When it came time to pick a new e-mail platform, I didn’t desire “sufficient.” I needed something better– something developed for growth, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience overall. After virtually a decade aiding others with e-mail marketing (and 2 years running my very own e-newsletter), I wasn’t searching for just a tool– I was hunting for an appropriate companion Beehiiv Cup of Coffee.
And that’s how Beehiiv got in the picture.
Currently, I recognize what you’re thinking: “Isn’t Beehiiv just another Substack option?” I believed that as well initially. Yet after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve got a whole lot to state– both the victories and the strange traits. If you’re trying to choose whether Beehiiv is the best platform for you, settle in. You will get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be sincere– most email provider (ESPs) are constructed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a tool that might really aid expand my list and make some cash while I was at it. My old ESP just had not been cutting it anymore.
So I began comparing options. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the usual suspects. Each had its benefits, yet I was taking a look at this via the lens of someone who takes email seriously– and who desired complete control over my audience and content.
The Substack Issue: Looks Great Till You Look Closer
Substack was my first quit. It’s brightened. It’s easy. And yeah, it’s preferred.
But dig a little much deeper, and cracks begin revealing. The largest one? You don’t really own your fans.
That “follow” button you see on Substack? It’s mostly smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall– inside the Substack app or on their site. You can not email them straight. Can’t export them. You’re basically leasing an audience you can never ever completely reach.
It resembles carrying out on a stage where the lights only switch on if the venue makes a decision to allow the group see you. Doesn’t feel wonderful.
And after that there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid registrations. 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 platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It Too Great to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv attract attention?
At first, it was the pledge of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter list growth devices, and absolutely no system fees (aside from the usual Stripe cut). Yet promises are very easy. Implementation? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the reviews were encouraging. The Reddit threads didn’t sound like robots or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– moving to a brand-new system generally feels like drawing teeth. However Beehiiv? Surprisingly pain-free.
Importing my listing? Smooth. Setting up types? No meltdowns. Attaching my custom domain name? A few small missteps, but absolutely nothing that called for swearing at the screen.
One point I actually valued was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv progressively presents your domain name to inbox providers, piggybacking off their very own sending domain name. Translation? Fewer spam folder nightmares.
Additionally, their assistance material– video clips, assistance docs, and walkthroughs– really felt human. Like someone took a seat and said, “Let’s not irritate the hell out of our individuals today.” Rejuvenating.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Cup of Coffee
Currently below’s where things got a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is respectable, but don’t expect it to take on heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each kind can just be linked to a solitary automation. That makes it difficult to individualize welcome sequences based upon exactly how someone subscribed.
I wound up going full investigator setting– dabbling with segments, making use of different landing pages, reviewing obscure Reddit strings– simply to construct a couple of tailored workflows.
Is it workable? Absolutely. However if you’re used to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this might feel like going back a little bit.
Email Builder: Primarily Excellent, However Not Perfect
I’ve obtained a bit of a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Visually? It’s slick. Drag, go down, format, preview– it feels like it was developed by a person who’s actually written an e-newsletter or more.
However default templates took a couple of tweaks to get right. And below’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can obtain huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb big.
That indicates your beautifully crafted message could get chopped in half if you’re not mindful. I learned this by hand– after that decreased a rabbit hole of testing devices to enhance HTML dimension and prevent that dreaded clipping.
My best approach?
- Downloading examination e-mails from Gmail and examining size
- Running the HTML through Parcel.io’s e-mail viewer
- Verifying with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Bit of a manual process, however it functions. I even connected to Beehiiv concerning including much better size warnings. Fingers crossed.
Right Stuff That In Fact Actions the Needle
Alright, let’s enter the meat of it– what’s made a substantial distinction because switching to Beehiiv?
Target market Growth
In simply 3 months, I added over 160 brand-new customers to a pretty particular niche newsletter. That’s about 60% more than what I was seeing previously– and I wasn’t also running paid ads.
The majority of that development came from Beehiiv’s integrated devices: 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 technique a great deal less complicated.
Money Making That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk cash since for many makers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid memberships. Just Stripe’s fee. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% better than Substack (actually).
But there’s even more: their ad network is instinctive and passive. Within 3 months, I was currently fielding interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s companion network links developers with brands in a way that does not really feel sickening or compelled. It’s built-in income potential, ordinary and simple Beehiiv Cup of Coffee.
And when I prepare to release a costs subscription? I understand specifically what cut I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Growth Devices
What really establishes Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually got customizable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Multiple landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can transform your viewers right into supporters without dangling unpleasant swag or single tricks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv feels like a system that desires you to do well. Not one that just desires an item of your pie.
Things I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No system is perfect, and Beehiiv’s got its peculiarities.
Assistance can be sluggish when you struck an unusual bug or require deep aid.
Some automations still feel also standard.
Email dimension tracking requires better in-app notifies (please and thanks).
No integrated countdown timers (sad face if you love FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Essentially missing.
So if you’re selling physical products or desire deserted cart flows, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best bet.
Conclusion
If you’re a maker who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, growing a list, or just tired of obsolete systems– Beehiiv’s a solid choice.
You’ll like it if:
You desire full possession of your audience
You’re aiming to expand quickly without paying system tax
You desire something that really feels built by designers, for designers
Will it solve every trouble? No. However in three months, it’s aided me grow much faster, gain much more, and tension much less concerning the little points.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to quit clearing up and in fact scale your e-newsletter with real devices that appreciate your job and target market– yeah, I think it’s time.
Take place. Offer it a spin. You simply may fall in love like I did.