When it came time to choose a brand-new e-mail platform, I didn’t desire “good enough.” I needed something much better– something built for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience on the whole. After nearly a decade assisting others with email marketing (and two years running my own newsletter), I had not been looking for simply a tool– I was hunting for a proper partner Beehiiv AI Newsletter.
And that’s how Beehiiv got in the picture.
Currently, I recognize what you’re assuming: “Isn’t Beehiiv just another Substack alternative?” I believed that also initially. Yet after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve obtained a lot to say– both the success and the weird traits. If you’re attempting to decide whether Beehiiv is the ideal system for you, resolve in. You’re about to obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be sincere– most email service providers (ESPs) are built like they’re still stuck in 2013. I required a tool that could actually help grow my checklist and make some money while I was at it. My old ESP simply had not been cutting it anymore.
So I began contrasting alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the common suspects. Each had its advantages, yet I was checking out this via the lens of somebody who takes email seriously– and who desired complete control over my audience and material.
The Substack Trouble: Looks Great Till You Look Closer
Substack was my initial stop. It’s brightened. It’s straightforward. And yeah, it’s prominent.
Yet dig a little much deeper, and cracks begin showing. The biggest one? You don’t really own your followers.
That “adhere to” button you see on Substack? It’s primarily 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 essentially renting out a target market you can never fully reach.
It’s like performing on a phase where the lights just activate if the venue determines to let the crowd see you. Doesn’t feel fantastic.
And after that there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid registrations. Stripe takes an additional 3%. That’s 13% of your revenue– gone. You ‘d think they were running a club, not an e-mail system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, Yet Was It As well Good to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv attract attention?
At first, it was the pledge of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter list development devices, and no system costs (other than the typical Stripe cut). Yet assurances are easy. Execution? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the testimonials were encouraging. The Reddit threads didn’t seem like robots or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– moving to a brand-new system generally seems like pulling teeth. However Beehiiv? Remarkably pain-free.
Importing my listing? Smooth. Establishing types? No disasters. Connecting my custom domain? A few minor missteps, however absolutely nothing that called for swearing at the screen.
One thing I truly valued was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv gradually introduces your domain name to inbox companies, piggybacking off their own sending domain. Translation? Fewer spam folder headaches.
Also, their assistance web content– videos, assistance docs, and walkthroughs– in fact really felt human. Like a person sat down and stated, “Let’s not frustrate the hell out of our individuals today.” Rejuvenating.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv AI Newsletter
Now below’s where points obtained a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is suitable, however do not expect it to compete with heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For example, each type can just be connected to a single automation. That makes it complicated to individualize welcome series based upon how somebody registered.
I ended up going complete investigator setting– tinkering with sectors, using different landing pages, reviewing unknown Reddit strings– simply to build a few customized workflows.
Is it practical? Absolutely. Yet if you’re used to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this may seem like stepping back a little bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Excellent, However Not Perfect
I have actually got a bit of a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Aesthetically? It’s glossy. Drag, go down, format, preview– it seems like it was created by somebody who’s really created a newsletter or two.
Yet default templates took a few tweaks to solve. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can obtain huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That indicates your wonderfully crafted message might obtain cut in half if you’re not careful. I learned this by hand– then dropped a rabbit opening of screening tools to maximize HTML dimension and prevent that dreaded clipping.
My best strategy?
- Downloading and install test emails from Gmail and examining dimension
- Running the HTML through Parcel.io’s e-mail visitor
- Confirming with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Little bit of a manual process, but it functions. I also reached out to Beehiiv concerning including better size cautions. Fingers crossed.
The Stuff That In Fact Relocations the Needle
Alright, let’s enter the meat of it– what’s made a concrete difference because changing to Beehiiv?
Audience Growth
In just 3 months, I included over 160 new subscribers to a pretty niche e-newsletter. That has to do with 60% greater than what I was seeing before– and I wasn’t also running paid ads.
The majority of that growth came from Beehiiv’s built-in devices: the referral program, Boosts (think e-newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can in fact track what’s functioning and where customers are originating from. Makes tweaking your approach a great deal less complicated.
Monetization That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s speak cash since for most 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% far better than Substack (actually).
However there’s more: their ad network is intuitive and passive. Within 3 months, I was already fielding passion from marketers. Beehiiv’s partner network attaches creators with brands in a manner that doesn’t feel nasty or required. It’s built-in earnings capacity, simple and simple Beehiiv AI Newsletter.
And when I’m ready to launch a premium membership? I recognize precisely what reduced I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Development Tools
What truly sets Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve got personalized referral programs. Boosts for e-newsletter cross-promotion. Numerous landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can turn your readers into advocates without dangling uncomfortable boodle or one-time tricks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv seems like a system that desires you to be successful. Not one that simply wants a piece of your pie.
Things I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No system is best, and Beehiiv’s obtained its traits.
Support can be sluggish when you hit a strange pest or need deep assistance.
Some automations still really feel also standard.
Email size tracking requires better in-app informs (please and thanks).
No built-in countdown timers (long face if you love FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Basically missing.
So if you’re marketing physical items or want abandoned cart flows, Beehiiv most likely isn’t your best option.
Conclusion
If you’re a developer who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, growing a checklist, or simply tired of outdated platforms– Beehiiv’s a solid option.
You’ll like it if:
You desire complete possession of your audience
You’re wanting to grow fast without paying system tax
You want something that feels constructed by designers, for makers
Will it solve every problem? No. However in three months, it’s assisted me grow much faster, gain more, and stress and anxiety much less regarding the little points.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to stop resolving and really range your e-newsletter with actual devices that respect your job and audience– yeah, I believe it’s time.
Take place. Give it a spin. You just might fall in love like I did.