When it came time to select a new e-mail system, I really did not desire “sufficient.” I required something much better– something built for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience on the whole. After nearly a years aiding others with e-mail marketing (and two years running my own e-newsletter), I wasn’t trying to find just a device– I was searching for an appropriate companion Beehiiv Free Plan.
And that’s exactly how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Now, I recognize what you’re assuming: “Isn’t Beehiiv just an additional Substack alternative?” I believed that too in the beginning. But after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually got a great deal to say– both the wins and the unusual traits. If you’re trying to decide whether Beehiiv is the right system for you, settle in. You will obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be sincere– most email provider (ESPs) are built like they’re still stuck in 2013. I required a tool that can really assist grow my list and make some money while I went to it. My old ESP just wasn’t cutting it any longer.
So I started contrasting options. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the typical suspects. Each had its rewards, yet I was looking at this via the lens of someone who takes email seriously– and who wanted full control over my target market and web content.
The Substack Issue: Looks Good Until You Look Closer
Substack was my very first quit. It’s polished. It’s easy. And yeah, it’s prominent.
But dig a little deeper, and splits begin showing. The greatest one? You do not actually have your fans.
That “comply with” button you see on Substack? It’s primarily smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall– inside the Substack app or on their site. You can not email them straight. Can’t export them. You’re generally leasing a target market you can never completely get to.
It resembles performing on a phase where the lights only activate if the venue chooses to let the crowd see you. Doesn’t really feel excellent.
And afterwards there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid registrations. Stripe takes one more 3%. That’s 13% of your earnings– gone. You would certainly think they were running a club, not an email system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, Yet Was It Also Excellent to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv attract attention?
At first, it was the guarantee of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter list development tools, and zero platform costs (aside from the normal Stripe cut). Yet guarantees are very easy. Execution? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the evaluations were encouraging. The Reddit strings really did not sound like bots or brand plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– migrating to a brand-new system normally seems like pulling teeth. However Beehiiv? Surprisingly pain-free.
Importing my checklist? Smooth. Establishing types? No disasters. Connecting my personalized domain name? A couple of small hiccups, however absolutely nothing that required swearing at the screen.
One thing I actually appreciated was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly presents your domain name to inbox carriers, piggybacking off their very own sending domain name. Translation? Less spam folder nightmares.
Likewise, their support material– videos, aid docs, and walkthroughs– actually really felt human. Like a person took a seat and claimed, “Let’s not frustrate the hell out of our users today.” Rejuvenating.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Free Plan
Currently right here’s where things got a little … interesting.
Beehiiv’s automation system is suitable, but do not anticipate it to compete with heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For example, each type can just be linked to a single automation. That makes it complicated to personalize welcome series based on how someone subscribed.
I ended up going complete investigative setting– playing with segments, using different landing pages, checking out odd Reddit strings– simply to develop a few customized workflows.
Is it achievable? Definitely. But if you’re used to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this might feel like going back a bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Wonderful, However Not Perfect
I’ve got a little a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Visually? It’s glossy. Drag, go down, layout, sneak peek– it seems like it was made by a person who’s really written an e-newsletter or two.
However default templates took a few tweaks to solve. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can obtain big. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb large.
That means your beautifully crafted message could obtain cut in half if you’re not cautious. I learned this by hand– after that dropped a bunny opening of testing tools to maximize HTML size and prevent that dreaded clipping.
My best strategy?
- Downloading and install examination emails from Gmail and checking dimension
- Running the HTML via Parcel.io’s e-mail visitor
- Confirming with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Bit of a manual procedure, however it functions. I also connected to Beehiiv about including much better size cautions. Fingers went across.
The Stuff That In Fact Relocations the Needle
Alright, let’s enter into the meat of it– what’s made a tangible difference because changing to Beehiiv?
Audience Growth
In just 3 months, I added over 160 brand-new customers to a pretty specific niche e-newsletter. That has to do with 60% greater than what I was seeing in the past– and I had not been even running paid ads.
A lot of that growth came from Beehiiv’s integrated tools: the referral program, Boosts (assume e-newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can actually track what’s functioning and where customers are originating from. Makes tweaking your technique a lot less complicated.
Monetization That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk cash because for the majority of makers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid registrations. Just Stripe’s fee. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% far better than Substack (essentially).
However there’s more: their ad network is intuitive and passive. Within three months, I was currently fielding rate of interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s companion network attaches makers with brands in a manner that does not really feel disgusting or required. It’s built-in revenue potential, simple and straightforward Beehiiv Free Plan.
And when I prepare to launch a costs subscription? I recognize precisely what reduced I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Development Tools
What actually sets Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve obtained customizable referral programs. Boosts for e-newsletter cross-promotion. Several landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can transform your readers right into advocates without hanging uncomfortable swag or one-time gimmicks.
I’ll state this: Beehiiv seems like a system that wants you to succeed. Not one that simply wants an item of your pie.
Points I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No system is perfect, and Beehiiv’s obtained its traits.
Support can be slow-moving when you struck a weird insect or need deep help.
Some automations still really feel too fundamental.
Email size monitoring needs better in-app alerts (please and thanks).
No integrated 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 bet.
Verdict
If you’re a designer who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, expanding a list, or simply tired of out-of-date systems– Beehiiv’s a solid selection.
You’ll like it if:
You desire full possession of your target market
You’re seeking to expand fast without paying system tax
You desire something that feels developed by makers, for creators
Will it address every trouble? No. However in three months, it’s assisted me grow quicker, earn a lot more, and stress less concerning the little points.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you prepare to quit working out and actually range your e-newsletter with real tools that appreciate your work and audience– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Go on. Give it a spin. You just may fall in love like I did.