When it came time to choose a new e-mail system, I really did not want “sufficient.” I needed something better– something built for development, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience in general. After virtually a years assisting others with email marketing (and two years running my very own newsletter), I had not been trying to find just a tool– I was hunting for a proper partner Beehiiv Dynamic Content.
And that’s just how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Currently, I recognize what you’re thinking: “Isn’t Beehiiv just an additional Substack choice?” I assumed that as well in the beginning. But after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually obtained a whole lot to claim– both the wins and the unusual peculiarities. If you’re trying to make a decision whether Beehiiv is the right system for you, settle in. You’re about to obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be honest– most email service providers (ESPs) are developed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a tool that can actually assist grow my list and make some money while I was at it. My old ESP just wasn’t cutting it any longer.
So I began contrasting choices. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the common suspects. Each had its rewards, but I was considering this through the lens of someone who takes email seriously– and who desired complete control over my audience and web content.
The Substack Trouble: Looks Excellent Until You Look Closer
Substack was my first quit. It’s brightened. It’s simple. And yeah, it’s popular.
Yet dig a little much deeper, and cracks start revealing. The most significant one? You don’t really own your fans.
That “comply with” switch you see on Substack? It’s mostly smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall– inside the Substack app or on their website. You can’t email them straight. Can’t export them. You’re basically renting an audience you can never fully reach.
It resembles performing on a stage where the lights just turn on if the venue decides to allow the group see you. Doesn’t really feel excellent.
And then there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid registrations. Stripe takes one more 3%. That’s 13% of your earnings– gone. You ‘d assume they were running a club, not an e-mail system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It As well Good to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stick out?
At first, it was the guarantee of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter checklist development tools, and no system fees (other than the usual Stripe cut). However promises are easy. Execution? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the evaluations were encouraging. The Reddit strings really did not sound like crawlers 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 platform normally seems like drawing teeth. But Beehiiv? Surprisingly painless.
Importing my list? Smooth. Setting up kinds? No crises. Connecting my custom domain? A few small missteps, but nothing that required swearing at the screen.
One thing I actually appreciated was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly introduces your domain name to inbox carriers, piggybacking off their own sending domain. Translation? Less spam folder headaches.
Likewise, their support content– videos, aid docs, and walkthroughs– really felt human. Like a person took a seat and claimed, “Let’s not discourage the heck out of our individuals today.” Rejuvenating.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Dynamic Content
Currently below’s where things obtained a little … intriguing.
Beehiiv’s automation system is decent, yet do not anticipate it to compete with heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For example, each kind can just be linked to a solitary automation. That makes it tricky to customize welcome sequences based on how someone signed up.
I wound up going full detective mode– dabbling with sections, utilizing separate landing pages, reading obscure Reddit threads– just to build a couple of customized workflows.
Is it manageable? Definitely. But if you’re utilized to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this could seem like going back a bit.
Email Builder: Mostly Great, However Not Perfect
I’ve got a little bit of a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Aesthetically? It’s slick. Drag, go down, layout, sneak peek– it seems like it was created by someone who’s in fact composed a newsletter or more.
However default templates took a few tweaks to solve. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can get huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb big.
That indicates your wonderfully crafted message could get chopped in half if you’re not careful. I learned this the hard way– then went down a bunny opening of testing tools to optimize HTML dimension and prevent that dreaded clipping.
My best approach?
- Downloading test e-mails from Gmail and checking dimension
- Running the HTML through Parcel.io’s email customer
- Ascertaining with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little bit of a manual process, yet it works. I even reached out to Beehiiv regarding adding far better size warnings. Fingers crossed.
Right Stuff That Actually Relocations the Needle
Alright, let’s enter into the meat of it– what’s made a tangible distinction because switching to Beehiiv?
Audience Growth
In just 3 months, I included over 160 brand-new subscribers to a quite particular niche newsletter. That has to do with 60% more than what I was seeing in the past– and I had not been also running paid ads.
A lot of that development 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 working and where subscribers are originating from. Makes tweaking your technique a great deal simpler.
Money Making That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk cash because for most designers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid subscriptions. Simply Stripe’s cost. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% much better than Substack (actually).
But there’s even more: their advertisement network is intuitive and passive. Within 3 months, I was currently fielding passion from advertisers. Beehiiv’s partner network connects developers with brand names in such a way that doesn’t really feel icky or compelled. It’s integrated earnings potential, ordinary and basic Beehiiv Dynamic Content.
And when I’m ready to introduce a costs subscription? I know specifically what cut I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Development Devices
What actually establishes Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually got adjustable referral programs. Boosts for e-newsletter cross-promotion. Numerous landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can turn your readers into advocates without hanging uncomfortable swag or single tricks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv feels like a system that wants you to be successful. Not one that just desires a piece of your pie.
Points I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No platform is ideal, and Beehiiv’s got its quirks.
Assistance can be slow-moving when you struck a strange pest or require deep help.
Some automations still feel as well fundamental.
Email size tracking needs better in-app alerts (please and thanks).
No integrated countdown timers (sad face if you love FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Primarily missing.
So if you’re marketing physical products or desire abandoned cart flows, Beehiiv possibly isn’t your best choice.
Verdict
If you’re a developer who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, growing a list, or just tired of out-of-date platforms– Beehiiv’s a strong selection.
You’ll like it if:
You desire full possession of your audience
You’re seeking to expand fast without paying platform tax
You desire something that feels built by designers, for creators
Will it resolve every trouble? No. But in 3 months, it’s aided me expand much faster, earn more, and tension less concerning the little points.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to stop working out and really scale your newsletter with genuine devices that appreciate your work and target market– yeah, I believe it’s time.
Take place. Provide it a spin. You simply might fall in love like I did.