When it came time to select a brand-new email platform, I didn’t desire “adequate.” I required something much better– something developed for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience generally. After almost a years helping others with e-mail marketing (and two years running my very own e-newsletter), I had not been searching for simply a tool– I was hunting for a correct companion Beehiiv Monetize.
Which’s how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Currently, I know what you’re assuming: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply another Substack alternative?” I thought that also in the beginning. But after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually got a lot to say– both the success and the weird peculiarities. If you’re trying to make a decision whether Beehiiv is the best system for you, settle in. You will get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be honest– most email provider (ESPs) are built like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a device that can actually help expand my listing and make some money while I was at it. My old ESP simply had not been cutting it anymore.
So I started contrasting alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the usual suspects. Each had its perks, yet I was considering this via the lens of somebody who takes e-mail seriously– and who wanted complete control over my audience and content.
The Substack Issue: Looks Good Till You Look Closer
Substack was my initial quit. It’s brightened. It’s easy. And yeah, it’s popular.
Yet dig a little deeper, and fractures begin revealing. The most significant one? You don’t actually possess your fans.
That “adhere to” button you see on Substack? It’s mostly smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack application or on their site. You can’t email them directly. Can not export them. You’re primarily renting out a target market you can never ever fully get to.
It resembles doing on a stage where the lights only activate if the location determines to let the group see you. Doesn’t really feel great.
And after that there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid subscriptions. Stripe takes another 3%. That’s 13% of your income– gone. You ‘d assume they were running a nightclub, not an e-mail system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, Yet Was It Too Good to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stand out?
At first, it was the guarantee of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter listing growth devices, and no system fees (apart from the normal Stripe cut). But assurances are simple. Implementation? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the reviews were encouraging. The Reddit strings didn’t seem like robots or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– migrating to a brand-new platform generally seems like drawing teeth. But Beehiiv? Surprisingly painless.
Importing my checklist? Smooth. Establishing kinds? No meltdowns. Linking my custom domain? A couple of small missteps, however nothing that needed swearing at the screen.
Something I really appreciated was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv gradually presents your domain to inbox carriers, piggybacking off their own sending out domain. Translation? Less spam folder problems.
Also, their support web content– video clips, assistance docs, and walkthroughs– actually really felt human. Like a person sat down and said, “Let’s not frustrate the hell out of our individuals today.” Rejuvenating.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Monetize
Currently here’s where things obtained a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is suitable, yet don’t anticipate it to take on heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For example, each kind can only be connected to a solitary automation. That makes it complicated to customize welcome sequences based on exactly how someone registered.
I ended up going full detective setting– tinkering with sectors, using different landing pages, reading obscure Reddit threads– just to build a couple of tailored workflows.
Is it doable? Definitely. However if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this might seem like going back a little bit.
Email Builder: Mostly Wonderful, Yet Not Perfect
I have actually obtained a little a love-hate connection with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Visually? It’s slick. Drag, go down, format, sneak peek– it feels like it was developed by someone who’s actually composed a newsletter or 2.
However default templates took a couple of tweaks to solve. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can obtain big. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That indicates your wonderfully crafted message might get cut in half if you’re not cautious. I discovered this the hard way– then went down a bunny opening of screening devices to maximize HTML dimension and avoid that dreadful clipping.
My go-to approach?
- Downloading test emails from Gmail and examining size
- Running the HTML through Parcel.io’s email viewer
- Verifying with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Bit of a hand-operated process, yet it works. I even connected to Beehiiv regarding adding better size warnings. Fingers went across.
Right Stuff That In Fact Steps the Needle
Alright, let’s get into the meat of it– what’s made a substantial difference because switching to Beehiiv?
Audience Growth
In just three months, I included over 160 new customers to a rather specific niche newsletter. That has to do with 60% greater than what I was seeing in the past– and I wasn’t even running paid advertisements.
Most of that growth came from Beehiiv’s integrated tools: the referral program, Boosts (assume e-newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can really track what’s functioning and where clients are originating from. Makes tweaking your strategy a great deal less complicated.
Monetization That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk money because for most developers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid subscriptions. Just Stripe’s cost. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% better than Substack (essentially).
However there’s even more: their advertisement network is intuitive and passive. Within 3 months, I was currently fielding rate of interest from marketers. Beehiiv’s partner network attaches makers with brand names in a manner that does not really feel icky or compelled. It’s built-in income possibility, ordinary and straightforward Beehiiv Monetize.
And when I’m ready to release a costs membership? I understand specifically what cut I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Development Tools
What truly establishes Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve obtained customizable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Multiple landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can transform your readers into advocates without hanging uncomfortable swag or single tricks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv feels like a platform that desires you to prosper. Not one that simply wants an item of your pie.
Things I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No platform is best, and Beehiiv’s obtained its peculiarities.
Assistance can be slow-moving when you struck a strange insect or need deep aid.
Some automations still really feel as well basic.
Email dimension monitoring needs much better in-app alerts (please and thank you).
No built-in countdown timers (long face if you like FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Essentially nonexistent.
So if you’re marketing physical products or desire deserted cart circulations, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best choice.
Verdict
If you’re a creator who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, expanding a listing, or just tired of out-of-date systems– Beehiiv’s a strong option.
You’ll like it if:
You desire full ownership of your audience
You’re aiming to grow quickly without paying platform tax
You want something that really feels developed by makers, for makers
Will it fix every trouble? No. However in three months, it’s helped me grow faster, gain much more, and stress and anxiety much less about the little things.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you prepare to quit settling and actually range your newsletter with real tools that respect your job and audience– yeah, I think it’s time.
Go on. Provide it a spin. You simply may fall in love like I did.