When it came time to pick a brand-new e-mail system, I didn’t desire “sufficient.” I needed something much better– something built for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience in general. After virtually a years assisting others with e-mail marketing (and 2 years running my very own e-newsletter), I wasn’t seeking just a device– I was searching for a correct companion Beehiiv Get a Demo.
And that’s exactly how Beehiiv went into the picture.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Isn’t Beehiiv just an additional Substack alternative?” I assumed that as well at first. But after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve got a great deal to state– both the success and the weird quirks. If you’re trying to decide whether Beehiiv is the ideal platform for you, clear up in. You will 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 needed a device that could really aid grow my list and make some cash while I went to it. My old ESP simply wasn’t cutting it any longer.
So I started comparing alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the normal suspects. Each had its advantages, yet I was considering this through the lens of someone who takes e-mail seriously– and who wanted full control over my audience and material.
The Substack Trouble: Looks Good Until You Look Closer
Substack was my initial stop. It’s polished. It’s easy. And yeah, it’s preferred.
However dig a little deeper, and cracks begin showing. The greatest one? You do not really have your fans.
That “follow” switch you see on Substack? It’s primarily smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack application or on their website. You can not email them straight. Can not export them. You’re essentially renting a target market you can never ever completely reach.
It’s like doing on a phase where the lights only switch on if the venue makes a decision to let the crowd see you. Doesn’t really feel wonderful.
And then there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid memberships. Stripe takes one more 3%. That’s 13% of your revenue– gone. You ‘d believe they were running a club, not an email system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It Too Excellent to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stand out?
At first, it was the pledge of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter listing development devices, and zero platform charges (aside from the usual Stripe cut). Yet pledges are very easy. Execution? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the testimonials were encouraging. The Reddit threads really did not sound like bots or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– moving to a new system usually feels like drawing teeth. But Beehiiv? Surprisingly pain-free.
Importing my list? Smooth. Setting up types? No disasters. Attaching my custom-made domain name? A few minor missteps, but absolutely nothing that called for swearing at the display.
One thing I truly valued was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly introduces your domain name to inbox providers, piggybacking off their own sending out domain. Translation? Fewer spam folder headaches.
Likewise, their support material– videos, aid docs, and walkthroughs– actually really felt human. Like a person sat down and stated, “Let’s not irritate the hell out of our users today.” Refreshing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Get a Demo
Currently below’s where things obtained a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is suitable, but don’t expect it to compete with heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each type can just be connected to a solitary automation. That makes it complicated to customize welcome series based upon how a person registered.
I ended up going complete investigator setting– dabbling with sections, utilizing separate landing pages, checking out odd Reddit threads– just to construct a few tailored workflows.
Is it doable? Definitely. However if you’re utilized to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this could seem like going back a little bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Great, Yet Not Perfect
I’ve got a little a love-hate relationship with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Visually? It’s glossy. Drag, drop, format, sneak peek– it feels like it was designed by someone who’s in fact composed an e-newsletter or 2.
Yet default templates took a few tweaks to solve. And below’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can obtain huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb big.
That means your beautifully crafted message might obtain sliced in half if you’re not mindful. I discovered this by hand– after that decreased a rabbit opening of screening devices to optimize HTML dimension and avoid that dreaded clipping.
My go-to strategy?
- Downloading test e-mails from Gmail and inspecting size
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s email viewer
- Confirming with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Bit of a manual procedure, yet it functions. I even reached out to Beehiiv regarding including better dimension warnings. Fingers went across.
The Stuff That In Fact Actions the Needle
Alright, let’s enter the meat of it– what’s made a concrete difference since switching over to Beehiiv?
Audience Development
In simply 3 months, I included over 160 brand-new subscribers to a quite specific niche e-newsletter. That has to do with 60% greater than what I was seeing before– and I had not been even running paid ads.
A lot of that growth originated from Beehiiv’s integrated 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 whole lot simpler.
Monetization That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk money because for the majority of makers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid memberships. Simply Stripe’s charge. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% better than Substack (literally).
Yet there’s more: their advertisement network is intuitive and passive. Within 3 months, I was currently fielding passion from marketers. Beehiiv’s companion network attaches makers with brand names in a way that does not really feel sickening or compelled. It’s integrated earnings potential, plain and simple Beehiiv Get a Demo.
And when I prepare to launch a costs registration? I know precisely what cut I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Development Tools
What really establishes Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually obtained personalized referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Several landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can transform your readers into supporters without dangling uncomfortable swag or one-time tricks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv feels like a system that desires you to succeed. Not one that simply desires a piece of your pie.
Things I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No platform is excellent, and Beehiiv’s obtained its quirks.
Support can be sluggish when you struck a strange pest or require deep aid.
Some automations still feel too fundamental.
Email dimension monitoring needs far better in-app informs (please and thanks).
No built-in countdown timers (sad face if you love FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Basically nonexistent.
So if you’re offering physical products or want deserted cart flows, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best option.
Final Thought
If you’re a creator who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, growing a listing, or simply tired of obsolete systems– Beehiiv’s a solid selection.
You’ll like it if:
You want full ownership of your target market
You’re seeking to grow quick without paying platform tax
You want something that really feels developed by designers, for developers
Will it fix every problem? No. However in 3 months, it’s helped me grow quicker, earn extra, and tension much less concerning the little points.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to quit working out and actually scale your e-newsletter with actual tools that value your work and target market– yeah, I believe it’s time.
Take place. Offer it a spin. You just might fall in love like I did.