When it came time to choose a brand-new e-mail system, I didn’t desire “sufficient.” I required something better– something developed for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience in general. After virtually a years helping others with email marketing (and 2 years running my very own newsletter), I had not been searching for just a tool– I was searching for a proper companion Beehiiv Lifetime Offer.
And that’s just how Beehiiv got in the picture.
Currently, I understand what you’re thinking: “Isn’t Beehiiv just an additional Substack option?” I believed that also initially. However after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually got a lot to claim– both the victories and the weird traits. If you’re attempting to determine whether Beehiiv is the appropriate system for you, clear up in. You will get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be sincere– most email company (ESPs) are built like they’re still embeded 2013. I required a tool that might in fact aid expand my listing and make some money while I was at it. My old ESP simply wasn’t cutting it any longer.
So I began contrasting choices. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the normal suspects. Each had its perks, however I was taking a look at this with the lens of someone who takes email seriously– and who wanted complete control over my audience and content.
The Substack Issue: Looks Good Until You Look Closer
Substack was my initial quit. It’s polished. It’s basic. And yeah, it’s preferred.
Yet dig a little deeper, and splits begin showing. The largest one? You do not really own your fans.
That “comply with” button you see on Substack? It’s mainly smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall– inside the Substack app or on their site. You can’t email them straight. Can not export them. You’re primarily leasing a target market you can never completely get to.
It’s like doing on a phase where the lights just switch on if the location determines to let the group see you. Does not really feel excellent.
And afterwards there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid subscriptions. Stripe takes one more 3%. That’s 13% of your income– gone. You ‘d believe they were running a bar, not an e-mail system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It Too Good to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv stand apart?
In the beginning, it was the assurance of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter listing development devices, and zero system fees (apart from the normal Stripe cut). Yet promises are easy. Execution? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the testimonials were encouraging. The Reddit threads didn’t seem like bots or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– moving to a new system usually feels like drawing teeth. But Beehiiv? Remarkably painless.
Importing my checklist? Smooth. Setting up forms? No disasters. Linking my custom domain name? A few minor missteps, but nothing that required swearing at the display.
One point I truly valued was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv gradually introduces your domain to inbox service providers, piggybacking off their own sending out domain name. Translation? Less spam folder nightmares.
Likewise, their support material– video clips, aid docs, and walkthroughs– actually felt human. Like someone took a seat and said, “Let’s not discourage the heck out of our customers today.” Revitalizing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Lifetime Offer
Now right here’s where things obtained a little … interesting.
Beehiiv’s automation system is decent, yet do not anticipate it to take on heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. As an example, each type can just be linked to a single automation. That makes it complicated to personalize welcome sequences based upon exactly how somebody registered.
I wound up going complete investigator setting– tinkering with sectors, making use of separate landing pages, reading obscure Reddit strings– just to develop a couple of customized workflows.
Is it doable? Definitely. But if you’re utilized to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this may seem like going back a little bit.
Email Builder: Primarily Fantastic, Yet Not Perfect
I’ve obtained a bit of a love-hate connection with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Visually? It’s glossy. Drag, go down, layout, preview– it seems like it was made by a person who’s actually created an e-newsletter or 2.
But default templates took a couple of tweaks to get right. And below’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can obtain large. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That suggests your beautifully crafted message may obtain sliced in half if you’re not careful. I learned this by hand– after that decreased a rabbit hole of screening tools to enhance HTML size and stay clear of that dreadful clipping.
My go-to approach?
- Downloading test e-mails from Gmail and examining dimension
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s e-mail viewer
- Double-checking with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Bit of a hands-on process, but it functions. I even connected to Beehiiv regarding adding better size cautions. Fingers crossed.
Right Stuff That In Fact Relocations the Needle
Alright, let’s enter the meat of it– what’s made a tangible difference because switching over to Beehiiv?
Target market Growth
In simply 3 months, I included over 160 brand-new subscribers to a quite particular niche e-newsletter. That has to do with 60% more than what I was seeing previously– and I wasn’t also running paid advertisements.
A lot of that development originated from Beehiiv’s integrated devices: the referral program, Boosts (think e-newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can really track what’s working and where subscribers are originating from. Makes tweaking your approach a whole lot simpler.
Monetization That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s chat cash since for many makers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid memberships. Just Stripe’s cost. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% much better than Substack (literally).
Yet there’s even more: their ad network is user-friendly and passive. Within 3 months, I was already fielding rate of interest from marketers. Beehiiv’s partner network attaches developers with brand names in a manner that does not really feel sickening or forced. It’s integrated income capacity, ordinary and simple Beehiiv Lifetime Offer.
And when I prepare to release a premium subscription? I recognize precisely what cut I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Development Devices
What truly sets Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve obtained adjustable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Multiple landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can transform your viewers into supporters without dangling unpleasant swag or single gimmicks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv feels like a system that wants you to prosper. Not one that just desires an item of your pie.
Points I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No platform is best, and Beehiiv’s got its traits.
Support can be slow when you hit a strange bug or need deep help.
Some automations still really feel as well fundamental.
Email dimension monitoring requires much better in-app informs (please and thanks).
No built-in countdown timers (sad face if you like FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Primarily missing.
So if you’re selling physical items or want abandoned cart flows, Beehiiv most likely isn’t your best option.
Verdict
If you’re a developer who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, expanding a list, or simply tired of out-of-date platforms– Beehiiv’s a strong option.
You’ll like it if:
You want full ownership of your target market
You’re seeking to grow quickly without paying system tax obligation
You want something that really feels built by designers, for developers
Will it resolve every problem? No. However in three months, it’s aided me grow faster, make much more, and stress and anxiety much less concerning the little points.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to quit clearing up and actually scale your newsletter with genuine tools that respect your work and target market– yeah, I think it’s time.
Go on. Provide it a spin. You simply may fall in love like I did.