When it came time to pick a new e-mail system, I didn’t want “sufficient.” I needed something much better– something built for development, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience in general. After virtually a decade assisting others with e-mail marketing (and 2 years running my very own e-newsletter), I had not been looking for just a tool– I was hunting for a proper partner Beehiiv Black Friday.
And that’s how Beehiiv went into the picture.
Currently, I know what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv just one more Substack choice?” I believed that too at first. But after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve got a whole lot to claim– both the wins and the strange quirks. If you’re attempting to choose whether Beehiiv is the ideal system for you, work out in. You will obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be truthful– most email provider (ESPs) are constructed like they’re still embeded 2013. I needed a device that could in fact help grow my list and make some cash while I went to it. My old ESP simply wasn’t cutting it anymore.
So I started comparing options. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the usual suspects. Each had its rewards, however I was looking at this through the lens of somebody who takes email seriously– and who wanted full control over my audience and content.
The Substack Trouble: Looks Great Till You Look Closer
Substack was my initial quit. It’s polished. It’s simple. And yeah, it’s prominent.
However dig a little deeper, and cracks begin revealing. The biggest one? You don’t in fact own your fans.
That “comply with” button 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 straight. Can’t export them. You’re essentially leasing a target market you can never totally get to.
It’s like doing on a phase where the lights just turn on if the place makes a decision to let the group see you. Doesn’t really feel fantastic.
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 revenue– gone. You ‘d think they were running a bar, not an e-mail system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, Yet Was It As well Excellent to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv stand apart?
At first, it was the guarantee of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter list growth devices, and absolutely no system costs (aside from the common Stripe cut). However guarantees are simple. Execution? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the testimonials were motivating. The Reddit threads really did not seem like crawlers or brand plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– moving to a new system generally seems like drawing teeth. But Beehiiv? Remarkably pain-free.
Importing my checklist? Smooth. Setting up kinds? No meltdowns. Connecting my personalized domain? A few minor missteps, however absolutely nothing that called for swearing at the display.
Something I actually appreciated was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv gradually presents your domain name to inbox companies, piggybacking off their very own sending out domain. Translation? Fewer spam folder nightmares.
Also, their assistance material– video clips, assistance docs, and walkthroughs– in fact really felt human. Like somebody took a seat and stated, “Let’s not discourage the heck out of our individuals today.” Refreshing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Black Friday
Now below’s where points obtained a little … interesting.
Beehiiv’s automation system is decent, but do not anticipate it to compete with heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For example, each type can just be linked to a single automation. That makes it complicated to individualize welcome series based on how someone subscribed.
I wound up going full investigative mode– tinkering with segments, using separate landing pages, checking out obscure Reddit threads– simply to build a few tailored workflows.
Is it workable? Definitely. However if you’re utilized to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this may seem like stepping back a bit.
Email Builder: Mostly Terrific, But Not Perfect
I have actually obtained a bit of a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Visually? It’s slick. Drag, drop, style, sneak peek– it feels like it was designed by a person who’s actually written a newsletter or more.
But default templates took a few tweaks to solve. And right here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can get big. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb large.
That means your magnificently crafted message may obtain cut in half if you’re not mindful. I discovered this the hard way– after that decreased a rabbit opening of screening devices to maximize HTML size and stay clear of that feared clipping.
My go-to method?
- Downloading test e-mails from Gmail and examining size
- Running the HTML via Parcel.io’s e-mail viewer
- Double-checking with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Bit of a hand-operated process, but it works. I even reached out to Beehiiv concerning adding better dimension warnings. Fingers went across.
Right Stuff That Actually Steps the Needle
Alright, let’s enter into the meat of it– what’s made a substantial difference considering that switching over to Beehiiv?
Audience Development
In just three months, I added over 160 brand-new subscribers to a quite particular niche newsletter. That’s about 60% more than what I was seeing before– and I had not been even running paid advertisements.
The majority of that growth came 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 clients are coming from. Makes tweaking your strategy a lot simpler.
Monetization That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s chat cash since for many designers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid registrations. Simply Stripe’s cost. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% far better than Substack (literally).
But there’s even more: their advertisement network is user-friendly and passive. Within three months, I was already fielding interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s partner network connects creators with brand names in such a way that does not feel nasty or forced. It’s integrated earnings potential, simple and basic Beehiiv Black Friday.
And when I’m ready to introduce a costs membership? I know precisely what reduced I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Growth Devices
What really sets Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually got personalized referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Several landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can transform your readers right into supporters without dangling uncomfortable swag or one-time tricks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv seems like a platform that wants you to do well. Not one that simply wants a piece of your pie.
Points I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No platform is excellent, and Beehiiv’s got its traits.
Support can be slow-moving when you struck a strange pest or need deep help.
Some automations still feel also fundamental.
Email dimension monitoring requires much better in-app signals (please and thank you).
No built-in countdown timers (long face if you enjoy FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Basically missing.
So if you’re marketing physical products or want abandoned cart circulations, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best choice.
Verdict
If you’re a developer who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, expanding a listing, or just tired of outdated platforms– Beehiiv’s a strong option.
You’ll like it if:
You want full ownership of your audience
You’re looking to expand fast without paying platform tax obligation
You want something that really feels developed by creators, for developers
Will it resolve every problem? No. However in 3 months, it’s helped me expand much faster, make a lot more, and stress and anxiety much less regarding the little things.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to stop resolving and in fact scale your newsletter with genuine devices that appreciate your work and audience– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Go on. Provide it a spin. You just may fall in love like I did.