When it came time to select a new e-mail system, I really did not want “sufficient.” I needed something better– something constructed for growth, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience on the whole. After almost a decade aiding others with email marketing (and two years running my own e-newsletter), I wasn’t trying to find just a tool– I was hunting for an appropriate companion Beehiiv Integrate with Carrd.
Which’s exactly how Beehiiv went into the picture.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply one more Substack choice?” I thought that too in the beginning. Yet after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve obtained a great deal to claim– both the wins and the unusual traits. If you’re attempting to choose whether Beehiiv is the ideal system for you, resolve in. You’re about to 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 embeded 2013. I required a device that can actually help grow my checklist and make some money while I was at it. My old ESP just wasn’t sufficing any longer.
So I started contrasting alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the normal suspects. Each had its perks, yet I was taking a look at this with the lens of somebody who takes email seriously– and who desired full control over my audience and web content.
The Substack Issue: Looks Great Up Until You Look Closer
Substack was my first quit. It’s polished. It’s easy. And yeah, it’s popular.
But dig a little deeper, and cracks begin showing. The largest one? You don’t actually own your fans.
That “comply with” button you see on Substack? It’s mainly smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack application or on their site. You can not email them directly. Can’t export them. You’re generally renting an audience you can never completely reach.
It resembles doing on a stage where the lights just activate if the place chooses to allow the group see you. Doesn’t really feel excellent.
And after that there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid memberships. Stripe takes another 3%. That’s 13% of your income– gone. You ‘d think they were running a nightclub, not an e-mail system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, Yet Was It Also Good to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stick out?
In the beginning, it was the guarantee of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter checklist development devices, and no system charges (other than the usual Stripe cut). But guarantees are simple. Implementation? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the reviews were motivating. The Reddit strings really did not sound like crawlers or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– migrating to a brand-new system usually feels like drawing teeth. But Beehiiv? Surprisingly pain-free.
Importing my listing? Smooth. Setting up forms? No crises. Connecting my customized domain? A couple of minor hiccups, but absolutely nothing that required swearing at the display.
One thing I truly valued was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv gradually introduces your domain to inbox providers, piggybacking off their very own sending out domain. Translation? Fewer spam folder nightmares.
Likewise, their support content– videos, assistance docs, and walkthroughs– in fact felt human. Like a person sat down and stated, “Let’s not annoy the hell out of our users today.” Revitalizing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Integrate with Carrd
Now here’s where points obtained a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is respectable, however don’t anticipate it to take on heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. As an example, each form can only be linked to a single automation. That makes it challenging to individualize welcome series based on just how somebody registered.
I ended up going complete investigative mode– tinkering with sections, using separate landing pages, reviewing unknown Reddit threads– simply to construct a couple of tailored workflows.
Is it workable? Definitely. But if you’re utilized to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this could feel like going back a bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Great, Yet Not Perfect
I have actually obtained a little a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Visually? It’s slick. Drag, drop, style, sneak peek– it seems like it was created by somebody who’s in fact written an e-newsletter or more.
However default templates took a few tweaks to solve. And below’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can obtain huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb big.
That means your beautifully crafted message could obtain cut in half if you’re not mindful. I learned this the hard way– then dropped a bunny hole of testing tools to optimize HTML dimension and avoid that feared clipping.
My best technique?
- Downloading and install test e-mails from Gmail and inspecting size
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s e-mail visitor
- Verifying with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Little bit of a hand-operated procedure, however it functions. I even reached out to Beehiiv about including much better size warnings. Fingers went across.
The Stuff That In Fact Steps the Needle
Alright, let’s get involved in the meat of it– what’s made a concrete distinction considering that switching to Beehiiv?
Target market Growth
In just 3 months, I included over 160 new customers to a quite niche e-newsletter. That has to do with 60% more than what I was seeing in the past– and I wasn’t even running paid advertisements.
Most of that growth originated from Beehiiv’s built-in tools: the referral program, Boosts (assume e-newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can in fact track what’s functioning and where subscribers are coming from. Makes tweaking your method a great deal much easier.
Monetization That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s chat cash since for most creators, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid registrations. Just Stripe’s charge. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% better than Substack (actually).
But there’s even more: their ad network is user-friendly and passive. Within 3 months, I was currently fielding rate of interest from marketers. Beehiiv’s partner network attaches creators with brand names in a manner that doesn’t feel sickening or required. It’s integrated earnings possibility, ordinary and easy Beehiiv Integrate with Carrd.
And when I’m ready to introduce a costs subscription? I understand specifically what cut I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Growth Tools
What really sets 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. Multiple landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can turn your readers right into advocates without hanging uncomfortable swag or one-time gimmicks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv seems like a system that wants you to do well. Not one that just desires a piece of your pie.
Points I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No platform is excellent, and Beehiiv’s obtained its traits.
Assistance can be sluggish when you hit an odd bug or need deep help.
Some automations still really feel too basic.
Email dimension surveillance requires much better in-app alerts (please and thanks).
No built-in countdown timers (sad face if you enjoy FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Basically nonexistent.
So if you’re selling physical products or desire deserted cart circulations, Beehiiv most likely isn’t your best bet.
Final Thought
If you’re a designer who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, growing a list, or just tired of outdated systems– Beehiiv’s a strong option.
You’ll like it if:
You desire complete ownership of your target market
You’re aiming to expand quick without paying system tax obligation
You want something that really feels developed by designers, for designers
Will it solve every trouble? No. But in 3 months, it’s helped me expand faster, earn more, and stress and anxiety less concerning the little things.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to quit working out and really scale your e-newsletter with genuine tools that value your job and audience– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Go on. Provide it a spin. You just may fall in love like I did.