a lot of creators, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid memberships. Just Stripe’s charge. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% far better than Substack (actually).
Yet there’s more: their advertisement network is instinctive and passive. Within three months, I was already fielding rate of interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s companion network links creators with brand names in a way that does not really feel nasty or forced. It’s built-in earnings capacity, simple and easy AI Researches Beehiiv.
And when I’m ready to introduce a costs membership? I understand precisely what cut I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Development Tools
What actually sets Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve got personalized referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Numerous landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can transform your readers right into supporters without hanging uncomfortable swag or one-time gimmicks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv feels like a system that wants you to do well. Not one that just wants a piece of your pie.
Things I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No platform is perfect, and Beehiiv’s obtained its peculiarities.
Support can be sluggish when you hit a strange bug or need deep assistance.
Some automations still feel also fundamental.
Email size monitoring needs much better in-app alerts (please and thank you).
No built-in countdown timers (sad face if you like FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Generally missing.
So if you’re selling physical items or want deserted cart circulations, Beehiiv possibly isn’t your best choice.
Verdict
If you’re a creator who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, expanding a checklist, or simply tired of outdated systems– Beehiiv’s a strong selection.
You’ll like it if:
You want complete ownership of your target market
You’re seeking to expand quick without paying platform tax obligation
You want something that really feels built by designers, for designers
Will it solve every problem? No. Yet in 3 months, it’s aided me grow quicker, gain extra, and stress and anxiety less about the little points.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you prepare to stop resolving and really range your newsletter with genuine devices that value your work and audience– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Go on. Give it a spin. You simply may fall in love like I did.