When it came time to choose a new e-mail platform, I didn’t desire “sufficient.” I needed something better– something constructed for growth, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience in general. After nearly a decade assisting others with e-mail marketing (and two years running my very own e-newsletter), I wasn’t seeking just a device– I was searching for a correct partner Beehiiv Inactive.
And that’s exactly how Beehiiv went into the picture.
Now, I recognize what you’re thinking: “Isn’t Beehiiv just another Substack option?” I assumed that too in the beginning. But after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually got a great deal to state– both the victories and the weird peculiarities. If you’re trying to choose whether Beehiiv is the right system for you, work out 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 built like they’re still embeded 2013. I required a device that could actually aid expand my list and make some money while I was at it. My old ESP just had not been sufficing any longer.
So I began contrasting options. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the common suspects. Each had its advantages, yet I was checking out this with the lens of a person who takes email seriously– and who wanted complete control over my target market and content.
The Substack Issue: Looks Excellent Until You Look Closer
Substack was my first stop. It’s brightened. It’s straightforward. And yeah, it’s popular.
But dig a little deeper, and cracks start revealing. The largest one? You don’t really own your fans.
That “adhere to” button you see on Substack? It’s mainly smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack app or on their website. You can’t email them directly. Can not export them. You’re generally leasing a target market you can never totally get to.
It resembles executing on a stage where the lights just activate if the place chooses to let the group see you. Doesn’t feel excellent.
And after that there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid subscriptions. Stripe takes another 3%. That’s 13% of your revenue– gone. You ‘d assume they were running a club, not an email platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, Yet 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 monetization, smarter listing development devices, and zero system charges (other than the common Stripe cut). But guarantees are easy. Implementation? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the reviews were motivating. The Reddit threads really did not sound like crawlers or brand plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– migrating to a brand-new system typically feels like pulling teeth. Yet Beehiiv? Surprisingly painless.
Importing my list? Smooth. Setting up forms? No crises. Linking my custom domain? A few minor missteps, however absolutely nothing that needed swearing at the screen.
Something I actually appreciated was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv gradually presents your domain name to inbox companies, piggybacking off their own sending domain name. Translation? Less spam folder nightmares.
Also, their assistance material– video clips, help docs, and walkthroughs– in fact felt human. Like somebody took a seat and stated, “Let’s not frustrate the hell out of our users today.” Revitalizing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Inactive
Now below’s where points obtained a little … interesting.
Beehiiv’s automation system is decent, but do not expect it to compete with heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. As an example, each type can only be linked to a single automation. That makes it challenging to individualize welcome series based upon just how a person subscribed.
I ended up going complete detective mode– dabbling with sectors, making use of different landing pages, checking out rare Reddit threads– just to develop a few customized workflows.
Is it achievable? Definitely. However if you’re used to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this may feel like stepping back a little bit.
Email Builder: Primarily Fantastic, But Not Perfect
I have actually obtained a little bit of a love-hate connection with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Visually? It’s slick. Drag, go down, style, sneak peek– it feels like it was designed by a person who’s really created a newsletter or more.
However default templates took a few tweaks to solve. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can obtain large. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb big.
That suggests your magnificently crafted message could get cut in half if you’re not mindful. I learned this by hand– after that went down a bunny hole of testing tools to maximize HTML dimension and prevent that dreaded clipping.
My go-to technique?
- Downloading and install test e-mails from Gmail and inspecting dimension
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s e-mail visitor
- Verifying with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little a hand-operated process, however it functions. I even connected to Beehiiv concerning including much better size warnings. Fingers went across.
Right Stuff That Actually Relocations the Needle
Alright, let’s enter the meat of it– what’s made a concrete difference since switching over to Beehiiv?
Target market Development
In simply three months, I added over 160 new clients to a rather specific niche e-newsletter. That has to do with 60% greater than what I was seeing in the past– and I wasn’t also running paid ads.
The majority of that development came from Beehiiv’s integrated devices: the referral program, Boosts (believe e-newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can really track what’s functioning and where subscribers are originating from. Makes tweaking your method a lot easier.
Money Making That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk money because for many designers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid memberships. Just Stripe’s cost. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% better than Substack (essentially).
However there’s more: their ad network is user-friendly and passive. Within 3 months, I was currently fielding interest from marketers. Beehiiv’s companion network attaches makers with brands in such a way that doesn’t really feel icky or compelled. It’s built-in income capacity, plain and simple Beehiiv Inactive.
And when I’m ready to release a costs registration? I recognize specifically what cut I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Growth Tools
What truly establishes 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. Numerous landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can transform your readers into advocates without dangling uncomfortable boodle or one-time tricks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv feels like a platform that wants you to be successful. Not one that simply desires an item of your pie.
Things I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No platform is ideal, and Beehiiv’s obtained its traits.
Support can be slow-moving when you struck a weird insect or require deep assistance.
Some automations still really feel as well standard.
Email dimension tracking needs far better in-app notifies (please and thanks).
No integrated countdown timers (sad face if you enjoy FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Generally nonexistent.
So if you’re offering physical products or want abandoned cart circulations, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best bet.
Final Thought
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 want complete ownership of your audience
You’re wanting to grow fast without paying system tax obligation
You desire something that feels developed by designers, for designers
Will it address every trouble? No. But in 3 months, it’s assisted me grow quicker, gain more, and tension much less concerning the little points.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to stop settling and really scale your newsletter with real devices that appreciate your job and target market– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Go on. Give it a spin. You simply could fall in love like I did.